Quantitative Output of the Criminal Justice System - Case Processing Indicators for the United States, 1953-1976

• NCJ Number: 85994
• Journal: Social Indicators Research Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1981) Pages: 61-83
• Author(s): M Felson
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 23 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1-ROL-MH31117-01
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Time series trends in the processing of the seven major Index offenses are assessed over the years 1953-76.

Abstract

Five types of offense-standardized criminal justice processing indicators are defined (arrest, clearance, formal charge, guilty-as-charged, and guilty-but-reduced rates or ratios) and calculated. Comparing patterns over time to evaluate overall processing trends, these data indicate generally positive correlations of processing indicators over the period studied and confirm the hypothesized decline in processing input-output rates and ratios since about 1960. The hypothesized impact of crime rates and juvenile arrest percentage upon these trends is supported generally by structural equation and difference equation analysis. The analysis indicates that much of the processing trend can be explained in terms of caseload pressures and the proportion of juvenile arrests which drive down the 'performance' of the examined processing indicators. Tables, 11 notes, and 12 references are supplied. (Author abstract modified)