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Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties, 2006

NCJ Number
228944
Author(s)
Thomas H. Cohen Ph.D.; Tracey Kyckelhahn, M.A.
Date Published
May 2010
Length
41 pages
Annotation
This report presents data collected from a representative sample of felony cases file in the Nation's 75 most populous counties during May 2006.
Abstract

Presents data collected from a representative sample of felony cases filed in the nation's 75 most populous counties during May 2006. To provide a complete overview of the processing of felony defendants from filing to disposition and sentencing, non-murder cases are tracked for one year and murder cases are tracked for two years. Data collected include current arrest charges, demographic characteristics, prior arrests and convictions, criminal justice status at time of arrest, type of pretrial release or detention, bail amount, court appearance record, adjudication outcome, and conviction sentence received. This periodic report has been published biennially since 1990.

  • About a fourth of felony defendants were charged with a violent offense in 2006.
  • Forty-three percent of felony defendants had at least one prior felony conviction.
  • About a third of released defendants committed some form of pretrial misconduct including 18% who were re-arrested for a new offense committed while they awaited disposition of their case.