NCJ Number
47481
Journal
Monatsschrift fuer Kriminologie und Strafrechtsreform Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1978) Pages: 28-37
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
WEST GERMAN CATEGORIZATION OF OFFENSES AS MINOR, INTERMEDIATE, OR SERIOUS FOR DETERMINING INVESTIGATION AND PROSECTUION MEASURES IS EXAMINED IN A SURVEY OF 1243 OFFICERS.
Abstract
THE DEGREE OF SERIOUSNESS OF THE CRIME RATHER THAN THE CLASS STATUS OF THE CRIMINAL IS REGARDED TO BE THE SEMI-OFFICIAL CRITERION WHICH DIFFERENTIATES COURSES OF ACTION IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. SURVEY RESULTS INDICATE THAT THE CATEGORIZATION OF CRIMES BY POLICE IS ONLY LOOSELY CONNECTED TO LEGAL STANDARDS (E.G., MURDER AND ARMED ROBBERY ARE GENERALLY CONSIDERED SERIOUS BY POLICE, BUT INSURANCE FRAUD AND ARSON ARE USUALLY RANKED BY OFFICERS AS INTERMEDIATE CRIMES), BUT THAT A DEFINITE ASSOCIATION EXISTS BETWEEN CIVIL ACTIONS AND THE MINOR CRIME CATEGORY. POLICE CATEGORIES APPEAR TO BE PRIMARILY DEPENDENT ON THE INVESTMENT OF ENERGY AND FUTURE CRIMINAL POTENTIAL OF THE CRIMINAL, THE EXTENT OF DAMAGES, THE REACTION OF THE AFFECTED PARTIES, THE CAPABILITIES REQUIRED TO SOLVE THE CRIME, AND THE VARIABLE VALUE COMPONENTS OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. FURTHERMORE, THE CLASSIFICATION OF CRIMES IS NOT ESPECIALLY UNIFORM AMONG OFFICERS: ONLY 5 OF 26 OFFENSES ARE CATEGORIZED SIMILARLY BY THOSE QUESTIONED, AND IN THESE CASES THE OFFENSES ARE USUALLY RANKED AS MINOR OR SERIOUS, NOT INTERMEDIATE. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SAME CRIME MAY BE INVESTIGATED AND PROSECUTED WITH VARYING DEGREES OF INTENSITY DEPENDING ON THE OFFICER, THE STATION, AND THE STATE INVOLVED, THAT OTHER FACTORS, E.G., AGE AND NOTORIETY OF THE CRIMINAL AND THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF THE OFFENSE'S OCCURRENCE AFFECT POLICE REACTION, BUT THAT CRIME SERIOUSNENSS IS CLEARLY RELEVANT BECAUSE LEVELS ARE DIFFERENTIATED AND ARE EVEN USED TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THE AREAS OF COMPETENCE OF PROTECTIVE AND CRIMINAL POLICE. TABLES AND NOTES ARE FURNISHED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)