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William F. Weld Kathleen M. OToole Dennis A. Humphrey, Ed.D.
Governor Secretary of Public Safety Executive Director
Commonwealth Executive Office of Massachusetts Committee
of Massachusetts Public Safety on Criminal Justice
CRIMINAL JUSTICE NEEDS IN THE COMMONWEALTH
1994
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Charles F. Kaufmann
Research Assistant
Dr. William Holmes
Director, Statistical Analysis Center
Rhiana Kohl, Ph.D.
Deputy Director, Statistical Analysis Center
Statistical Analysis Center
Massachusetts Committee
on Criminal Justice
Digitized by the Internet Archive
2013
in
http://archive.org/details/criminaljusticenOOmass
CRIMINAL JUSTICE NEEDS IN THE COMMONWEALTH
INTRODUCTION surveys were returned, resulting in an 85
percent return rate. The combined
The Massachusetts Committee on Criminal population of the forty cities and towns
Justice (MCCJ) allocates federal money represented one-third of the total state
received through the "Edward Byrne population. At least one city or town was
Memorial State and Local Enforcement included from each county. These
Assistance Program." The monies received departments represented large cities,
through this federal grant are allocated to suburbs, and rural towns throughout
local entities dealing with criminal justice. Massachusetts. See Figure 1 for the
Along with the money allocation, the MCCJ population distribution of the 40 cities and
develops a statewide strategy for criminal towns that responded.
justice program improvement throughout the
state. One way that MCCJ learns what law The survey consisted of questions on drug
enforcement agencies need across the state is and crime problems. Police chiefs rated the
by surveying police chiefs on problems of problems as almost no problem, minor
drugs and crime in Massachusetts. This problem, moderate problem and serious
report summarizes law enforcement needs of problem. In order to more easily
cities and towns in Massachusetts. summarize the results, the answers were
condensed into two categories. These two
METHODOLOGY
answer categories consisted of: almost no
problem or minor problem (low level) and
The survey on Drug and Crime Problems moderate problem or serious problem (high
was conducted in September of 1994. It level). Ranking of the crime or drug
was sent to 47 police departments across the problem was then determined based on the
state. The cities were chosen using two largest number of responses in the moderate
factors: population and geographic area. or serious category. In case of a tie
Eight of the largest cities in the state were between either the type of drug or type of
chosen, each of them having populations crime problem, the item received the same
over 90,000. A random sample was taken rank number. Tied problems were listed
of three cities or towns in each of thirteen alphabetically compared to the other equally
counties, Nantucket excluded. Forty ranked problem.
Figure
1
Population Size
Of The Surveyed Cities
- 10.000
10,000 - 25,000
13
25,000 - 50.000
6
50.000 - 90.000
2
Number of Towns per Population Croup
were said to be popular with both adults and
SURVEY RESULTS
juveniles.
The cities and towns that responded, A general trend in some cities and towns
represented a diverse cross section of the showed a tendency of drug users reverting
state. Results of the survey suggested that back to drugs popular in the 60's and 70's.
they all shared some of the same crime and This increase in use of hallucinogenic drugs
drug problems. such as LSD was reportedly seen in both
high school and adult age persons. Another
Alcohol, Marijuana, and Cocaine most described trend was the age of juveniles
Severe Drug Problems participating in drug use getting younger.
Several towns reported that they found drug
Drug use was mentioned as one of the worst use activity in elementary school age
crime problems in the Commonwealth. children.
Ninety-two percent of the respondents said
that drugs were a problem. Alcohol was Alcohol and Marijuana Widely Available
described as the worst problem (see Figure
2). Marijuana and cocaine followed second Alcohol and marijuana were unanimously
and third, respectively. In separate ranked first for the drugs most available on
questions, alcohol, marijuana and cocaine the market (both were available according to
Figure 2
Drug Problem Severity
Alcohol
Marijuana
Cocaine
Heroin
Crack
Hashish
Steroids
Stimulants
Hallucinogens
Div. Pharmaceuticals
Depressants
1
20 40 60 80 100
Percentage Answered Moderate or Serious
100 percent of the respondents). The survey possible that the effort to direct attention to
showed the five top ranked drug problems domestic violence in order for law
mirrored by the drug availability chart. The enforcement officials to respond
five most problematic drugs, alcohol, appropriately has heightened the awareness
marijuana, cocaine, heroin and crack, had of this problem.
the same ranking on both charts. This
suggests an association between drug Drug Use was the second largest problem
availability and severity of the drug reported by the survey. This was viewed as
problem. a large problem because of the effects of its
use and other resulting types of criminality.
Domestic Violence and Drug Use Most
Serious Crime Problems Burglary and other property crime, which
are sometimes associated with drug use, was
Domestic violence was the most serious the third highest ranking problem. Burglary
crime problem reported (see Figure 3). The seemed to be related to drug use because of
high number of responses noting this issue the drug user's need for money to obtain
as the most significant problem coincides these drugs. The users turn to burglary or
with an increase in rising public awareness robbery (ranked ninth) to get the money
of domestic violence. It has been portrayed needed. Many other crimes can also be
in the news and other media as a large related to drug use.
crime problem that needs to be addressed by
the criminal justice community. It is Juvenile Crime Increases
One trend occurring in crime is the increase groups, new street gangs were mentioned by
in juvenile crime. This increase is seen in 40 percent. Dominican gangs were
violent crime and in drug use. One survey mentioned by 25 percent. These gang
question asked if there were any new increases were also associated with increased
emerging groups identified within the drug crime in areas where gangs are located.
or crime arena in the past year. Juvenile According to severed survey respondents,
crime was reported to be a new group for some crime problems related to gangs were:
some communities. Twenty percent of the drug dealings (ranked four and nine on the
respondents answered that juvenile crime has crime problem chart), social disorder
been growing in towns and in cities. This (ranked five) and violent crime (ranked
seems to be related to an increased seven).
involvement in gangs. Some of these
juvenile gangs were reportedly responsible Knives and Handguns a Significant
for some of the drug dealing and violent Problem
crime in the towns and cities. Similarly,
respondents indicated adult gangs have Among the violent crimes addressed,
increased in most of the major cities and weapons were stressed as a significant
some towns. Fifty-four percent of the problem. Knives were the most prevalent
departments surveyed said that there was a problem according to the survey. Following
new emerging group in their area. Of those the knife category were semi-automatic
Figure 3
Crime Problem Severity
Domestic Violence
-J
Drug Use
-J
Burglary
-J
Residential Dealing
-J
Social Disorder
-j
Fear of Crime
Violent Crime
Unemployment
Open-Air Dealing
Robbery
Trash, Graffiti
Gang Activity
Arson
Prostitution
Hate Crime
20 40 60 80 100
Percentage Answered Moderate or Serious
