NCJ Number
47109
Date Published
1977
Length
54 pages
Annotation
DATA FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COURTS, PROSECUTORS' OFFICES, AND POLICE, CORRECTIONS, AND PAROLE AGENCIES ARE ANALYZED IN A REPORT ON TRENDS IN CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION IN THE STATE.
Abstract
THE REPORT INCLUDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS OF 1975, DATA AND PREDICTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE POLICE, COURT, AND CORRECTIONS COMPONENTS OF THE SYSTEM, AND AN ANALYSIS OF TIME DELAYS IN PROCESSING OFFENDERS THROUGH THE SYSTEM. VIOLENT CRIMES (MURDER, RAPE, AGGRAVATED ASSAULT, AND ROBBERY) ACCOUNT FOR 3 PERCENT OF THE SERIOUS CRIME IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE STATE'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DEALS EFFECTIVELY WITH THESE CRIMES. THE OTHER 97 PERCENT OF THE SERIOUS CRIMES CONSIST OF LARCENIES, BURGLARIES, AND MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS. LONG-RANGE TRENDS SHOW THAT THE RATES OF THESE CRIMES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE INCREASING SIX TIMES MORE RAPIDLY THAN THE POPULATION. AS A CONSEQUENCE, COURT DOCKETS AND CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES ARE FILLED TO CAPACITY. POLICE CLEAR APPROXIMATELY 20 PERCENT OF THE CRIMES THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT. MANY POLICE OFFICERS REPORT SPENDING A LARGE PORTION OF THEIR TIME ON NON-CRIME-RELATED ACTIVITIES. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE LIKELIHOOD OF A PROPERTY OFFENDER BEING INCARCERATED IS 4 PERCENT, WHEREAS A CITIZEN'S LIKELIHOOD OF BEING THE VICTIM OF A PROPERTY CRIME IS 11 PERCENT. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROBABILITY OF BEING IMPRISONED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE MAY BE TOO LOW TO ACT AS A DETERRENT TO POTENTIAL CRIMINALS. SUPPORTING TABULAR DATA AND GRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)