NCJ Number
12915
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: (FALL 1973) Pages: 259-263
Date Published
1973
Length
5 pages
Annotation
DISCUSSION OF A PROTOTYPE PROJECT IN LOS ANGELES WHICH USES THE SELLIN-WOLFGANG INDEX TO MEASURE THE SERIOUSNESS OF A CRIME.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT THE FBI'S UNIFORM CRIME REPORT (UCR) IS OF LIMITED USE AS A SOCIAL INDICATOR OF CRIME ACTIVITY. HE SUGGESTS THAT THE SELLIN-WOLFGANG INDEX, A MEASURE OF CRIME SERIOUSNESS COMPUTED BY CALCULATING A 'SERIOUSNESS WEIGHTING' FOR EACH CRIMINAL EVENT AND THEN SUMMING ALL WEIGHTED EVENTS THAT OCCURRED IN A REGION DURING A GIVEN PERIOD WOULD BE FAR SUPERIOR. POLICE DEPARTMENT MODUS OPERANDI FILES COULD PROVIDE FERTILE SOURCES OF INFORMATION FOR COMPILING THE DATA. THE RESULTS OF A PROTOTYPE PROJECT IN LOS ANGELES, USING SELLIN-WOLFGANG TECHNIQUES, AND THE MODUS OPERANDI FILES OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE REVIEWED.