NCJ Number
216628
Editor(s)
Rob McManus
Date Published
2005
Length
206 pages
Annotation
This book provides comprehensive information on trends in both the criminal and juvenile systems of South Carolina, covering the periods of 1975 to 2004.
Abstract
Highlights on trends in South Carolina’s criminal justice system include: (1) South Carolina’s crime index rate increased 20.7 percent from 1975 to 2004; (2) since 1975, the violent crime rate increased 58.6 percent; (3) from 1976 thru 2004, there was a 3.8 percent increase in the crime index arrest rate; (4) from 2003 to 2004, the violent crime arrest rate decreased less than 1 percent; (5) the number of cases filed in South Carolina’s Court of General Sessions increased 2.8 percent from 2003 to 2004; (6) convictions resulting from guilty pleas accounted for 43.2 percent of all dispositions in 2004; (7) the total capacity of South Carolina jails increased 173.3 percent from 1985 to 2003, and increased 3.7 percent from 2002 to 2003; (8) South Carolina ranked seventh among the States incarcerating 539 inmates per 100,000 residents; (9) the annual cost per inmate in the State was $13,590 in 2004; (10) in 2004, there were 80.8 offenders in community corrections per 10,000 population in 2004; and (11) in 2004, 40.6 percent of inmates paroled had been incarcerated for drug law violations compared to 11.7 percent in 1978. Highlights of trends in South Carolina’s juvenile justice system include: (1) South Carolina’s crime index arrest rate for juveniles increased 5.7 percent from 2003 to 2004 and increased 8.7 percent from 1976 to 2004; (2) disturbing schools was the most frequently reported offense among juvenile cases referred in 2004; and (3) probation was the most common disposition in family courts in 2004, 58 percent of juvenile cases resulted in probation. This report provides basic information about South Carolina’s criminal and juvenile justice systems. It provides statistical information on crime rates, arrests, conviction rates, inmates, probationers, and parolees. Tables and charts