NCJ Number
19016
Date Published
1973
Length
62 pages
Annotation
STUDY DESIGNED TO CONSTRUCT PROFILES OF THESE FOUR GROUPS OF OFFENDERS, USING 14 VARIABLES EMPHASIZING PERSONAL HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A RESEARCH BASIS FOR CRIME SPECIFIC PLANNING.
Abstract
THE RECORDS OF 486 ADULT MALE OFFENDERS LAWFULLY COMMITTED TO THE STATE PENITENTIARY OR PLACED ON PROBATION BETWEEN DECEMBER 1969 AND JUNE 1973 WERE SURVEYED. EVERY SUBJECT'S RECORD WAS CHARACTERIZED ON EACH OF THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES: AGE AT DATE OF OFFENSE, RESIDENCY, ETHNIC MEMBERSHIP, FAMILY HISTORY, EDUCATION, AGE AT FIRST ARREST, MARITAL HISTORY, DRUG USE, EMPLOYMENT, MENTAL COMMITMENTS, ALCOHOL USE, PRIOR MINOR AND MAJOR OFFENSES, AND PLACE OF OFFENSE. THE FOUR OFFENDER GROUPS WERE FOUND TO BE YOUNGER THAN THE MALE POPULATION, MOSTLY WHITE, LOWER CLASS WORKERS, WHO WERE NOT VERY WELL EDUCATED AND WERE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN JUVENILE OFFENDERS. DRUG OFFENDERS WERE THE YOUNGEST, BEST EDUCATED, HAD THE HIGHEST PERCENT SINGLE, WERE MOSTLY MODERATE DRUG USERS, HAD THE LEAST NUMBER OF SERIOUS PRIOR OFFENSES AND PROBABLY A LOW LEVEL OF ALCOHOL USE. BURGLARS HAD BAD FAMILY HISTORIES, A HIGH PERCENTAGE UNEMPLOYED AND HEAVY ALCOHOL USE. ASSAULTERS WERE THE OLDEST, HAD THE HIGHEST PERCENT MARRIED, AND HAD A HIGH LEVEL OF ALCOHOL USE. LARCENISTS TENDED MORE FREQUENTLY THAN BURGLARS OR DRUG OFFENDERS TO BE WYOMING RESIDENTS AND HAD BETTER FAMILY HISTORIES THAN BURGLARS. RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT THE RESEARCH MODEL WHICH COMPARES GROUPS OF OFFENDERS AS USED IN THIS STUDY WAS PROBABLY INFERIOR FOR PLANNING PURPOSES TO MODELS WHICH WOULD COMPARE OFFENDERS WITH NON-OFFENDERS OR RECIDIVISTS WITH NON-RECIDIVISTS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)