INFORMATION, APPREHENSION, AND DETERRENCE - EXPLORING THE LIMITS OF POLICE PRODUCTIVITY

• NCJ Number: 63403
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1979) Pages: 217-241
• Author(s): W G Skogan; G E Antunes
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 25 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press Limited
• Sale Source: Institute for Scientific Information; Pergamon Press
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REQUEST PHOTOCOPY OF ARTICLE WHEN ORDERING FROM PERGAMON

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE FOCUSES ON A CRUCIAL LINK IN POLICE DETERRENCE POLICY--THE ABILITY OF THE POLICE TO GATHER EVIDENCE, SOLVE CRIMES, AND MAKE ARRESTS.

Abstract

A VARIETY OF STUDIES OF POLICE APPREHENSION WERE REVIEWED USING THE HYPOTHESIS THAT AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF POLICE ABILITY TO APPREHEND CRIMINALS IS INFORMATION. POLICE ENJOY VARYING AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION IN CRIMINAL CASES AND THIS IN TURN AFFECTS THEIR ABILITY TO SOLVE CRIMES. ABSENCE OF INFORMATION IN MANY CASES PLACES CLEAR BOUNDS ON THE ABILITY OF POLICE TO BRING ABOUT SOLUTIONS. TO DISCOVER WHETHER THESE BOUNDARIES ARE HIGH OR LOW, DATA FROM THE 1973 NATIONAL CRIME PANEL WERE ANALYZED; THEY CONCERNED THE TYPES AND AMOUNT OF INFORMATION POTENTIALLY AVAILABLE TO POLICE THROUGH VICTIM REPORTS AND PATROL ACTIVITIES. THE ANALYSIS RESULTS SUGGEST THAT IF POLICE RELY ON INFORMATION MADE READILY AVAILABLE TO THEM, THEY WILL NEVER APPREHEND MORE CRIMINALS THAN AT PRESENT. HOWEVER, THERE APPEARS TO BE MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO BYSTANDERS AND PASSING PATROLS THAN CURRENTLY IS BEING USED, SUGGESTING THAT SURVEILLANCE STRATEGIES AND IMPROVED POLICE METHODS FOR ELICITING, RECORDING, AND ANALYZING INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY VICTIMS AND WITNESSES MIGHT INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF SOLVING CRIMES AND MAKING ARRESTS. THE ARTICLE CONCLUDES WITH A REVIEW OF INNOVATIONS SUGGESTED IN THE LITERATURE OF POLICE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROCEDURE. TABLES, NOTES, AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--MJW)