NCJ Number
122385
Date Published
1990
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Data from a sample representing the 75 largest counties in 1985 were used to develop statistical data on the demographic and criminal history profiles of persons arrested for felonies in February 1988 and on the pretrial release, adjudication, and sentencing decisions made in these defendants' cases.
Abstract
Almost half of the reported crimes in 1985 occurred in the counties studied. The data were collected from records provided by court employees and other local criminal justice personnel between February 1988 and February 1989. Results revealed that the most serious arrest charge at the time of filing was a property offense for 36 percent of the defendants, a drug law offense for 35 percent, a violent offense for 21 percent, and a public-order offense for 8 percent. About six of every seven defendants were male. The defendants' average age was 28. Two-thirds of the defendants were known to have been arrested previously. Two-thirds were released before the disposition of their case and before the end of the 1-year study period. About 4 percent were held without bail. The likelihood of a defendant's being convicted of a felony ranged from one-third of those arrested on felony assault charges to two-thirds of those arrested for murder. Two-thirds of convicted defendants received a sentence of incarceration. The median case processing time for all defendants was 85 days from arrest to adjudication. Tables