NCJ Number
65647
Date Published
1977
Length
28 pages
Annotation
RANDOM DIGIT TELEPHONE DIALING WAS USED TO OBTAIN A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF OPINIONS REGARDING THE VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND THE OPERATIONS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IN CLARK COUNTY, NEV.
Abstract
ABOUT 300 PERSONS WERE CALLED BY 12 TRAINED INTERVIEWERS AND ASKED TO RESPOND TO 53 QUESTIONS, MOST DEALING WITH THE VICTIMS'S ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AND VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. THE TYPICAL RESPONDENT WAS WHITE, ABOUT 37 YEARS OLD, A HIGH-SCHOOL GRADUATE, AND A RESIDENT IN THE LAS VEGAS AREA FOR ABOUT 10 YEARS. ABOUT 16 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS HAD HEARD OF THE VICTIMS' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, WITH SOME HAVING HAD DIRECT CONTACT WITH IT. MOST, HOWEVER, HAD STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT WHAT THE PROGRAM SHOULD DO. ABOUT 63 PERCENT FELT THE PROGRAM SHOULD PROVIDE EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLIES TO VICTIMS; ABOUT 91 PERCENT THAT THE PROGRAM SHOULD HELP RETURN STOLEN PROPERTY TO THE OWNER; AND ABOUT 84 PERCENT THAT THE PROGRAM SHOULD PROVIDE SOME SORT OF RESTITUTION FOR VICTIMS THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE JUVENILE OFFENDER. ABOUT 45 PERCENT WANTED THE PROGRAM TO HELP JUVENILE OFFENDERS FIND JOBS IN ORDER TO MAKE RESTITUTION PAYMENTS. GENERALLY, RESPONDENTS WANTED THE OFFENDER TO BE HELPED TO ADJUST SUCCESSFULLY TO THE COMMUNITY. DETENTION WAS VIEWED AS A LAST RESORT BY MOST RESPONDENTS. RESPONDENTS GENERALLY HAD LITTLE FAITH IN THE ABILITY OF THE POLICE TO APPREHEND AN OFFENDER OR IN THE PROSECUTOR IN ESTABLISHING GUILT ONCE AN OFFENDER HAS BEEN APPREHENDED. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, AND THE APPENDIX CONTAINS THE QUESTIONNAIRE USED IN THE SURVEY. OTHER DOCUMENTS IN THE SERIES ARE NCJ 65642-47.