NCJ Number
54464
Date Published
1975
Length
414 pages
Annotation
PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION ACTIVITIES OF PENNSYLVANIA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE THE FOCUS OF THIS SECTION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE STATE PLAN (1975) WHICH PRESENTS CRIME DATA, NEEDS AND STANDARDS, AND PRIORITIES.
Abstract
THE PLAN BEGINS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF CRIME AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN THE STATE, WHICH POINTS OUT THAT THREE 'TARGET CRIMES' HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE GOVERNOR'S JUSTICE COMMISSION FOR CONCENTRATED FOCUS IN FISCAL YEAR 1977--ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AND RAPE. TABLES DISPLAY THE MAGNITUDE OF KNOWN CRIME AND VARIOUS RESOLUTIONS OF CRIME FOR ALL OFFENSES AND FOR TWO OF THE THREE TARGET OFFENSES AS WELL AS CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CRIMES AND THE OFFENDERS. DATA SHOW THAT ONLY A VERY SMALL PORTION OF CRIMES RESULT IN CONVICTION OF THE PERPETRATORS (3.9 PERCENT OF ALL CRIME, 7.7 PERCENT OF ROBBERY, AND 3.8 PERCENT OF BURGLARY). STILL, IN COMPARISON WITH OTHER STATES, PENNSYLVANIA'S STANDING IN THE MAJOR REPORTED CRIME GROUPINGS IS AND HAS BEEN GOOD. PROBLEMS FACING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE DIVIDED INTO THREE CATEGORIES--COURT DELAY, ADULT RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY-BASED CORRECTIONS, AND DEINSTITUTIONALIZAITON OF STATUS OFFENDERS AND SEPARATION OF JUVENILES FROM ADULTS IN CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES--AND SUBJECTED TO ANALYSIS REGARDING PRESENT ABILITY OF THE SYSTEM COMPONENTS TO PERFORM THE FUNCTION AND DELIVER THE SERVICES THAT ARE EXPECTED OF THEM, SCOPE AND SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEMS, AND CHANGES IN THE OPERATION OF THE SYSTEM WITH RESPECT TO POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS OF THE PROBLEMS. EACH OF THE MAJOR ANALYSIS AREAS IS DIVIDED INTO TWO PARTS: STATEWIDE ANALYSIS AND HIGH CRIME AREA ANALYSIS. NEXT, STANDARDS AND GOALS FOR THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM (POLICE, COURT, CORRECTIONS, COMMUNITY-CRIME PREVENTION, JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION, DECRIMINALIZATION, AND VICTIM COMPENSATION STANDARDS) ARE PRESENTED. THESE STANDARDS WERE ADAPTED FROM THOSE SET BY THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COMMISSION ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE STANDARDS AND GOALS AND THE AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION TO FIT THE PARTICULAR STATE NEEDS. THE VOLUME ENDS WITH A DETAILED STATEMENT OF PRIORITIES OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM AS SET BY THE GOVERNOR'S JUSTICE COMMISSION. THE COMMISSION DREW UP THE PRIORITIES FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF PAST PRACTICES AND CURRENT AND FUTURE FUNDING NEEDS, AN EXAMINATION OF LEAA PLAN REQUIREMENTS, AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF NEW PROCEDURES AND POLICIES NECESSARY FOR IMPLEMENTATION. FOCUS IS ON CRIME-SPECIFIC PRIORITIES AND CAUSES OF CRIME. A MULTI-YEAR BUDGET CHART IS APPENDED. (DAG)