NCJ Number
49267
Journal
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF CORRECTIONS Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (FALL 1977) Pages: 4-6
Date Published
1977
Length
3 pages
Annotation
HIGHLIGHTS FROM RAND CORPORATION'S STUDY OF THE CAREERS OF 49 HABITUAL CRIMINALS ARE REVIEWED, AND THE RESEARCHERS' STATEMENTS ABOUT THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR FINDINGS ARE CHALLENGED.
Abstract
THE RAND STUDY'S CONTRIBUTION TO CORRECTIONAL RESEARCH INCLUDES BOTH THE DATA-GATHERING INSTRUMENT DEVELOPED FOR THE STUDY AND THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS: (1) AS A GROUP, THE 49 SUBJECTS COMMITTED AN AVERAGE OF 20 CRIMES PER STREET YEAR; (2) THE NUMBER OF SELF-REPORTED OFFENSES COMMITTED PER MONTH NOTICEABLY DECLINED AS THE SAMPLE GREW OLDER; (3) THE OFFENDERS PROGRESSED FROM PREDOMINANTLY AUTO THEFT AND BURGLARY IN THE JUVENILE PERIOD TO A GREATER PROPORTION OF ROBBERIES AND FORGERIES IN THE ADULT YEARS; (4) THE LEVEL OF CRIMINAL SOPHISTICATION AMONG THE GROUP WAS RELATIVELY LOW; (5) ALTHOUGH THE OFFENDERS COMMITTED A HIGHER RATE OF CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS LATER IN THEIR CAREERS, THE PROPORTION WHO ACTUALLY INJURED THEIR VICTIMS DECLINED OVER TIME; AND (6) THE OFFENDERS APPEARED TO FALL INTO TWO BROAD TYPES -- INTENSIVES, WHO SAW THEMSELVES AS PROFESSIONAL CRIMINALS AND INTERMITTANTS, WHO DID NOT VIEW THEMSELVES IN THIS WAY. HOWEVER, DESPITE THESE CONTRIBUTIONS, THE RESEARCHERS' POLICY INFERENCES ARE NOT JUSTIFIED BY THE DATA AND ANALYSES DOCUMENTED IN THE STUDY REPORT. THE STUDY'S LIMITED SAMPLE, COMBINED WITH OTHER DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY PITFALLS, MAKE GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT THE FAILURE OF INTERVENTION EFFORTS -- REHABILITATION, DETERRENCE, PREVENTION -- TO CURTAIL HABITUAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR MISLEADING. THE STUDY'S MOST SEVERE LIMITATION IN THIS RESPECT IS THE LACK OF COMPARISON DATA ON HABITUAL OFFENDERS WHOSE CRIMINAL CAREERS HAVE ENDED. THE FINDINGS DO NOT JUSTIFY THE RESEARCHERS' ADVOCACY OF INCAPACITATION FOR YOUNG OFFENDERS WHO SEEM DESTINED TO BECOME CAREER CRIMINALS. (LKM)