ROBBERY AND BURGLARY - A STUDY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PERSONS ARRESTED AND THE HANDLING OF THEIR CASES IN COURT

• NCJ Number: 59329
• Author(s): K M WILLIAMS; J LUCIANOVIC
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 65 pages
• Grant Number(s): 74-NI-99-0008; 75-NI-99-0111; 76-NI-99-0118; 77-NI-99-0060
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: INSLAW
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; INSLAW
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PROMIS RESEARCH PROJECT

Annotation

THIS REPORT FOCUSES ON THE CRIMES OF ROBBERY AND BURGLARY IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, USING THREE UNITS OF ANALYSIS: THE OFFENSE, THE DEFENDANT, AND THE COURT CASE.

Abstract

ROBBERY AND BURGLARY ACCOUNTED FOR 16 PERCENT OF ADULT ARRESTS IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IN 1974. ACCORDING TO A 1974 SURVEY, OVER 10,000 ROBBERY INCIDENTS AND 28,300 BURGLARY INCIDENTS OCCURRED IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IN 1973. DATA ON OFFENSES, DESCRIBING THE AFTERMATH OF VICTIMIZATION BY USING THE CRIMINAL INCIDENT (WHICH MAY INVOLVE MULTIPLE VICTIMS AND MULTIPLE OFFENDERS) OF ROBBERY AND BURGLARY AS THE UNIT OF ANALYSIS ARE PRESENTED. QUESTIONS WHICH CITIZENS MIGHT HAVE ABOUT WHAT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DOES WHEN A VICTIM REPORTS A ROBBERY OR BURGLARY ARE DISCUSSED. THE VICTIM'S REPORTING BEHAVIOR, POLICE APPREHENSION RATES, AND CONVICTION RATES ARE COMPUTED, TRACING THE CRIMES FROM VICTIMIZATION THROUGH THE CONVICTION OF ONE OR MORE OFFENDERS. THE PROCESSING OF CODEFENDANTS ALSO IS EXAMINED TO SEE TO WHAT EXTENT UNIFORMITY OF DISPOSITION OCCURS FOR CODEFENDANTS ARRESTED FOR THE SAME INCIDENT. CHARACTERISTICS OF ROBBERY OR BURGLARY DEFENDANTS ARE COMPARED WITH THOSE PERSONS ARRESTED FOR OTHER TYPES OF CRIME. CRIMINAL CAREER PATTERNS OF BURGLARY AND ROBBERY ARRESTEES ARE DESCRIBED IN TERMS OF THE RECORDED CRIMINAL HISTORY, PROBABILITY OF RECIDIVISM, AND OTHER TYPES OF CRIMES FOR WHICH ROBBERY AND BURGLARY DEFENDANTS ARE SUBSEQUENTLY ARRESTED. FINDINGS INDICATE THAT PERSONS ARRESTED FOR ROBBERY AND BURGLARY HAVE MORE SERIOUS CRIMINAL PROCLIVITIES THAN THOSE ARRESTED FOR OTHER TYPES OF CRIMES. EVEN THOUGH ROBBERY AND BURGLARY DEFENDANTS ARE YOUNG, THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE REARRESTED IN THE FUTURE FOR SERIOUS CRIMES. AN ANALYSIS OF HOW THE PROSECUTOR AND THE COURT HANDLE ROBBERY AND BURGLARY CASES ALSO IS PRESENTED. THE ATTRITION OF THESE CASES IS TRACED FROM ARREST THROUGH FINAL DISPOSITION, AND THE VARIABLES ASSOCIATED WITH CASE ATTRITION ARE IDENTIFIED. CONVICTION RATES, THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF CHARGE REDUCTION, AND THE SENTENCES IMPOSED ARE DISCUSSED. CERTAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DEFENDANT, THE CRIMINAL OFFENSE, AND THE CASE AGAINST THE ARRESTED PERSON WERE FOUND TO INFLUENCE THE LIKELIHOOD OF CONVICTION IN ROBBERY AND BURGLARY CASES. THESE FACTORS ARE DISCUSSED IN REGARD TO IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICY CHANGES. EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA, FOOTNOTES, AND APPENDIXES (ON MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBABILITY OF RECIDIVISM AND CONVICTION) ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)