NCJ Number
174566
Date Published
1998
Length
29 pages
Annotation
Crime and the criminal justice system are explained in terms of the psychological, social, and economic impacts of crime; the types of crime; the administration of justice; and the analysis of criminal justice needs for the future.
Abstract
Coping with crime is a high national priority. The public's concern with crime rises and falls in part as a result of media coverage of the issue. Conventional, economic, computer, telecommunication, organized, political, and consensual crime is also estimated to cost up to $450 billion a year. The National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals notes that the United States has two criminal justice systems. One is a formal, official, and highly visible system; the other is an unofficial, less-visible network of public and private agencies. The first system aims to reduce and prevent crime. Criminal justice system leaders generally agree that prison and jail overcrowding is one of the most important current and future issues. Crime statistics for the most serious crimes have declined dramatically in the past few years. However, some researchers suggest that crime will increase in the future as a result of the increase in teenagers in the future. The 1992 report of the Attorney General of the United States recommended 24 recommendations to strengthen the criminal justice system and target and incapacitate chronic offenders. Photographs, discussion and review questions, notes, and 20 references