NCJ Number
82672
Date Published
1981
Length
146 pages
Annotation
Although the crime rate in Arizona dropped from the highest in the Nation in 1975 to fourth place in 1980, citizens remain concerned.
Abstract
Arizonians are critical of their criminal justice system, but 62 percent of those surveyed in 1979 gave their city police an excellent or good rating. Most citizens support the State's law enforcement agencies but feel that the court's sentencing practices are too lenient. Although citizens believe that more people are killed through homicide than through any other offense, statistics reveal that deaths attributed to alcohol-related vehicle accidents were 25.7 percent higher than the number of homicides in the State during 1980. Arizona ranked fourth in the Nation in 1980 for total index crimes, third for property crime, and ninth for violent crime. The State's police clearance rates for crime generally compare favorably with those of other jurisdictions. The number of persons employed in the law enforcement field is below the national average for comparably populated areas. Arizona's correctional institutions face serious problems with overcrowding, and the court system should study the implications of various strategies to cope with increasing caseloads. Extensive tables and figures are provided.