NCJ Number
60
Date Published
1970
Length
244 pages
Annotation
ANALYSIS OF THE FLOW OF OFFENDERS THROUGH THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING POLICE, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS.
Abstract
ONE PROBLEM IN IMPROVING LAW ENFORCEMENT IS THE NEED TO EXAMINE THE TOTAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - POLICE, PROSECUTION, COURTS, AND CORRECTIONS AGENCIES - IN AN INTEGRATED WAY. ANY SUCH ANALYSIS MUST REFLECT THE FEEDBACK INTO SOCIETY OF OFFENDERS RELEASED AT VARIOUS STAGES IN THE SYSTEM. A MODEL IS FORMULATED FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN ONE PARTICULAR STATE. THE MODEL DEPICTS THE FLOW OF ARRESTED PERSONS THROUGH THE SYSTEM AS A FUNCTION OF TYPE OF CRIME, AND PROVIDES A BASIS FOR APPORTIONING COSTS TO SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND TO TYPE OF CRIME. AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE MODEL IS THE FEEDBACK FEATURE, WHICH REFLECTS THE PROBABILITY OF REARREST AS A DECREASING FUNCTION OF AGE, AND A CRIMETRANSITION MATRIX REFLECTING THE SUCCESSIVE-CRIME DISTRIBUTION. THE RESULTS WITH THE MODEL INCLUDE A COST DISTRIBUTION BY CRIME TYPE, CRIMINAL-CAREER COSTS, AN EXAMINATION OF THE COURSE OF CRIMINAL CAREERS, AND AN EXAMINATION OF THE SENSITIVITY OF COST AND OFFENDER FLOW WITHIN THE SYSTEM TO CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM'S CONTROLLABLE VARIABLES. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)