NCJ Number
57151
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THIS MASSACHUSETTS STUDY ANALYZES SELECTED DRUG OFFENSE DATA FROM 4 WEEKS IN 1976, 1977, AND 1978, OBTAINED FROM THE COMMISSIONER OF PROBATION. ANALYSIS SHOWS SHIFTING PATTERNS IN STATE DRUG CASES.
Abstract
IN THIS 3-YEAR STUDY, ALL NEW ARRAIGNMENTS FOR CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE CRIMES WERE COUNTED DURING THE 4 SAMPLE WEEKS, SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR TO ACCOUNT FOR SEASONAL VARIATIONS. COURT RECORDS WERE ANALYZED BY DEFENDANTS' AGES AND RESIDENCES BY STATE REGION, DRUG SUBSTANCE BY CLASS, FREQUENCY OF SIMULTANEOUS OFFENSES, AND OFFENSE TYPE; I.E., DISTRIBUTION OR POSSESSION. THE 1976 SAMPLE INCLUDED 783 CASES, THE 1977 TOTAL WAS 1,094, AND THE 1978 SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 1,312 CASES. HEROIN OFFENSES SHOWED A STEADY REDUCTION (28 PERCENT) IN FREQUENCY FROM 1976 TO 1978. HOWEVER, MARIHUANA OFFENSES INCREASED 93.7 PERCENT DURING THE SAME PERIOD. WHILE 10,205 DEFENDANTS WERE CHARGED WITH DRUG CRIMES IN 1976, BY 1978 THIS NUMBER HAD INCREASED BY 19.9 PERCENT TO 17,056 DEFENDANTS. MORE THAN HALF OF ALL CHARGES WERE FOR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF MARIHUANA. YOUNG ADULTS, BETWEEN THE AGES OF 17 AND 25, ACCOUNTED FOR A FAIRLY CONSISTENT TWO-THIRDS OF ALL DEFENDANTS OVER THE PERIOD, WHILE OLDER ADULTS ACCOUNTED FOR 23 PERCENT AND JUVENILES ACCOUNTED FOR 12 PERCENT DURING THIS PERIOD. POLICE DISCRETION WITHIN VARIOUS LOCALES MAY ACCOUNT FOR THE REGIONAL SHIFTS. POLICE IN MAJOR CITIES PROBABLY ARE UNABLE TO DEVOTE THE TIME TO DRUG CASES THAT POLICE IN SMALLER COMMUNITIES CAN. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)