NCJ Number
59522
Date Published
1979
Length
51 pages
Annotation
DURING 1978, THERE WERE 999 PERSONS SENTENCED TO THE MASSACHUSETTS STATE CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM, THE SECOND LOWEST NUMBER OF COMMITMENTS IN 8 YRS. STATISTICAL TABLES GIVE DATA ON OFFENDERS' CRIMINAL HISTORY AND BACKGROUND.
Abstract
THE STATISTICS SHOW THAT 43 PERCENT OF THE OFFENDERS WERE SENTENCED TO WALPOLE, 45 PERCENT TO CONCORD, AND 12 PERCENT TO FRAMINGHAM, THE INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN. OVER HALF THE COMMITMENTS CAME FROM 3 SUPERIOR COURTS--SUFFOLK (30 PERCENT), MIDDLESEX (17 PERCENT), AND HAMPDEN (10 PERCENT). THE MEDIAN SENTENCE FOR WALPOLE WAS 7 TO 10 YEARS, WHILE ALL CONCORD AND MOST FRAMINGHAM PRISONERS RECEIVE INDETERMINATE SENTENCES. THE MEDIAN MAXIMUM SENTENCE FOR CONCORD IS 8 YEARS AND FOR FRAMINGHAM, SLIGHTLY UNDER 1 YEAR. THERE WERE 38 PERSONS (4 PERCENT) SENTENCED TO LIFE TERMS. OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS ACCOUNTED FOR 58 PERCENT OF THE COMMITMENTS WITH ARMED ROBBERY ACCOUNTING FOR 29. ALSO, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMMONWEALTH, 3 WOMEN WERE SENTENCED TO A STATE PRISON FOR SEX OFFENSES. OFFENDERS' MEDIAN AGE WAS 23 YEARS; 65 PERCENT OF OFFENDERS WERE WHITE, 31 PERCENT BLACK, AND 4 PERCENT OTHER RACES. ONLY 18 PERCENT WERE MARRIED, WHILE MEDIAN EDUCATION WAS TENTH GRADE, AND MOST OFFENDERS HELD MANUAL SERVICE JOBS AND ONLY HALF HELD ANY JOB FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. MEDIAN AGE AT FIRST ARREST WAS 17 YEARS; 91 PERCENT HAD BEEN ARRESTED AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE, AND 28 PERCENT HAD 15 OR MORE PRIOR COURT APPEARANCES. OVERALL, 55 PERCENT HAD SERVED TIME IN SOME TYPE OF CORRECTIONAL FACILITY AND 50 PERCENT HAD SERVED SOME TIME AS AN ADULT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--GLR)