CITATION ARREST - EXTENDING THE REACH OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM?

• NCJ Number: 66006
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 4 Dated: (FEBRUARY 1980) Pages: 419-434
• Author(s): J HORNEY
• Date Published: 1980
• Length: 16 pages
• Grant Number(s): 72-CD-99-0002; 73-CD-99-0002
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: American Soc of Criminology
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN INTERRUPTED TIME SERIES DESIGN WAS USED TO STUDY THE EFFECT OF A CITATION POLICY ON ARREST RATES IN OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

Abstract

IN JULY 1975, THE CHIEF OF THE OMAHA POLICE DIVISION ISSUED A GENERAL ORDER MAKING MISDEMEANOR CITATIONS PART OF STANDARD PROCEDURE AS OF AUGUST 1, 1975. EARLIER, THE STATE LEGISLATURE HAD REVISED THE CRIMINAL CODE TO PROVIDE FOR CITATIONS IN LIEU OF CUSTODY ARREST. THE GENERAL ORDER'S POLICY WAS TO ISSUE CITATIONS FOR ALL MISDEMEANORS, WITH EACH OFFICER HAVING TO JUSTIFY ANY USE OF FULL CUSTODY ARREST PROCEDURES. BECAUSE OF PREDICTIONS THAT THE CITATION POLICY WOULD INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERSONS COMING BEFORE THE COURTS, A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF THE NEW POLICY. DATA WERE OBTAINED ON THE NUMBER OF CITATIONS ISSUED IN THE POLICY'S FIRST YEAR. THE INTERRUPTED TIME SERIES ANALYSIS WAS USED FOR ALL OFFENSES WHERE MORE THAN 10 CITATIONS HAD BEEN ISSUED DURING THE STUDY YEAR. THE TIME SERIES CONSISTED OF MONTHLY ADULT ARREST TOTALS (BEFORE THE INTERVENTION, THESE TOTALS WERE FULL-CUSTODY ARRESTS ONLY, WHILE AFTER THE INTERVENTION, THEY REPRESENT THE SUM OF CUSTODY ARRESTS AND CITATION ARRESTS). THE ANALYSIS WAS PERFORMED FOR TOTAL MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS AS WELL AS FOR EACH OFFENSE. EVERY SERIES CONSISTED OF OBSERVATIONS FOR THE 31 MONTHS PRECEDING AND THE 24 MONTHS FOLLOWING POLICY IMPLEMENTATION. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT THE CITATION POLICY APPARENTLY PRODUCED AN INCREASE ONLY IN THE NUMBER OF ARRESTS FOR ASSAULT. THIS WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO OFFICERS' DISPOSITION TO SATISFY THE VICTIMS OF ASSAULT BY THE ISSUANCE OF CITATIONS, WHICH DID NOT INVOLVE THE TIME INVESTMENT OF FULL-CUSTODY ARREST. ASSAULT ARRESTS COMPRISED ONLY 7 PERCENT OF ALL THE MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS CONSIDERED, AND ONLY 8 PERCENT OF THE ASSAULT ARRESTS WERE BY CITATION. THE GENERALITY OF THE RESULTS DEPENDS ON HOW CITATION POLICIES ARE DEVELOPED BY PARTICULAR POLICE DEPARTMENTS. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)