A national strategy, to reduce crime

This report of the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals presents national criminal justice standards and goals for crime reduction and prevention at the State and local levels. The Commission proposes as a goal for America a 50 percent reduction in high-fear crimes by 1983. It further proposes that crime-reduction efforts focus on five crimes: homicide, reduced by at least 25 percent by 1983; forcible rape, reduced by at least 25 percent by 1983; aggravated assault, reduced by at least 25 percent by 1983; robbery, reduced by at least 50 percent by 1983; and burglary, reduced by at least 50 percent by 1983. The Commission proposes four areas for priority action in reducing the five target crimes: juvenile delinquency, delivery of social services, prompt determination of guilt or innocence, and citizen action. There are seven areas where the Commission proposes recommendations. In the area of criminal justice, it proposes broad reforms and improvements at the State and local levels. In focusing on community crime prevention, the Commission emphasizes communitywide crime prevention efforts at the State and local levels. The Commission also proposes that the delivery of police services be greatly improved at the municipal level and that the courts undergo a major restructuring and streamlining of procedures and practices in the processing of criminal cases at the State and local levels. Other proposals are in the broad areas of corrections and criminal code reform and revision. Regarding handguns in American society, the Commission proposes nationwide action at the State level to eliminate the dangers posed by widespread possession of handguns.