NCJ Number
59666
Date Published
1976
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE MAJOR POTENTIAL USES OF DATA ON INDIVIDUAL OFFENDERS IN ECONOMETRIC STUDIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE DESCRIBED, WITH EMPHASIS ON SUCH DATA'S USE IN THE MEASUREMENT OF GENERAL DETERRENCE.
Abstract
CRITICS OF THE USE OF AGGREGATE DATA, AS OPPOSED TO INDIVIDUAL DATA, HAVE ARGUED EFFECTIVELY THAT THIS DATA INVOLVES THE PROBLEMS SIMULTANEITY AGGREGATION, AND DEFFICIENT DATA. ANALYSIS OF DATA ON INDIVIDUAL OFFENDERS AVOIDS MOST OF THESE CRITICISMS, ALTHOUGH IT INVOLVES ITS OWN SET OF DIFFICULTIES. A DISCUSSION OF MEASUREMENT OF GENERAL DETERRENCE USING DATA ON INDIVIDUALS FOCUSES ON TWO PROBLEMS COMMON TO MOST ANALYSES OF DECISIONS INVOLVING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY: THE NONRANDOM CHARACTER OF SAMPLES USING ARRESTED OR CONVICTED INDIVIDUALS AND THE DEPENDENCE OF INDIVIDUALS' CHOICES ON PAST EXPERIENCE AND EVALUATION OF THE RELATIVE MERIT OF THE CHOICES. PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN THE USE OF SELF-REPORTED DATA AND NONRANDOM SAMPLES ARE EXPLORED SAMPLES, AND WAYS TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS ARE EXAMINED. DATA SOURCES SUCH AS RAND FILES AND THEIR USES ARE EXPLAINED. THE USE OF SUCH DATA SOURCES AS THE CENSUS, NATIONAL PRISON STATISTICS, AND INFORMATION FROM PAROLE AND PROBATION FILES IS ALSO DISCUSSED. THE USES OF INDIVIDUAL DATA TO EXPLORE SUCH SUBJECTS AS PLEA BARGAINING, THE ARREST PROCESS, EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON ILLEGAL INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, AND DETERMINANTS OF SELECTION OF A SITE FOR A SPECIFIC CRIMINAL ACTIVITY LIKE BURGLARY ARE ALSO EXAMINED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT INDIVIDUAL DATA CAN BE USEFUL IN EXPLORING VARIOUS ASPECTS OF GENERAL DETERRENCE AS WELL AS IN OTHER RESEARCH. THREE NOTES WITH REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED.