NCJ Number
46549
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE LIKELY IMPACT OF DECRIMINALIZING SUCH ACTS AS CONSENSUAL HOMOSEXUALITY, GAMBLING, PROSTITUTION, AND DRUG USE ON THE POLICE AND OTHER CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES IS CONSIDERED.
Abstract
A STUDY OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE OPERATIONS IN VENTURA COUNTY, CALIF., FOUND THAT VICTIMLESS CRIMES ACCOUNTED FOR THE GREATEST EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS BY THE COUNTY'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. VICTIMLESS CRIMES WERE PARTICULARLY EXPENSIVE TO DEAL WITH IN TERMS OF DETECTION, APPREHENSION, AND CORRECTIONS. EXTRAPOLATION OF THE VENTURA COUNTY DATA TO THE NATIONAL SCENE SUGGESTS THAT THE ANNUAL COST TO THE UNITED STATES OF DEALING WITH VICTIMLESS CRIMES AMOUNTS TO $3.4 BILLION. SPECULATION REGARDING THE IMPACT OF DECRIMINALIZATION ON POLICE PERFORMANCE IS EASY TO GENERATE, BUT HARD FACTS IN THIS AREA ARE NONEXISTENT. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS THAT COULD EXPLORE THE ISSUES INVOLVED ARE DIFFICULT TO ESTABLISH. HOWEVER, IT CAN BE ARGUED THAT ELIMINATION OF VICTIMLESS CRIMES PROBABLY WILL REDUCE CERTAIN SPECIFIC KINDS OF UNDESIRABLE CONSEQUENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EXISTENCE AND ENFORCEMENT OF LAWS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT SOCIAL SCIENTISTS REASONABLY CAN EXPLORE THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF DECRIMINALIZATION ACROSS A BROAD RANGE OF ISSUES. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE RECOGNIZED THAT, EVEN IF DECRIMINALIZATION IS SHOWN TO CREATE MORE PROBLEMS THAN IT RELIEVES, THESE DERIVATIVE PROBLEMS SHOULD BE DEALT WITH ON THEIR OWN TERMS AND NOT USED AS EXCUSES TO VICTIMIZE VICTIMLESS 'CRIMINALS.' A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)