NCJ Number
59147
Date Published
1979
Length
70 pages
Annotation
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE--THE RESEARCH ARM OF THE LEAA--REPORTS ITS ACTIVITIES DURING FISCAL 1978.
Abstract
FISCAL 1978 MARKED THE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST DECADE OF MAJOR FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR RESEARCH ON CRIME AND JUSTICE. THE REPORT OPENS WITH A SUMMARY OF RESEARCH PROGRESS DURING THAT DECADE, TOGETHER WITH NOTES ON RESEARCH PRIORITIES, CHANGES IN THE INSTITUTE'S ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE, EFFORTS TO INTEGRATE THE INSTITUTE INTO THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY, AND PLANS TO PUBLISH AN ANNUAL REVIEW OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH. SEPARATE SECTIONS OFFER NARRATIVE SUMMARIES OF MAJOR RESEARCH ACTIVITIES AND FINDINGS DURING FISCAL 1978 IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS: (1) THE SOURCES OF CRIME (LONGITUDINAL STUDIES, RESEARCH STRATEGY, STUDIES OF MINORITIES AND CRIME, CAREER CRIMINALS, AND WHITE-COLLAR CRIME), (2) RESEARCH TOOLS (PROBLEMS IN MEASURING DETERRENCE, PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT, DEVELOPING OF RESEARCH METHODS), (3) CORRECTIONS (REHABILITATION, MEASURING PROGRAM EFFECTS, PROBATION AND PAROLE, CORRECTIONAL NEEDS, INMATE ORGANIZATIONS, PRISON VIOLENCE, EFFECTS OF PRISON OVERCROWDING), (4) THE PRETRIAL PROCESS (THE PROSECUTOR'S ROLE, PLEA BARGAINING, THE CAUSES OF DELAY, THE ROLE OF THE COURTS, PUBLIC ATTITUDES, ALTERNATIVES TO COURTS), (5) SENTENCING (MANDATORY SENTENCING POLICIES, THE MASSACHUSETTS GUN LAW, STATE CODE REVISION, SENTENCING DISCRETION, SENTENCING GUIDELINES AND THEIR IMPLEMENTATION), (6) POLICE (RESPONSE TIME, PREVENTIVE PATROL, THE ROLE OF DETECTIVES, ANALYSIS OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, THE POLICE ROLE, POLICE DISCRETION, POLICE RESOURCE ALLOCATION, CRIME LABORATORY PROFICIENCY TESTING, POLICE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT CORRUPTION, (7) PREVENTION (ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, SOCIAL CONTROL, REACTIONS TO CRIME, THE MEDIA INFLUENCE, PUBLIC OPINION, CRIME-SPECIFIC PREVENTION), (8) EVALUATION (THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM AND ITS PHASE 1 AND 2 REPORTS, PLANS TO STUDY PROBATION, AND EVALAUTION OF THE EFFECTS OF ABOLISHING PLEA BARGAINING IN ALASKA), AND (9) RESEARCH APPLICATIONS (FIELD TESTS, WORKSHOPS, EXEMPLARY PROJECTS, INFORMATION SERVICES, ETC.). APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE AN ORGANIZATIONAL CHART, SUMMARIES OF PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE INSTITUTE DURING FISCAL 1978, FISCAL INFORMATION, AND ROSTERS OF THE INSTITUTE'S ADVISORY COUNCIL AND STAFF.