NCJ Number
62453
Date Published
1979
Length
60 pages
Annotation
THE FLOW OF CASES THROUGH THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WAS INVESTIGATED BY TRACKING 358 INDIVIDUALS ARRESTED ON A FELONY CHARGE IN BOSTON, MA. DURING A 2-WEEK PERIOD IN 1974.
Abstract
DEMOGRAPHIC AND OFFENSE DATA WERE COLLECTED FROM THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FROM COURT FILES. CASES WERE TRACKED FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS. CASES RECEIVING FINAL DISPOSITION IN DISTRICT OR JUVENILE COURT TOOK AN AVERAGE OF 137 DAYS BETWEEN ARRESTS AND FINAL DISPOSITION. THE AVERAGE CASE BOUND OVER TO SUPERIOR COURT TOOK 572 DAYS FOR PROCESSING. THE AVERAGE PROCESSING TIME FOR CASES TRIED IN DISTRICT COURT AND APPEALED TO SUPERIOR COURT WAS 662 DAYS. A TOTAL OF 17 PERCENT OF THE OFFENDERS' CASES WERE NOT SETTLED DURING THE STUDY PERIOD, PRIMARILY DUE TO UNREMOVED DEFAULTS. A TOTAL OF 10 PERCENT OF THE OFFENDERS' CASES WERE INCARCERATED FOR THEIR MOST SERIOUS ARREST OFFENSE, WHILE AN ADDITIONAL 19 PERCENT WERE PLACED ON PROBATION. MALES, BLACKS, DEFENDANTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 12 AND 30, UNMARRIED INDIVIDUALS, THOSE WITH LESS THAN A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION, AND UNEMPLOYED OR LOW INCOME DEFENDANTS WERE MOST LIKELY TO BE ARRESTED. A TOTAL OF 62 PERCENT OF THE ARRESTEES HAD PRIOR FELONY CHARGES. THE AGE, SEX, RACE, EDUCATION, INCOME, PRIOR RECORD, AND USE OF PUBLIC OR PRIVATE ATTORNEYS BY DEFENDANTS HAD NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE LENGTH OF TIME REQUIRED FOR CASE DISPOSITION. THERE WAS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHARGE SEVERITY AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEING FOUND GUILTY. INDIVIDUALS WITH A GREATER NUMBER OF PRIOR FELONY CHARGES, THOSE WHO WERE INDIGENT, AND THOSE WITHOUT PRIVATE ATTORNEYS WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE FOUND GUILTY. INDIVIDUALS IN LOW STATUS OCCUPATIONS AND THOSE WITH LARGER NUMBERS OF PRIOR FELONY CHARGES RECEIVED MORE SEVERE SENTENCES; STUDENTS, HOUSEWIVES, AND THOSE WHO HAD NEVER BEEN EMPLOYED RECEIVED THE LEAST SEVERE SENTENCES. TABULAR DATA AND A CHART ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED).