INSERTION/DIVERSION DECISION AT THE JUVENILE POLICE LEVEL

• NCJ Number: 32306
• Author(s): W L WILBANKS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 244 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK - DISSERTATION

Annotation

STUDY OF DISPARITY ACROSS CITIES IN THE DECISION BY POLICE OFFICERS IN JUVENILE UNITS AS TO WHETHER JUVENILES CONTACTED BY THE POLICE WILL BE INSERTED INTO OR DIVERTED FROM THE JUVENILE COURT.

Abstract

THUS DECISION DATA WERE GATHERED FROM FOURTEEN CITIES INVOLVING A TOTAL OF 111 DECISION-MAKERS. THE METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED INVOLVES THE PRESENTATION TO SUBJECTS OF A STANDARD SET OF SIMULATED CASES TO DETERMINE THE TYPE OF DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY THE SUBJECTS. THE ANALYSIS INVOLVED ATTEMPTS TO DISCOVER THE DETERMINANTS OF THE TYPES OF DECISIONS BOTH ACROSS ALL SUBJECTS AND AMONG DEPARTMENTS. ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT DISPOSITIONS VARIED MARKEDLY BY DEPARTMENT AND THAT 40 PERCENT OF THE VARIANCE IN INSERTION DECISIONS ACROSS SUBJECTS AND 50 PERCENT OF THE VARIANCE IN REFERRAL DECISIONS ACROSS SUBJECTS COULD BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY DEPARTMENTAL IDENTIFICATION. HOWEVER, THE DISPARITY IN DECISIONS AMONG DEPARTMENTS COULD NOT BE ACCOUNTED FOR BY DIFFERING PERCEPTIONS OF SUBJECTS REGARDING DEPARTMENTAL POLICY. THE DATA ALSO FAILED TO INDICATE THAT THE DISPARITY IN DECISIONS WITHIN DEPARTMENTS COULD BE REDUCED BY THE DEGREE OF POLICY PERCEIVED OR BY THE EXTENT OF AGREEMENT ON POLICY BY SUBJECTS WITHIN DEPARTMENTS. FINALLY, THE DATA INDICATE THAT THE PERSONAL BELIEFS OF OFFICERS WHO PERCEIVED LITTLE DEPARTMENTAL POLICY WERE NOT MORE PREDICTIVE OF CASE DECISIONS THAN PERSONAL BELIEFS OF OFFICERS PERCEIVING RELATIVELY MORE POLICY OR STRUCTURE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)