﻿74 



Indiana University Studies 



differences in dealing with certain kinds of offenses, r difTerences in 

 basis of the groups, differences in laws and in crime classifications 

 in different parts of the country. 



3. Disposition of Cases 11 



The terminology used in this section on disposition of cases 

 in this stud} r is that used in the arrest sheets. Cases are classified 

 under four general headings: first, those showing sentences 

 imposed; second, those showing no sentences imposed; third, 

 cases incompleted; and fourth, those in which the disposition of 

 the case is not given. 



Under the first heading, sentences imposed, are included those 

 cases in which fines were paid, fines stayed, jail sentence imposed 

 on failure to pay fine, and fine a id jail sentence imposed. Under 

 the second heading, no sentence imposed, are included cases 

 released by the police, nolle prossed, discharged by the judge, 

 and dismissed. Under the third heading, case incompleted, are 

 included cases pending, continued (which includes cases released 

 on own recognizance, released on bond, and bond defaulted), 

 cases turned over to the circuit and superior courts, released to 

 other officers (officers of other cities, constables, marshills, 

 sheriffs, federal authorities, immigration inspector, and officers 

 of Monon Railway), and miscellaneous (appealed, suspended 

 sentence, new trial). 



An examination of the cases in this study arranged according 

 to the relative proportions of each race or nationality group 

 having sentences imposed shows that the Americans have the 

 smallest relative proportions with a sentence imposed followed 

 in order by the Old Immigration, the Colored, and the New 

 Immigration. That is, in their chance of being sentenced after 

 having been arrested, the American and Old Immigration offend- 

 ers stand in a more favorable relation before the officers and the 

 courts than the Colored and the New Immigration offenders. 



That this fact cannot be explained by the possibility that the 

 American and Old Immigration show a smaller relative propor- 

 tion of those offenses in which conviction is most likely, is shown 

 by an examination of the relation between offenses and dis- 

 position. This examination shows that while the New Immi- 

 gration and Colored show higher per cents of their totals receiving 

 sentences than the Americans, they also show smaller percentages 



^Original tables, pp. 74-86. See Preface to this study. 



