NCJ Number
188223
Date Published
October 1999
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article examines collection of crime and criminal justice statistics in the context of the Council of Europe.
Abstract
The accumulation of statistics within the Council of Europe began in 1983, following the Sixth Conference of Directors of Prison Administration, and is continuing. One of the results is the Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE) volume, which consists of two parts. The first is concerned with the prison population and is formulated to allow continuation of the chronological series begun in 1983. It is a module which may vary from one survey to the next, focusing on suicides, principle offenses, length of sentence, etc. It also includes data on prison staff. The second part deals with certain non-custodial measures and sanctions: (1) exemption from punishment following finding of guilt; (2) pronouncement of sentence deferred following finding of guilt, without committal; (3) day fine; (4) community service; (5) prison sentence imposed, with execution being fully suspended; and (6) prison sentence imposed, with part to be served and part to be suspended. The article emphasizes the need to avoid duplication of effort and to allow initiatives by international agencies, which will on occasion take precedence over initiatives by an individual authority. Notes, bibliography