Measuring and Explaining Crime

Measuring and Explaining Crime

© 2002 Wadsworth Publishing Co.

Chapter 2Introduction to Criminal Justice 2003:

A Microsoft® PowerPoint® Tool

Slides prepared by:Larry Bassi

SUNY Brockport

Chapter 2Introduction to Criminal Justice 2003:

A Microsoft® PowerPoint® Tool

Slides prepared by:Larry Bassi

SUNY Brockport

How Is Crime....

?1. Measured2. Defined3. Counted

Counting Crime, Criminals, and Victims Using Official Data

Counting Crime, Criminals, and Victims Using Official Data

Uniform Crime ReportsFederal Bureau of Investigation

U.S. Dept. of Justice

II IIII IIIIII IVIV

Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) Index Crimes

• Murder and non-negligent manslaughter• Aggravated assault• Forcible rape• Robbery• Burglary (commercial and household)• Larceny-theft (commercial and household)• Motor vehicle theft• Arson

Part I Offenses (Index Crime) Part I Offenses (Index Crime)

Two Major UCR Crime Index Groups

Two Major UCR Crime Index Groups

• Violent Crimes– Murder and non-

negligent manslaughter

– Robbery– Aggravated

Assault– Forcible Rape

• Violent Crimes– Murder and non-

negligent manslaughter

– Robbery– Aggravated

Assault– Forcible Rape

• Property Crime– Burglary– Larceny/theft– Motor Vehicle

theft– Arson

• Property Crime– Burglary– Larceny/theft– Motor Vehicle

theft– Arson

Figure Part II

Offenses

Figure Part II

Offenses

Solving Crime by Making Arrests

• About 14 million arrests are made each year.

• Police are three times more likely to solve a violent crime than a property crime.

• About 14 million arrests are made each year.

• Police are three times more likely to solve a violent crime than a property crime.

Revising the Uniform Crime Reporting System - The National Incident-Based

Reporting System

• Definitions of crimes will be revised.

• Counting method will be by the number of incidents.

• More crimes will be included in each category.

• Other changes to make the data more accurate.

National Incident Based Reporting System Offense Categories

National Incident Based Reporting System Offense Categories

National Crime Victim Survey

• Data is gathered by the Bureau of Census and compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

• Sample includes 100,000 people in 50,000 households.

• Respondents are over the age of 12.• Respondents queried every six months about

household and personal victimizations.

• Data is gathered by the Bureau of Census and compiled by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.

• Sample includes 100,000 people in 50,000 households.

• Respondents are over the age of 12.• Respondents queried every six months about

household and personal victimizations.

Offenses Measured by National Crime Victimization Surveys - NCVS

Offenses Measured by National Crime Victimization Surveys - NCVS

RapeRobbery (personal)Assault (aggravated and simple)Household burglaryLarceny (personal and household)Motor vehicle theft

Samples Questions from the NCVSSamples Questions from the NCVS

Dark Figure of CrimeDark Figure of Crime

… refers to the amount of crime that is undetected and unknown

Self-reported Crime Data

• Asks respondents to tell about their criminal activities.

• Measures the “dark figure of crime”.

• Reveals that crime is a very common activity.

• Demonstrates youth crime is spread throughout the social classes.

• Is probably a reliable measure of trends over a period of time.

Comparison: UCR v. NCVSUCR NCVS

Scope - Crimes reported to the police in most jurisdictionsCollection Method - Policedepartments and FBIKinds of Information - Offensecounts; crime clearances; persons arrested, persons charged; officers killed,characteristics of homicide victimsSponsor - FBI

Scope - Both reported andunreported to police nationwideCollection Method - Survey InterviewKinds of Information -Details about victims and crimes - reported and unreported. Use of weapons,injuries, economic effectsSponsor - Bureau ofJustice Statistics Unit 2 - 16

Divergence Between the UCR and NCVS Data

Divergence Between the UCR and NCVS Data

• Up to 2000, the Uniform Crime Reports and National Crime Victim Surveys did not show much divergence. But in 2000, the NCVS showed a drop of 15% in violent crime a 10% drop for property crime, while the UCRs showed that the decline had virtually stopped.

• Up to 2000, the Uniform Crime Reports and National Crime Victim Surveys did not show much divergence. But in 2000, the NCVS showed a drop of 15% in violent crime a 10% drop for property crime, while the UCRs showed that the decline had virtually stopped.

Homicide Rates in Industrialized NationsHomicide Rates in Industrialized Nations

Victim CharacteristicsVictim Characteristics

• Gender

• Age

• Income

• Marital Status

• Race

The Ecology of VictimizationThe Ecology of Victimization

• Most victimizations occur in large urban areas.

• Most incidents occur in the evening hours.

• The most likely sites are open public areas.

• An overwhelming number involve only one victim.

• Most serious crimes take place after 6 p.m.

What Is a Crime Theory?What Is a Crime Theory?

• A general statement or set of statements that explain many different facts by reference to underlying principles and relationships.

• A statement that organizes a set of concepts in a meaningful way by explaining the relationship among the concepts.

Unit 2 - 21

Principles of Choice Theory (Classical Theory)

Principles of Choice Theory (Classical Theory)

• People have free will to choose their behavior.

• Crime as a choice, is more attractive to some than abiding by the law.

• People may refrain from crime if the punishment or pain for it may be greater than the gain from it.

• Threat of punishment is the primary deterrent to crime.

Unit 2 - 22

UtilitarianismUtilitarianism

• English Philosopher Jeremy Bentham – punishment should have four goals:– To prevent all crime– When it cannot prevent crime, to assure that a

criminal will commit a lesser crime to avoid a harsher punishment

– To give the criminal an incentive not to harm others in the pursuit of crime

– To prevent crime at the least possible to society

• English Philosopher Jeremy Bentham – punishment should have four goals:– To prevent all crime– When it cannot prevent crime, to assure that a

criminal will commit a lesser crime to avoid a harsher punishment

– To give the criminal an incentive not to harm others in the pursuit of crime

– To prevent crime at the least possible to society

Positivism and the Born Criminal Type

Positivism and the Born Criminal Type

• Biological throwbacks (atavistic or degenerate anomalies)– The criminal is a physical

and biological throwback to early stages of human evolution who adjusts poorly to modern society and is thrust into criminal activities.

• Biological throwbacks (atavistic or degenerate anomalies)– The criminal is a physical

and biological throwback to early stages of human evolution who adjusts poorly to modern society and is thrust into criminal activities. Neanderthal Man

Unit 2 - 24

Rational Choice Theory(Because They Want to)Rational Choice Theory(Because They Want to)

Rational choice theorists separate the reasons people become

criminals and the reasons they commit crime. It is possible to

have criminal tendencies but choose not to commit crime

because conditions are not right.

Rational choice theorists separate the reasons people become

criminals and the reasons they commit crime. It is possible to

have criminal tendencies but choose not to commit crime

because conditions are not right.

Unit 2 - 25

Biochemical Theories:Biochemical Theories:

• Some biochemical studies suggest that offenders have abnormal levels of organic substances that influence their behavior and in some way make them prone to anti-social behavior.

Unit 2 - 26

Biological Theories(Genetic and Neurological Abnormalities)

Biological Theories(Genetic and Neurological Abnormalities)

• Does someone in this crowd have genetic factors that classifies him or her as a potential threat to society? How would we know? What would we do even if we did know?

• Does someone in this crowd have genetic factors that classifies him or her as a potential threat to society? How would we know? What would we do even if we did know?

Unit 2 - 27

Psychological TheoriesPsychological Theories

Psychoanalytic TheorySigmund Freud

Behavioral Theory:Learning to commit Crime

Behavioral Theory:Learning to commit Crime

Moral Development andCognitive Theory:

Information Processing

Psychopathsand

Sociopaths

Unit 2 - 28

Psychoanalytic TheoryPsychoanalytic TheoryBelief that the human personality is made up

of three parts

IdId EgoEgo SuperEgo

SuperEgo

Core Social Structure TheoriesCore Social Structure Theories

Strain TheoryStrain Theory

Cultural Deviance TheoryCultural Deviance Theory

Social Disorganization TheorySocial Disorganization Theory

Focal Concerns of Cultural Deviance Theory

Focal Concerns of Cultural Deviance Theory

• Deviant value systems were not formed in protest against prevailing social norms, they were an natural given the context and situation of lower-class life and included:– Trouble– Toughness– Smartness– Fate– Excitement– Autonomy

• Deviant value systems were not formed in protest against prevailing social norms, they were an natural given the context and situation of lower-class life and included:– Trouble– Toughness– Smartness– Fate– Excitement– Autonomy

The focus of these theories is a stratified society and the unequal distribution of wealth and status as causes of crime.– Disorganized neighborhoods and crime– Deviant values and subcultures and crime– Inability to achieve social success and crime– Poverty and crime

Social Structure TheorySocial Structure Theory

Unit 2 - 32

Social Process TheoriesSocial Process Theories

• Crime results from socialization in family life, the educational experience, and institutions in society.

• Criminal behaviors, attitudes and values can be taught.

• Crime results from socialization in family life, the educational experience, and institutions in society.

• Criminal behaviors, attitudes and values can be taught.

Who isthe teacher?

Unit 2 - 33

Social Process Theories:Learning Theory

• Delinquent behavior is learned in interaction with others.

• People are “good” but learn to be “bad.”

• Delinquent behavior is learned in interaction with others.

• People are “good” but learn to be “bad.”

Unit 2 - 34

Social Process Theories:Social Control Theory

Social Process Theories:Social Control Theory

• Close associations with important institutions and individuals control behavior.

• People are born “bad” and must be controlled to be “good.”

Unit 2 - 35

Conflict Theory Conflict Theory

• Crime is caused by economic and political forces in society.

• Criminal law and the criminal justice system are viewed as vehicles for controlling the poor members of society.

• The criminal justice system serves the rich and powerful.

• Crimes are defined in ways that meet the needs of those who control society.

• Crime is caused by economic and political forces in society.

• Criminal law and the criminal justice system are viewed as vehicles for controlling the poor members of society.

• The criminal justice system serves the rich and powerful.

• Crimes are defined in ways that meet the needs of those who control society.

Unit 2 - 36