COST ANALYSIS OF CORRECTIONAL STANDARDS - ALTERNATIVES TO ARREST, V 1

• NCJ Number: 31562
• Author(s): S WEISBERG
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 17 pages
• Grant Number(s): 74-NI-99-0042
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: American Bar Assoc.
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS VOLUME CONTAINS AN OVERVIEW OF THE CORRECTIONS STANDARD ADVOCATING USE OF CITATION AND SUMMONS AS ALTERNATIVES TO ARREST, AND HIGHLIGHTS THE FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS OF A COST ANALYSIS OF THESE ALTERNATIVES.

Abstract

STANDARD 4.3 OF THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION'S CORRECTION'S REPORT URGES THAT JURISDICTIONS UTILIZE CITATIONS AND SUMMONS IN LIEU OF TRADITIONAL ARREST AND CUSTODY AS MEANS OF ASSURING THE APPEARANCE OF AN ACCUSED IN COURT. FOR ELIGIBLE OFFENSES, TO BE DECIDED ON BY INDIVIDUAL JURISDICTIONS, CITATIONS WOULD SUBSTITUTE FOR MUCH OF THE TRADITIONAL FIELD ARREST ACTIVITY AND SUMMONS WOULD REPLACE WARRANTS FOR ARREST. SINCE THE RECOMMENDED CITATION ACTIVITY WOULD POTENTIALLY IMPACT A GREATER NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAN WOULD SUMMONS, CITATION WAS SELECTED AS THE FOCUS OF ANALYSIS. TWO TYPES OF CITATION ACTIVITY ARE ANALYZED AND THE COST OF EACH IS COMPARED TO THE COST OF TRADITIONAL ARREST. THE TWO TYPES OF ACTIVITY ARE FIELD CITATION (BY WHICH AN INDIVIDUAL IS RELEASED AT THE POINT OF APPREHENSION) AND STATIONHOUSE CITATION (WHICH INVOLVES SUBSEQUENT RELEASE FROM A PRECINCT OR OTHER POLICE STATION). THE OBJECTIVE OF THE ANALYSIS IS TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCES IN COST (NET GAIN OR LOSS) ASSOCIATED WITH USING EACH OF THE RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL ARREST. THE RESULTS OF THIS ANALYSIS ARE PRESENTED IN TWO VOLUMES. THIS FIRST VOLUME IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DECISION-MAKERS AND SUMMARIZES THE PURPOSE, METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS OF THE STUDY. THESE FINDINGS REFLECT THAT WHILE THE COST OF STATIONHOUSE CITATIONS WOULD APPROACH THE COST OF TRADITIONAL ARREST IN TERMS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PUBLIC EXPENDITURES, THE COST OF USING FIELD CITATIONS WOULD BE SUBSTANTIALLY LOWER. ASSUMING A RELATIVELY LOW RATE OF ELIGIBILITY FOR RELEASE AND A LOW RELEASE RATE OF THOSE ELIGIBLE, THE RESPECTIVE CITATION ACTIVITIES ARE ESTIMATED TO BE APPROXIMATELY TEN TO FORTY-ONE PERCENT LESS COSTLY THAN TRADITIONAL ARREST WHEN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PUBLIC EXPENDITURES ALONE ARE CONSIDERED. THE SECOND VOLUME (NCJ-30714) PRESENTS A MORE DETAILED COST ANALYSIS OF THE CITATION ALTERNATIVE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)