NCJ Number
223528
Journal
Criminology Volume: 46 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2008 Pages: 371-410
Date Published
May 2008
Length
40 pages
Annotation
Based on data obtained from a widely publicized, geographically targeted drug-enforcement strategy in Philadelphia (Operation Sunrise), this study focused on the adverse side effect of an increased number of fugitive defendants on pretrial release following the increased volume of arrests.
Abstract
Taken together, the findings across all interrupted time-series analyses provide convincing evidence of significant increases in Philadelphia's fugitive caseload associated with the Operation Sunrise intervention. Not only was Operation Sunrise associated with increases in the number of fugitive defendants in cases from the targeted areas, but also with significant increases in fugitive defendants in cases that originated in nontargeted areas. The rationale for intensive targeted police enforcement strategies pertains to deterrence under the threat of being arrested and punished or incapacitation (removing offenders from the streets). The generation of a growing caseload of fugitive defendants seems to undermine both aims. As arrested defendants are given pretrial release and returned to the community with no intention of showing up for subsequent case processing, they become visible examples of the justice system's apparent impotence. The certainty and swiftness of punishment, which is an essential element of deterrence, is undermined by a large number of fugitives free to move about the community to commit additional crimes. These findings suggest that policymakers must examine all potential side effects of intensified and place-targeted law enforcement efforts on other components of the criminal justice system and whether potentially adverse side effects can be controlled. The study used a multiple interrupted time-series design in order to test proposed hypotheses with a series of weekly number of bench warrants issued for missing defendants in Philadelphia courts as the dependent measure and Operation Sunrise as the intervention. 3 tables, 4 figures, and 67 references