NCJ Number
149852
Date Published
1994
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Due to public and legislative support for criminal justice system reform, many criminal justice agencies are attempting to maximize law enforcement efficiency, remodel the court system, create effective juvenile offender treatment strategies, and implement correctional rehabilitation programs.
Abstract
The need for criminal justice system reform is particularly important in the context of violent crime, crime costs, and offender characteristics. Violent crime is one of the most serious social problems facing American society. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation data, over 1.9 million violent crimes were reported to the police in 1991, including 106,000 forcible rapes, 1.08 million assaults, and over 24,000 murders. The National Crime Survey found that the number of personal crime victimizations rose from 34.4 million in 1990 to 35.1 million in 1991; over 6.42 million persons survived a violent crime in 1991, and unreported victimizations were estimated at 22 million personal crimes. The total annual cost of crime is estimated at between $110 and $136.9 billion. Costs include both monetary and human costs related to incarcerating offenders and assisting crime victims. Offender characteristics typically involve antisocial behavior, habitual criminality, chemical dependency, out-of-wedlock births, erratic work histories, welfare dependency, school failure, and illiteracy. Critical concerns among criminal justice professionals in the 1990's are the chronic use of drugs by adult and juvenile offenders and the increased spread of infectious diseases such as AIDS. Further, recent studies of offenders in jails and State correctional facilities indicate a disproportionate number of black and Hispanic inmates. A discussion of remedies focuses on community-based correctional alternatives and intermediate sanctions. 27 references, 1 table, and 1 figure