11Police ProcessDae-Hoon KwakMichigan State UniversityCJ 335 Summer 20066/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006Lecture 10The Police and Crime2Outline for the lecture6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Discuss the elements involved in reporting crime• Comprehend the process and factors affecting CI• Explain success and failures in solving crimes• Understand police strategies to address specific crimes3The Police and Crime6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Crime Control- One of the major responsibilities of the policePreventingCrimeResponding to IncidentsConducting InvestigationsArrestingOffendersCrimeControlActivities4The Police and Crime (cont.)6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Crime Control Strategies (L.W. Sherman)- Proactive vs. Reactive- General vs. Specific- Particular crimes (e.g., drug crackdowns)- Specific places (i.e., Hot spots)- Specific offenders (i.e., career criminals)- Specific victims (e.g., mandatory arrest policies)• Crime Control Assumptions- Police and citizens: citizens are co-producers of police services(including crime-fighting activities)5The Police and Crime (cont.)6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Crime Control Assumptions (cont.)- Police and other social inst.s: seven inst.s that play a role in preventing crime (communities, families, schools, labor markets, places, the police and other CJ programs)a. Police are only one of several inst.s with some impact on crime (e.g., Boston Gun Project’s Operation Ceasefire)b. Interdependence of the different inst.s• Measuring effectiveness (ME)- ME requires meaningful definitions of what is to be measured and reliable data on expected outcomes6Preventing Crime6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Routine Patrol- The primary crime prevention activity- Has only limited effect of Crime (e.g., KC, Newark)- Many PDs maintained formal crime prevention programs (i.e., specialized crime prevention unit, only 3% POs assigned)• Crime prevention Revolution (since 1980s)- Now seen as “central police activity”- Basic element of CP and POP- Community-based crime prevention programs (e.g., build neighborhood organizations, fix broken windows, eliminate drug activity, etc.)- Police act as problem-solversand community organizers27Apprehending Criminals6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Citizen Reporting of Crime- Police learn about crimes through reactive responseand proactive response- Police learn of most crimes through citizen reports (gatekeepers of CJ system?)- Police rarely discover crimes in progress-Victims do not report a crimea. NCVS, only 39% of victims reported crimes to police 8Apprehending Criminals (cont.)6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Factors affect reporting- Citizens are more likely to report serious, violent crimes, crimes where there is personal injury and involving a high dollar loss (i.e., insurance type crimes)- A.As and those with lower incomes are more likely to report, females are about 10% more likely to report a VCs• Factors for NOT reporting- Crime is not important, private matter (e.g., DV), nothing can be done, and perception of police (ineffective, biased..)9Apprehending Criminals (cont.)6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Reporting and Unfound Crimes- Even when a crime is reported, PO does not necessarily result in a crime report:“unfounding” a crime (e.g., Chicago, 58% reported by citizens – 17% recorded by POs)-No penaltyfor not completing a crime report• Unfounding Reasons- Legit Reasons: no evidence of a crime (e.g., missing person), issue of false reporting (e.g., burglary, theft)- Illegit Reasons: bias (i.e., race,sexual orientation, victim blaming) and lower crime rate • Altering Crime Reports: changed less criminal offense10Criminal Investigation6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Myths about Detective Work- Exciting and dangerous- Posses great courage and extraordinary skill- “Can solve any crime”-Harmful effects of myths: unreasonable public expectations, Devalue patrol work• The Org. of Detective Work- Located in a separate unit of PDs (15% of SO assigned)- Detective positions: high status assignment (e.g., much discretion, civilian clothes, higher pay, separate rank.. etc.)- Clearly defined measure of success (e.g., # of arrest)11Investigation Process6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• The Preliminary Investigation- Conducted by PO (5 steps)1. ID suspect/make arrest2. First aid/med3. Secure scene4. Collect physical evidence5. File report (issue of unfounding)- PO make about 80% of all arrests (vs. 20% for dectives), but these are generally “easy” arrests (i.e., suspect is on or nearby the scene)• Arrest Discretion (Chapter 11)12Investigation Process (cont.)6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• Follow-Up (Secondary) Investigation- Conducted by detectives (3 categories)a. Routine activities: interviewing victims, checking the crime scene (90% of all bur.s and rob.s)b. Secondary activities: canvassing for witnesses, discussing the case with supervisors, collecting evidencec. Tertiary activities: discussing with POs involved/other detectives, interviewing suspects/informants, checking records (NCIC), conducting stakeouts313Investigation Process (cont.)6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• The Reality of Detective Work- Rand Corp. Study (1970s)a. Det. Work to be superficial, routine, nonproductiveb. Many crimes receive only “superficial” attention, some are not investigated at all (e.g., 30% R.burg.s, 18% lar.)c. Most det. work involves paperwork(i.e., investigating one day or less)• Case Screening- Screening methods are used to determine how much effort to put into different cases, decisions based on crime seriousness, evidence14Measuring the Effectiveness of CI6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• The Clearance Rate (CR)- FBI, crimes are cleared when police have identified the offender, sufficient evidence to charge and take him into custodyor in exceptional in stances, when some element beyond police control precludes taking the offender into custody- CR is the percentage of crimes reported that have been cleareda. (# of crimes cleared/ # of crimes reported)*100b. In 1999, 1,200 homicides cleared and 2,006 homicides reported: CR = (1200/2006)*100 = 59.8%15Measuring the Effectiveness of CI6/8/2006CJ 335 Summer 2006• The Clearance Rate (cont.)- National average of CR = 20% (64% murder, 45% rape, …14% auto theft)-Unreliable performance measurea. Based on reported crimes (only 36% reported)b. No standard criteria for clearing crimesc. Data can be manipulatedd. No control/audit UCR system and arrest