NCJ Number
58903
Date Published
1979
Length
13 pages
Annotation
COMMENTS ON CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN THE UNITED STATES AS OF MAY 1979 AND ON ISSUES BEFORE PARTICIPANTS IN AN LEAA STATE-OF-THE-ART WORKSHOP ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE COMMENTS WERE PRESENTED BEFORE A NATIONAL GATHERING OF 300 JUDGES, COURT ADMINISTRATORS, LEGISLATORS, GOVERNORS, POLICE COMMISSIONERS, CORRECTIONS ADMINISTRATORS, ATTORNEYS GENERAL, LEAA OFFICIALS, AND OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONMAKERS, WHO HAD CONVENED TO DISCUSS CRITICAL PROBLEMS IN CRIME CONTROL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION. IT IS POINTED OUT THAT, WHEREAS PREVIOUS NATIONAL CONFERENCES DEALT WITH COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THIS WORKSHOP FOCUSED ON CUTTING-EDGE ISSUES. IT IS FURTHER NOTED THAT THE CONCEPT OF A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS AN INTEGRATED AND INTERDEPENDENT SERVICE INDUSTRY HAS COME INTO ITS OWN. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS SYSTEMS VIEW OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE IS TRACED. STATISTICS INDICATIVE OF THE SIZE, SCOPE, AND NATURE OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (EXPENDITURES, NUMBERS OF AGENCIES AND PERSONNEL, CRIME RATES, CLEARANCE AND CONVICTION RATES, PRISON POPULATIONS, ETC.) ARE REVIEWED BRIEFLY. THE LIKELIHOOD THAT A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN THE CRIME PROBLEM LIES BEYOND THE REACH OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE STRUCTURE, AND THAT IT RESTS INSTEAD WITH AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RELIEF TO REDUCE PRESSURES TOWARD PREDATORY BEHAVIOR, IS POINTED OUT. A REVIEW OF THE WORKSHOP AGENDA NOTES THAT MANY OF THE PROBLEMS TO BE DISCUSSED HAVE TO DO WITH SYSTEM OVERLOAD (COURT DELAYS, PRISON OVERCROWDING, ETC.). WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS ARE ADVISED RECOGNIZE THAT RELATIVELY LITTLE IS YET KNOWN ABOUT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIME CONTROL INNOVATIONS, TO BE WARY OF EASY ANSWERS, TO ACCEPT THAT THE QUEST FOR CRIME CONTROL EFFECTIVENESS IS INEVITABLY A CONTINUING ONE, AND NOT TO LET CONCERNS FOR EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY OVERRIDE CONSIDERATIONS OF DECENCY, EQUITY, AND HUMANENESS. (LKM)