NCJ Number
59772
Journal
International Annals of Criminology Volume: 17 Issue: 1 & 2 Dated: (1978) Pages: 191-208
Date Published
1978
Length
18 pages
Annotation
THE DECISIONS MADE INDEPENDENTLY BY INDIVIDUAL DECISIONMAKERS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM REGARDING INDIVIDUAL OFFENDERS REPRESENT A COMPLEX PATTERN WHICH MAY BE 'MODELED' AND ANALYZED.
Abstract
THE PATTERNS OF DECISIONS IN UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM MAY BE EQUATED TO THE IDEA OF AN IMPLICIT POLICY OR TO A SET OF SHARED VALUES HELD BY MEMBERS OF AN ORGANIZATION. ALTHOUGH THE RULES IMPLIED IN A POLICY MAY VARY AMONG DECISIONMAKERS WITH RESPECT TO INDIVIDUAL CASES, THESE MODIFICATIONS CAN BE REGARDED AS ADDED ELEMENTS. SUCH DECOMPOSITION OF THE DECISION PROCESS AND CASE ELEMENTS IS USEFUL IN COMPARATIVE RESEARCH AND IN THE FORMATION OF POLICY CONTROL AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY. MODELS WHICH REVEAL THE DOMINANT POLICY ISSUES OF POLITICAL ACCEPTABILITY OF DECISIONS OR APPLICATION OF CULTURAL VALUES PROVIDE PREDICTABILITY, BUT SUCH MODELS DO HAVE DIFFICULTIES. IDEAL MODELS SHOULD NOT BE REPLICATED FROM PREVIOUS STUDIES OF DISSIMILAR SITUATIONS, BUT SHOULD BE DEVELOPED FOR THE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS BEING STUDIED. PROPER METHODOLOGY RELIES ON THE CAREFUL IDENTIFICATION OF STRATEGIES USED IN INFORMATION SEARCH ROUTINES, ESPECIALLY IN THE OBSERVATION OF THE SEQUENCE USED BY DECISIONMAKERS IN EXAMINING DATA. BECAUSE DECISIONMAKERS DO NOT ACT ALONE AND UNOBSERVED, THE QUALITY OF DECISIONS WILL BE AFFECTED PUBLIC AND AGENCY OPINIONS. PUBLIC CRITICISM IS ALWAYS A FACTOR IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE DECISIONS, MORE SO THAN THE PERSONAL PREJUDICES OF THE DECISIONMAKERS. AN EXAMPLE OF COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS IS CITED FROM RESEARCH ON SOUTHERN STATES' PAROLE BOARDS WHOSE DECISIONS REFLECT THE CULTURE OF THE LOCALITIES. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (TWK)