NCJ Number
85425
Journal
American Journal of Police Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1981) Pages: 1-22
Date Published
1981
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study examines whether class, racial, and sexual discrimination enter into police decisions regarding the release of a person after arrest and booking.
Abstract
The data base used was a secondary source consisting of a 1975 offender-based transactional system containing a 20 percent random sample through 8 months of adult processing in a west coast county. The dependent variable, release from jail detention, was defined as a dummy variable which contained values of remain in custody and release. From the sample, 835 were released and 624 remained in custody. Persons released on bail were excluded from the sample. Factors examined as affecting the release decision were race, sex, and social class of the suspect, employment status, and severity of the charge. The offenses involved were aggravated assault (n=25), burglary (n=56), grand theft (n=36), fraud (n=27), drug offenses (n=70), shoplifting (n=84), and drunken driving (n=432). So few females were involved in aggravated assault, burglary, and grand theft that the sex variable in relation to release of persons charged with these offenses was meaningless. For aggravated assault, release seemed most likely for those of higher socioeconomic status. Burglary, however, did not evidence discriminatory release. For grand theft, employment status appeared to be the most influential variable. For fraud, males appeared more likely to be released than females. Discriminatory decisionmaking was not evidenced for either drug offenses or drunken driving. Suggestions for other research in this area are offered. Tabular data and 58 references are provided.