NCJ Number
44196
Date Published
1976
Length
85 pages
Annotation
RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE PUBLIC, THE POLICE, AND THE CRIMINAL COURTS IN DURHAM, N.C., ARE EXAMINED IN STUDIES OF THE BEHAVIOR AND ATTITUDES OF LAY WITNESSES, POLICE WITNESSES, AND VICTIMS.
Abstract
THE FIRST TWO STUDIES FOCUS ON THE ROLE OF THE CITIZEN AS SUPPLIER OF INFORMATION TO THE POLICE ON ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES. THE ROBBERY STUDY IS BASED ON 351 CASES REPORTED DURING 1972, 1973, AND 1974. THE BURGLARY STUDY IS BASED ON 534 CASES REPORTED DURING 1973. THE STUDIES FOUND THAT 10 PERCENT OF INVESTIGATIONS OF BOTH ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES WERE EVENTUALLY DROPPED BECAUSE OF A LACK OF COOPERATION ON THE PART OF THE VICTIM. OF THE 10 PERCENT OF BURGLARIES THAT RESULTED IN NEW ARRESTS (AS OPPOSED TO CLEARANCE AS A RESULT OF A CONFESSION FROM A SUSPECT ARRESTED FOR ANOTHER CRIME), ONE-QUARTER OF THE ARRESTS WERE ATTRIBUTABLE IN LARGE PART TO INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE VICTIM OR A WITNESS. FORTY PERCENT OF ROBBERY ARRESTS WERE THE DIRECT RESULT OF INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE VICTIM, AND ALMOST ALL SUCCESSFUL ROBBERY ARRESTS INVOLVED THE VICTIM'S HELP TO SOME DEGREE. FINDINGS FROM A SURVEY OF 150 DURHAM PATROL OFFICERS INDICATE THAT THERE IS LITTLE OR NO PROBLEM WITH REGARD TO THE APPEARANCE OF PATROL OFFICERS AS WITNESSES IN SUPERIOR COURT. HOWEVER, ADMINISTRATIVE PROBLEMS OFTEN RESULT IN FAILURE TO SUBPOENA OFFICERS IN TIME FOR THEIR SCHEDULED COURT APPEARANCES, AND SUBPOENAED OFFICERS SPEND CONSIDERABLE TIME WAITING TO BE CALLED TO THE STAND. A SURVEY OF 87 LAY WITNESSES IN SUPERIOR COURT FOUND THAT OVER 90 PERCENT OF SUBPOENAED WITNESSES COOPERATED BY APPEARING IN COURT TO GIVE TESTIMONY. MOST WITNESSES MADE MULTIPLE APPEARANCES IN COURT, BUT FEWER THAN HALF OF THE WITNESSES WHO APPEARED IN COURT EVER GAVE TESTIMONY. WITNESSES FOUND THEIR ROLE VERY INCONVENIENT, TIME-CONSUMING, AND EXPENSIVE (IN TERMS OF LOST WAGES), AND SOME INDICATED THAT THEY WERE VERY ANGRY ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED.