LAW ENCOUNTER SEVERITY SCALE (LESS) - A CRITERION FOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND RECIDIVISM

• NCJ Number: 11100
• Author(s): A D WITHERSPOON; E K DEVALERA
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 14 pages
• Grant Number(s): 82-01-69-06 (LABOR)
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Labor
• Corporate Author: Rehabilitation Research Foundation
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DEVELOPMENT, APPLICATIONS AND LIMITATIONS OF A 38 CATEGORY LAW ENCOUNTER CONTINUUM WHICH RANKS POST-RELEASE LAW VIOLATING BEHAVIOR OF JUVENILES AND ADULTS.

Abstract

THE LAW ENCOUNTER SEVERITY SCALE (LESS) WAS DEVELOPED BY THE EXPERIMENTAL MANPOWER LABORATORY FOR CORRECTIONS TO CLARIFY THE CRITERION BEING USED TO DETERMINE MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR. IT FOCUSES ON RECORDED LEGAL AND JUDICIAL STATUS AND OUTCOME. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT THE PRESENT FORMAT OF THE LESS IS QUITE ACCEPTABLE AS A BASIC CRITERION BY WHICH VARIOUS STUDIES MAY COMPARE THEIR RESEARCH FINDINGS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)