NCJ Number
48904
Date Published
1976
Length
86 pages
Annotation
THE FIRST-YEAR ACTIVITIES OF A NATIONAL CLEARINGHOUSE ESTABLISHED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND DATA SUPPORT FOR LEAA'S CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM ARE REPORTED.
Abstract
THE REPORT COVERS THE CENTER'S FIRST 15.5 MONTHS OF OPERATION, WITH ATTENTION TO PROGRAM COORDINATION, DATA COLLECTION, DATA REPORT GENERATION, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, NO-COST CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM REPLICATION, AND PUBLICATIONS. ONSITE VISITS BY CENTER STAFF TO DISTRICT ATTORNEYS' OFFICES EITHER OPERATING OR PLANNING CAREER CRIMINAL UNITS WERE A SIGNIFICANT ASPECT OF THE CENTER'S PROGRAM COORDINATION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES. THESE VISITS ENCOMPASSED TROUBLE-SHOOTING, INFORMATION DISSEMINATION, AND DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES. THE CENTER ALSO SPONSORED REGIONAL AND NATIONAL CONFERENCES ATTENDED BY CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT PERSONNEL. PARTICIPANTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXCHANGE STRATEGIES, PROBLEM-SOLVING TECHNIQUES, AND OTHER INFORMATION RELEVANT TO THE OPERATION OF CAREER CRIMINAL UNITS. THE CENTER DESIGNED AND IMPLEMENTED A DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM, DEVELOPED A COMPUTERIZED DATA BASE, AND GENERATED REPORTS BOTH TO LEAA AND TO JURISDICTIONS PARTICIPATING IN THE PROGRAM. AT THE TIME OF THE REPORT, THE CENTER'S AUTOMATED DATA BASE CONTAINED DETAILED INDIVIDUAL CASE DATA FOR OVER 2,400 CAREER CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS. MIDWAY THRUGH THE GRANT TERM, THE CENTER'S TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES WERE EXPANDED INTO A NO-COST REPLICATION EFFORT IN WHICH DISTRICT ATTORNEYS IMPLEMENTED CAREER CRIMINAL UNITS WITHOUT DIRECT FEDERAL FUNDING BUT WITH FULL ASSISTANCE FROM THE CENTER. AMONG REPORTS GENERATED BY THE CENTER WERE CASE FLOW ANALYSES OF 11 CAREER CRIMINAL PROGRAM PROJECTS, A DIGEST OF LAWS AND COURT DECISIONS PERTAINING TO HABITUAL OFFENDERS, AND A MANUAL EXPLAINING HOW TO ESTABLISH A CAREER CRIMINAL UNIT. STATISTICAL REPORTS ON CAREER CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS, DRAWN FROM THE CENTER'S DATA BASE, ARE APPENDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)