NATIONAL ASSOCATION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNERS CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS, ANNUAL CONFERENCE, JUNE 18-21, 1978

• NCJ Number: 59457
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 49 pages
• Corporate Author: National Assoc of Criminal Justice Planners
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Conference Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FIVE CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS ARE PRESENTED ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS WITHIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE, THE FUTURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE, RESEARCH CONTROVERSIES, THE FUTURE OF LEAA, AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNING.

Abstract

IN THE 10 YEARS SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE OMNIBUS CRIME CONTROL AND SAFE STREETS ACT, 1968, THE FEDERAL ROLE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE HAS GREATLY EXPANDED TO THE POINT THAT IN THE FISCAL YEAR 1978 FEDERAL AID TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AMOUNTED TO ABOUT $80 BILLION. HOWEVER, THIS FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT HAS HEIGHTENED PROBLEMS OF FRAGMENTATION, FUNCTIONALISM, AND FEUDALISM IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. SOME PROPOSED REFORMS WOULD HAVE THE EFFECT OF EXACERBATING THESE PROBLEMS. AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING THE DIFFICULTIES INHERENT IN TRYING TO PREDICT THE FUTURE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, A PAPER EXAMINES FOUR POSSIBLE SCENARIOS RANGING FROM CONTINUED TINKERING WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM, TO A CRACKDOWN ON CRIME, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 'FREE ZONES' IN WHICH CERTAIN CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES COULD FLOURISH, AND FINALLY TO AN APPROACH IN WHICH TECHNOLOGY IS USED TO REGULATE MODERN CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR. GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM HAS DELIBERATELY BEEN SET UP TO MINIMIZE THE POWER OF THE STATE OVER INDIVIDUALS, THE TINKERING APPROACH TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS PREFERRED. THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY MEDIA COVERAGE TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF IMPACT ON THE MORALE OF POLICE OFFICERS, JUDGES, AND PROSECUTORS AND AN EXAMINATION OF THE PAST ACTIVITIES OF LEAA, ITS MAJOR OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES, BUILDS INTO A DISCUSSION OF POSSIBLE REFORMS WITHIN LEAA LEGISLATION. ALTHOUGH THE ROLE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PLANNERS WILL COME UNDER ATTACK AS THE AMOUNT OF FUNDS AVAILABLE TO THE SYSTEM DECLINES, PLANNERS CAN CONTINUE TO PLAY A VITAL ROLE IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO DECISIONMAKERS, HELPING IN DRAWING UP BUDGETS, AND PROVIDING THE PUBLIC WITH RELIABLE STATISTICS ON THE CRIME RISKS THEY FACE IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. NO REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)