NCJ Number
47312
Date Published
1978
Length
68 pages
Annotation
MINNESOTA'S OFFENDER BASED TRANSACTION STATISTICS (OBTS) SYSTEM IS EXAMINED, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH DATA ON CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS IS COLLECTED AND SORTED IS DISCUSSED.
Abstract
MINNESOTA POLICE REPORT TWO KINDS OF DATA: CRIMINAL INCIDENT REPORTS (WHICH BECOME PART OF THE UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS PUBLISHED BY THE STATE AND SUBSEQUENTLY BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION) AND REPORTS ON PERSONS ARRESTED FOR CRIMES. THE LATTER REPORTS START THE FLOW OF INFORMATION ON CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS KNOWN AS THE OBTS. WHEN THE OFFENDER-BASED REPORTS REACH THE POINT AT WHICH THEY ARE ENTERED INTO THE OBTS DATA FILE, THE NAMES OF THE DEFENDANTS ARE REPLACED BY NUMBERS, AND NO RECORD IS KEPT OF WHICH PERSON HAS WHICH NUMBER. FOR PURPOSES OF ANALYSIS, THE OBTS DATA HAVE SHORTCOMINGS: THE PROBLEM OF INCOMPLETE AND INACCURATE REPORTING; REPORTING DELAYS; AND, DUE TO THE LACK OF CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION IN THE OBTS FILE, THE INABILITY TO DETERMINE WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL HAS A PRIOR RECORD. DESPITE THESE SHORTCOMINGS, THE OBTS DATA ACCURATELY DESCRIBE THE PROCESSING OF DEFENDANTS THROUGH THE STATE'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE DATA CAN BE USED TO EXAMINE COURT PROCESSING TIME, SENTENCING PATTERNS, THE CHARGING OF CRIMES, DIFFERENCES AMONG COUNTIES OR JUDICIAL DISTRICTS, TRIAL OUTCOMES, USE OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ATTORNEYS, AND DIFFERENCES ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE RACE, SEX, OR AGE OF DEFENDANTS. THE DATA ARE ALSO OF USE IN MONITORING FOR CHANGES IN THE SYSTEM AND IN EVALUATING PLANNED CHANGES. OBTS-RELATED RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND METHODS OF ANALYSIS ARE ADDRESSED. EXAMPLES OF DATA ANALYSIS ARE PROVIDED. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION IS INCLUDED.