NCJ Number
58804
Date Published
1978
Length
98 pages
Annotation
AN ACTION PLAN FOR THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DIVISION OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES IS PRESENTED WITH THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF INCREASING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CALIFORNIA CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
Abstract
RESOLUTIONS TO IMPLEMENT PLANNING DECISIONS AND ACTIONS BY THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DIVISION OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF CONCERN: (1) CITIES SHOULD ACT INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY TO ASSUME GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION IN MATTERS OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION, (2) CITIES SHOULD USE THEIR POLITICAL INFLUENCE TO SHAPE A CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS, (3) SPECIAL MUNICIPAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY GROUPS SHOULD BE FORMED, (4) LOCAL COUNCIL PERSONS SHOULD BE EDUCATED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, AND (5) NEW STRATEGIES SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO GAIN ADDITIONAL FUNDING RESOURCES FOR CRIME PREVENTION. THE REPORT, DIVIDED INTO THREE MAJOR SECTIONS, OFFERS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR CHANGES IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. STATISTICS ARE OFFERED TO SHOW THE IMMEDIATE NEED FOR CITIES TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN PREVENTING CRIME AND AIDING THE JUDICIAL PROCESS. IN 1976, THERE WERE 563,991 REPORTED ARRESTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY. OF THIS NUMBER, 117,266 WERE FELONY ARRESTS. ONLY 54 PERCENT 63,531 OF THE FELONY ARRESTS REACHED FINAL DISPOSITION, AND ONLY 16.3 PERCENT 19,215 OF THESE CASES ENDED IN SENTENCES TO SOME FORM OF INCARCERATION IN A STATE PRISON, COUNTY JAIL, OR PRISON OR JAIL COUPLED WITH PROBATION. ACTION STRATEGY GOALS PRESENTED DISCUSS THE ROLE OF CITY LEGISLATIVE AND MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS, THE EXPANSION OF MUNICIPAL INFLUENCE, JURISDICTIONAL MECHANISMS SUCH AS A MULTIFUNDING APPROACH AND INTRACITY DEPARTMENT MEETINGS, AND THE ROLE OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY GROUPS. A NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY WAS CONDUCTED CONCERNING THE PROBLEMS AND ISSUES OF CITIES WITHIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY RELATED TO CRIME AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY IS DETAILED ALONG WITH RESEARCH FINDINGS. THE FOLLOWING CRIMES WERE FOUND TO CONCERN PUBLIC OFFICIALS THE MOST: BURGLARY, DRUG OFFENSES, ROBBERY, ASSAULT, RAPE, AND PORNOGRAPHY. FOOTNOTES, TABULAR DATA, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED ALONG WITH APPENDIXES CONTAINING INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRES AND RESPONSE. (PRG)