DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF PROSECUTOR OPERATIONS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN 1973

• NCJ Number: 31708
• Author(s): K B BROSI; B F FORST
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 64 pages
• Grant Number(s): 74-NI-99-0008
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: INSLAW
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS PAPER DESCRIBES CHARACTERISTICS OF 15,460 ADULT CRIMINAL CASES REVIEWED BY THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND GIVES RESULTS OF A MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF FACTORS WHICH MAY AFFECT PROSECUTION OUTCOME.

Abstract

DATA FOR THIS STUDY WAS OBTAINED FROM THE WASHINGTON, D.C. PROSECUTOR'S MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (PROMIS). STATISTICS ON THE 1973 ADULT CRIMINAL CASES ARE PROVIDED WHICH INDICATE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFENDANT, CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OFFENSES, AND THE PROCESSING OF THESE CASES BY THE PROSECUTOR AND THE COURT. THE MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS WAS UNDERTAKEN TO DETERMINE THOSE VARIABLES, IN THE PROMIS DATA BASE THAT ARE MOST IMPORTANT WITH REGARD TO MAJOR OUTCOMES, SO THAT THESE VARIABLES MAY BE INCLUDED IN LATER, MORE COMPLEX ANALYSES. THIS ANALYSIS WAS DONE FOR OUTCOMES OF MAJOR STAGES IN THE PROSECUTION SYSTEM - INITIAL SCREENING, FELONY INDICTMENT, GUILTY PLEA, DISMISSAL BY PROSECUTOR, DISMISSAL BY JUDGE, OUTCOME AT TRIAL, AND WITNESS PROBLEMS. SEPARATE FINDINGS ARE REPORTED FOR FELONIES AND MISDEMEANORS.