NCJ Number
66365
Journal
Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology Volume: 71 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1980) Pages: 73-76
Date Published
1980
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THE EXTENT TO WHICH ADVANCED PLANNING WAS INVOLVED IN OFFENSES COMMITTED BY 567 SUBJECTS OF A STUDY ON DELINQUENCY IN A BIRTH COHORT IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
STUDY SUBJECTS WERE ASKED ABOUT THE PRESENCE/ABSENCE AND DURATION OF PLANNING THAT TOOK PLACE RELATIVE TO THEIR FIRST AND LAST OFFENSES. BOTH OFFICIALLY RECORDED AND SELF-REPORTED OFFENSES WERE CONSIDERED. THE MAJORITY OF SUBJECTS COMMITTED BOTH THEIR FIRST AND LAST OFFENSE IMPULSIVELY, WITHOUT ADVANCE PLANNING. THE SECOND LARGEST GROUP CONSISTED OF THOSE WHO DID NOT DEVOTE EVEN AN INSTANTANEOUS SORT OF PLANNING TO THEIR ACTS, OR WHOSE ACTS WERE ACCIDENTAL. THOSE WHO DEVOTED ANY TIME TO PLANNING CONSTITUTED 17 AND 21 PERCENT OF THE SAMPLE FOR FIRST AND LAST OFFENSES, RESPECTIVELY. ONLY 6 AND 14 PERCENT ENGAGED IN ELABORATE PLANNING. IT WAS THOUGHT THAT THOSE WHO PLANNED THEIR OFFENSES WOULD ALSO TEND TO PLAN THEIR CRIMINAL CAREERS, AND THEREFORE WOULD COMMIT A RELATIVELY SMALL NUMBER OF OFFENSES. ALTHOUGH PLANNERS AND NONPLANNERS DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFER IN THE NUMBER OF PROPERTY OFFENSES COMMITTED, THE NONPLANNERS COMMITTED MORE VIOLENT AND NONINDEX OFFENSES THAN THE PLANNERS. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE WAS APPARENT BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS IN THE RATIO OF ARRESTS TO SELF-REPORTED OFFENSES. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED.