INVESTIGATION INTO THE POLICY REGARDING THE OFFICIAL REPORTING OF CRIMINAL OFFENCES BY THE POLICE (FROM INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON POLICE RESEARCH - FINAL REPORT, 1976, BY L V OUTRIVE AND S RIZKALLA - SEE NCJ-49588)

• NCJ Number: 49593
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 31 pages
• Corporate Author: Georgetown University; Universite de Montreal, Centre International de Criminologie Comparee
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT THE INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR ON POLICE RESEARCH, LEUVEN, BELGIUM, MAY-JUNE 1976

Annotation

RESULTS OF AN OPINION POLL AMONG PUBLIC PROSECUTORS, THE POLICE, AND THE PUBLIC OF THE NETHERLANDS REGARDING THE CONSIDERED SERIOUSNESS OF VARIOUS PENAL OFFENCES ARE PRESENTED AND DISCUSSED.

Abstract

THE POLL TO ASCERTAIN THE WEIGHT OF SEVERITY ATTACHED TO 50 OFFENCES WAS HELD AMONG 131 PUBLIC PROSECUTORS AND 3 REPRESENTATIVE GROUPS OF OFFICIALS FROM THE MUNICIPAL POLICE FORCES AND REGIONAL DIVISIONS OF THE NATIONAL POLICE. THERE WERE A TOTAL OF 1,424 PERSONS IN THIS SAMPLE. THE POLL WAS REPEATED AT A LATER DATE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE DUTCH POPULATION TOTALLING 1,151 PERSONS. THE OPINIONS OF THE VARIOUS SAMPLE GROUPS OF RESPONDENTS (POLICE OFFICERS, PUBLIC PROSECUTORS, AND THE PUBLIC) ON THE GRAVITY OF THE SPECIFIED OFFENCES WERE NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT; THE PUBLIC REGARDED THE MAJORITY OF THE OFFENCES MORE SERIOUS THAN THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS. THIS WAS PARTICULARLY TRUE FOR CERTAIN SEXUAL OFFENCES, DRUG OFFENCES, AND OFFENCES WHICH ENTAIL THE CONTRAVENING OF WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED A SECONDARY STANDARD OF DECENCY. AS A GROUP, THE PUBLIC PROSECUTORS WERE VERY CONSISTENT IN THEIR JUDGMENTS; THE OPINIONS OF THE POLICE DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN THEIR RANKS. DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE VIEWS OF THE REGIONAL GROUPS OF THE NATIONAL POLICE AND THOSE OF THE MUNICIPAL POLICE OFFICERS. IT WAS ALSO APPARENT THAT OLDER, MORE EXPERIENCED POLICE OFFICIALS WERE INCLINED TO CONSIDER MANY OFFENCES LESS SERIOUS THAN DID THEIR YOUNGER, LESS EXPERIENCED COLLEAGUES. SEVEN CRITERIA FOR WEIGHTING THE SEVERITY OF THE OFFENCES COULD BE DISTINGUISHED AMONG THE THREE GROUPS IN THE SAMPLE, ALL OF WHICH WERE OF APPROXIMATELY THE SAME RELATIVE VALUE TO THE VARIOUS GROUPS. THE GRAVITY RATING OF AN OFFENCE APPEARED TO HAVE AN ESSENTIAL BEARING ON THE DECISION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT AN OFFICIAL REPORT ON THE OFFENCE SHOULD BE SUBMITTED. IMPLICATIONS FOR THESE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. THE DATA FROM THE POLL ARE ALSO INCLUDED. (RCB)