PROMIS (PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM) RESEARCH PROJECT - WHAT HAPPENS AFTER ARREST? A COURT PERSPECTIVE OF POLICE OPERATIONS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

• NCJ Number: 45633
• Author(s): B FORST; J LUCIANOVIC; S J COX
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 118 pages
• Grant Number(s): 77-NI-99-0060; 74-NI-99-0008; 76-NI-99-0118; 75-NI-99-0118
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: INSLAW
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY TRACES ALL ADULT ARRESTS FOR SERIOUS MISDEMEANORS AND FELONIES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN 1974 THROUGH TO DISPOSITION USING DATA FROM POLICE FILES.

Abstract

THE CENTRAL POLICY IMPLICATION RESULTING FROM THE STUDY IS THAT THE POLICE CAN MAKE A GREATER CONTRIBUTION TO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM BY EXPANDING THEIR PERSPECTIVE FROM THAT OF MAKING ARRESTS IN GENERAL TO THAT OF MAKING GOOD ARRESTS; I.E., THOSE THAT LEAD TO CONVICTION. BACKGROUND DATA ON EACH METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT (MPD) OFFICER AND DATA FROM THE PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS), INCLUDING DETAILS ABOUT THE OFFENSES, ARRESTS, PROSECUTION DECISIONS, AND COURT ACTIONS, WERE COMBINED TO OBTAIN AN OVERVIEW OF EACH ARREST MADE IN 1974. THE RESEARCHERS SHOW THAT LESS THAN 30 PERCENT OF THE 17,534 TOTAL ARRESTS IN 1974 BROUGHT TO THE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICER WERE RESOLVED AS CONVICTIONS. DATA ALSO SHOW THAT SOME OFFICERS REVEAL CONSIDERABLY GREATER ABILITY THAN OTHERS TO MAKE ARRESTS THAT LEAD TO CONVICTIONS: AMONG THE 2,418 MPD OFFICERS WHO MADE ARRESTS IN 1974, 15 PERCENT (368 OFFICERS) MADE HALF OF THE ARRESTS THAT LED TO CONVICTIONS. THE ANALYSIS FURTHER INDICATES THE IMPORTANCE OF TANGIBLE EVIDENCE, WITNESSES, AND ELAPSED TIME BETWEEN OFFENSE AND ARREST IN OBTAINING CONVICTIONS. INNOVATIONS IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA POLICE OPERATIONS WHICH REFLECT A BROADER PERSPECTIVE OF THE POLICE ROLE ARE DESCRIBED, INCLUDING THE USE OF PROMIS DATA FOR CASE INFORMATION, THE CREATION OF THE OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL AND POLICY-RELATED LEGAL ADVICE TO MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT, AN MPD PROGRAM TO IMPROVE TREATMENT OF WITNESSES, AND A SERIES OF JOINT POLICE-PROSECUTOR PROGRAMS TO CONTROL CRIME. TABULAR DATA AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)