NCJ Number
186860
Journal
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2000 Pages: 50-71
Editor(s)
William U. Weiss Dr.
Date Published
2000
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This paper hypothesizes that, due to antiquated criminal predator identification, the courts give less prison time to predators who continually commit heinous forms of crime than to first-time violent offenders who are controversially convicted of the crime of murder.
Abstract
The analysis is based on a sample of 89 respondents that included 61 males and 28 females incarcerated in high-custody penitentiaries. In the first study of males, 61 predatory rapists had admitted to 316 stranger rapes. In the second study of females, 28 convicted murderers were interviewed in New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Findings showed many predators were rarely charged and/or convicted of heinous predatory acts. Consequently, their prison sentences averaged an 8-year confinement as compared to non-predators with an average of 25 years to life, often without parole. The hypothesis was supported, and a criminal offender classification was created to explain various offender profiles. One implication of the findings is that methods of crime control, including criminal profiles, are not adequate to deal with predatory attacks. An assumption that arises from this implication is that crime control is linked to popular myths produced by the media and predators therefore go largely unchecked. The author suggests further research to identify efficient methods of intervention for various categories of predators. 45 references, 13 endnotes, and 2 tables