SYSTEM FLOW RATES - MEASURING ATTRITION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS

• NCJ Number: 31753
• Author(s): K M Williams
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 55 pages
• Grant Number(s): 74-NI-99-0008
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: INSLAW
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

BASED ON DATA FROM THE WASHINGTON, D.C. PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS), SYSTEM FLOW RATES OF PROSECUTION AND CONVICTION ARE PRESENTED FOR CRIMINAL INCIDENTS AND DEFENDANTS.

Abstract

THE SYSTEM FLOW RATES DESCRIBED IN THIS PAPER WERE DEVELOPED TO MEASURE THE ATTRITION PROCESS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF BOTH THE OFFENSE AND OFFENDER. THE RATES WERE COMPUTED AS OFFENSES OR DEFENDANTS REACHING A PARTICULAR STEP IN THE ARREST TO DISPOSITION PROCESS DIVIDED BY THOSE REACHING THE PREVIOUS STEP AND MULTIPLIED BY 100. THE RATES ARE BASED ON 13,028 CRIMINAL INCIDENTS OCCURRING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. IN 1973, AND THE RESULTING 15,460 ARRESTS OF INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS. PROSECUTION AND CONVICTION RATES WERE FIRST COMPUTED FOR CRIMINAL INCIDENTS AND DEFENDANTS, AND VARIANCES IN RATES ACCORDING TO THE TYPE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CRIME ARE NOTED. PROSECUTION AND CONVICTION RATES WERE ALSO EXAMINED DESCRIPTIVELY FOR SIX OTHER CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSE OR DEFENDANT: SEX, RACE, ARREST RECORD, EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF THE DEFENDANT, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE VICTIM AND DEFENDANT, AND THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE OFFENSE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)