NCJ Number
170839
Date Published
1996
Length
55 pages
Annotation
Class 4 felony offenders in Illinois were studied in terms of their numbers and characteristics, their impact on the Illinois correctional system, and the potential for diversionary programming for some or all of this population.
Abstract
The Class 4 felony offenders studied had been convicted of possession of an illicit drug other than marijuana, theft, retail theft, obstructing justice, driving while intoxicated, or driving with a suspended license. The analysis revealed that the increase in number of new court admissions for Class 4 felony offenders has been 320 percent. Changes in law enforcement activities and judicial attitudes rather than statutory changes appeared to explain the rapid increase in this population. Most of these offenders were male; offender characteristics varied by offense category. The offender groups also differed with respect to the volume, type, and seriousness of prior criminal involvement. Findings suggested that the majority of these offenders are exactly where they should be, because most have extensive and varied prior criminal histories. Alternative sanctions might be appropriate for the first offenders in this population. More intensive study of this group regarding drug abuse, public risk factors, and needs for education and job training might be an excellent approach to identifying a group suitable for diversion from crowded State correctional institutions. Figures, tables, footnotes, appended tables and map, and 3 references