Summary
"This report presents the findings of a pilot study to develop and test a methodology to review
closed organized crime files dealt with by the Federal Prosecution Service (FPS). This study
is Phase 1 of a two-part review, which is to provide a clear description of the nature and volume
of organized crime files prosecuted by the FPS. In Phase 1, a method for the conduct of these file
reviews was developed and tested. Subject to the findings and recommendations of Phase 1,
Phase 2 will extend the tested method to a larger and more representative sample of files.
The key components of the pilot study were the development of an operational definition of an
organized crime file, the identification and collection of data on a sample of files which conform
to this definition, and analysis of the results of the pilot test. The focus of this analysis was on the
feasibility of extending the method to a larger sample of files for the purpose of generating
nationally representative estimates of the volume and nature of closed organized crime files."--Page iii.
Contents
1. Introduction -- 2. Development of the pilot test method -- 3. Findings of the site visits -- A. Availability of individual data items -- B. Overall assessment of site visits -- 4. The SPSS research database -- A. Administrative data -- B. File-level data -- C. Accused-level data -- D. Charge-level data -- E. Summary --
5. Conclusions and recommendations --
A. Conclusions --
B. Recommendations for phase 2 --
C. Final thoughts -- Appendix
A. File review instrument used in pilot study -- Appendix B.
File review instrument recommended for phase 2.