NCJ Number
44791
Date Published
1977
Length
49 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY IN GREAT BRITAIN SINCE 1966 IS TRACED AND ASSSESSED.
Abstract
THE BACKGROUND AGAINST WHICH CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY HAS DEVELOPED AND ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN IS OUTLINED, AND THE OBJECTIVES AND PREOCCUPATIONS OF POLICY FROM 1966 THROUGH 1975 ARE IDENTIFIED. ASSUMPTIONS UPON WHICH POLICY DEVELOPMENT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN BASED ARE DISCUSSD. SPECIFIC POLICIES AIMED AT ADDRESSING PARTICULAR PREOCCUPATIONS (PROTECTION OF SOCIETY FROM DANGEROUS OFFENDERS, REDUCTION OF THE INCIDENCE OF OFFENDING, REDUCTION OF THE PRISON POPULATION AND THE USE OF IMPRISONMENT, IMPROVEMENT OF THE EFFICIENCY AND ENHANCEMENT OF THE HUMANITY OF THE SYSTEM) ARE ENUMERATED. COMMENTS ARE PRESENTED ON THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE POLICIES HAVE SERVED IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF OBJECTIVES RELATED TO REDUCTION OF THE PRISON POPOULATION, PREVENTION OF CRIME, AND STREAMLINING OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT REDUCTION OF THE PRISON POPULATION MUST RECEIVE CONTINUED EMPHASIS. BECAUSE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NONCUSTODIAL ALTERNATIVES CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO BRING GREAT RELIEF (AT LEAST IN THE SHORT TERM) DUE TO RESTRICTIONS IN RESOURCES, THE BEST HOPE FOR REDUCING THE PRISON POPULATION LIES IN SHORTER SENTENCES. IT IS FURTHER CONCLUDED THAT , IN VIEW OF PRESSURES ON PENAL AGENCIES, POLICY DEVELOPMENT MUST FOCUS ON REDUCING INPUT INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. FOR THIS REASON, AND BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME, ATTENTION MUST BE DIRECTED TO IMPROVING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE POLICE SERVICE IN ITS CRIME PREVENTION ROLE. IT IS ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE ASSUMPTIONS UPON WHICH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RESTS, PARTICULARLY IN REGARD TO THE CRIME PREVENTION ROLE, CONTINUE TO BE KEPT UNDER REVIEW. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE A CHRONOLOGICAL REVIEW OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SERVICE EVENTS FROM 1966 THROUGH 1975, STATISTICS, AND SUMMARIES OF RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE EFFECT OF POLICING AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TREATMENT.