SENTENCING IN ALASKA - A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS AND SUMMARY OF STATISTICAL DATA FOR 1973

• NCJ Number: 18767
• Author(s): B CUTLER
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 235 pages
• Corporate Author: Alaska Judicial Council
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY FIRST ANALYZES THE CONVICTION PROCESS, AND THEN COMPARES ACTUAL SENTENCES TO DETERMINE THE INCIDENCE OF CERTAIN TYPES AND LENGTHS OF SENTENCES, AND POSSIBLE DISPARITY AMONG DEFENDANTS SIMILARLY SITUATED.

Abstract

PART ONE OF THIS REPORT DESCRIBES THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESSES THAT LEAD TO A DEFENDANT'S CONVICTION AND SENTENCE. PART TWO CONTAINS THE BULK OF THE STATISTICS, MOSTLY PRESENTED IN TABULAR FORM WITH COMMENTARY AND OBSERVATIONS. THE GENERAL STATISTICAL FINDINGS SHOW THAT CAUCASIAN MALES UNDER 26 PREDOMINATED IN THE DEFENDANT POPULATION; ABOUT HALF HAD NO PRIOR MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY CONVICTION RECORD; ABOUT THREE-FOURTHS WERE REPRESENTED BY THE PUBLIC DEFENDER; 73 PERCENT OF THOSE PROSECUTED WERE CONVICTED; AND 94 PER CENT OF ALL CASES REACHED DISPOSITION WITHOUT A TRIAL. ON THE OTHER HAND, MORE THAN HALF THE CONVICTED FELONY DEFENDANTS RECEIVED SUSPENDED IMPOSITIONS OF SENTENCE, WITH 40 PERCENT BEING PLACED IMMEDIATELY ON PROBATION, AND 38 PER CENT RECEIVED JAIL SENTENCES OF ONE YEAR OR LESS. A TOTAL OF 54 TABLES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS REPORT. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A SUMMARY OF STATISTICAL ACTIVITY AND ANALYSIS, AN EXPLANATION OF CRIME CATEGORIES, QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE USE OF CRIME CATEGORIES, SENTENCING AUTHORIZATIONS OF THE CRIMINAL CODE, AND THE COMPUTER CODING OF MULTIPLE CHARGE SITUATIONS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)