Offenders.

Violent Felons in Large Urban Counties presents data collected from a representative sample of felony cases that resulted in a felony conviction for a violent offense in 40 of the 75 largest counties in the United States. The study tracks cases for up to 1 year from the date of filing through final disposition. Defendants convicted of murder, rape, robbery, assault, or other violent felonies are described in terms of demographic characteristics (gender, race, and age), prior arrests and convictions, criminal justice status at the time of arrest, type of pretrial release or detention, form of adjudication, and sentence received. Highlights include the following: approximately 36 percent of violent felons had an active criminal justice status at the time of their arrest, including 18 percent on probation, 12 percent on release pending disposition of a prior case, and 75 percent on parole; a majority, 56 percent, of violent felons had a prior conviction record, including 38 percent with a prior felony conviction and 15 percent with a previous violent felony conviction; and most, 81 percent, of violent felons were sentenced to incarceration (50 percent to prison and 31 percent to jail), and 19 percent received a probation term without incarceration. This report is available online at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/vfluc.htm or by contacting the National Criminal Justice Reference Service at 800-851-3420.

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