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Commission
Crime and the Criminal Justice System
The 2003 White Paper Overview
The 2003 White Paper: Crime and the Criminal Justice System in Arizona will help answer questions regarding the past, present and future performance of the criminal justice system in Arizona by providing an in-depth examination of workloads, budget and population impact at the state, county and local levels throughout Arizona; and will provide policy makers, criminal justice stakeholders and the citizens of Arizona a factual overview of the entire system prior to changes in policy. The 2003 White Paper is a collection of data and information and does not attempt to explain the reasons for changes that have occurred within the criminal justice system. County Population Changes from 1995 to 2002 Arizonas population is 5,472,750 and is ranked 23rd in the United States as the most populous state. It is projected that by 2025, Arizona will be the 15th most populated. Apache Countys population increased 9% Cochise Countys population increased 10.5% Coconino Countys population increased 14.6% Gila Countys population increased 20.3% Graham Countys population increased 13.5% Greenlee Countys population increased 1.8% La Paz Countys population increased 23.1% Maricopa Countys population increased 34.3% Mohave Countys population increased 33.7% Navajo Countys population increased 23.3% Pima Countys population increased 17.5% Pinal Countys population increased 38.4% Santa Cruz Countys population increased 17.6% Yavapai Countys population increased 39.2% Yuma Countys population increased 39.3%
Our mission is to sustain and enhance the coordination, cohesiveness, productivity and effectiveness of the criminal justice system in Arizona
Methodology: Detailed questionnaires were developed and sent to law enforcement, prosecution, courts and county budget departments throughout the state. The questionnaires requested information on the size of the population that was served by the agency, geographic size of service areas, levels of reported crime, caseloads, and other related workload measures as well as the number of agency personnel. County General Funds in proportion to Criminal Justice Budgets in 2002 This map provides representation of each countys total General Fund as well as the percentages spent on criminal justice in 2002 at the county level.
The 2003 White Paper also provides workload, population and budget information for criminal justice services at the city level for the following 24 Arizona cities: Apache Junction Bullhead City Casa Grande Chandler Flagstaff Gilbert Glendale Goodyear Kingman Lake Havasu Marana Mesa Nogales Oro Valley Peoria Phoenix Prescott Prescott Valley Scottsdale Sierra Vista Surprise Tempe Tucson Yuma
Arizona Criminal Justice Commission 1110 West Washington, Suite 230 Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Toll Free 877.668.2252 (P) 602.364.1146 (F) 602.364.1175 October 2003 Review the full report at: www.acjc.state.az.us
Statewide Data
Statewide Part I Reported Crime, 1995-2002 While the population of the state has increased during the last eight years (a 29.4 percent increase), total Part I offenses increased 1.4 percent over the same eightyear period. The following table shows that total Part I Violent Offenses increased 1.5 percent from 1995 through 2002. In the V i o l e n t Offense category the largest percentage increase was in rape, which showed an increase of 15.2 percent. The largest decline was in murder, which went down by 15.8 percent. Robbery increased 10.8 percent, while aggravated assaults decreased 2.6 percent. Statewide At-Risk Population
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Individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 are considered by many in law enforcement to be the most at-risk age group. In Arizona, youth ages 16 to 24 comprised 12.9 percent of the population in 2000, according to the U.S. Census. In 2000, 37.5 percent of those arrested for Part I Violent Offenses committed in Arizona were between the ages of 16 and 24. During the same year 39.4 percent of all murders were committed by males ages 16 to 24. This c h a r t represents the segment of the population considered most at-risk within the criminal justice system. From 1990 to 2000, the total number of people ages 16 to 24 increased 33.7 percent. The male population age 18 to 24 increased 35.0 p e r c e n t , while the female population increased 29.8 percent in the same age category. State Factoids at a Glance The population of the state of Arizona increased 29.4 percent from 1995 to 2002. The at-risk population group (ages 16-24) increased 33.7 percent from 1990 to 2000. The total DPS budget increased 105.4 percent from 1995 to 2002. The number of calls for service to DPS increased 257.0 percent from 1995 to 2002. In the Arizona Superior Courts, expenditures increased 49.4 percent from 1995 to 2002. Criminal cases filed in the Arizona Superior Courts increased 46.7 percent from 1995 to 2002, while criminal case dispositions increased 65.4 percent. In the Arizona Justice Courts, the total cases filed increased 21.9 percent, while the total number of disposed cases increased 21.2 percent from 1995 to 2002. In the Arizona Municipal Courts, criminal traffic cases filed increased 27.7 percent, while criminal traffic cases disposed increased 33.2 percent from 1995 to 2002. Total case filings in the Arizona Municipal Courts increased 26.6 percent from 1995 to 2002, while total dispositions increased 36.8 percent. Total juvenile referrals in the state of Arizona decreased 10.9 percent from 1996 to 2002. The number of females versus males referred increased from 28.8 percent female and 71.2 percent male in 1996 to 32.1 percent female and 67.9 percent male in 2002. The percent of younger juveniles (ages 8-12) increased from 9.0 percent in 1996 to 10.0 percent in 2002. Juvenile Status Offenses decreased in 13 of the 15 counties. From 1996 to 2002, the number of adult probationers in Arizona increased 32.1 percent and the number of juvenile probationers increased 35.1 percent. The Department of Corrections budget increased 65.6 percent from 1995 to 2002 which is 7.6 percent greater than the 57.7 percent increase experienced for all criminal justice state agencies over the same period. From 1995 to 2002, the total inmate population in DOC increased 38.5 percent. The average time served in DOC increased from 28 months to 37 months for males and from 21 months to 25 months for females from 1995 to 2002. Total state criminal justice appropriations to state agencies increased 57.7 percent relative to an overall general fund increase of 70.6 percent from 1995 to 2002.
