chapter 2 criminal justice

Crime rate

The number of crime index offenses divided by the population of an area

Dark figure crime

Crime that goes unreported

Hierarchy rule

When more than one criminal offense is committed but only the offense that is highest on the hierarchy list is reported

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

An annual U.S. survey that asks households about personal and property crimes they’ve experienced, regardless of whether the incidents were reported to police.

National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

A crime reported system in which each separate offense in a crime is described (race, ethnicity, age, etc.) of both suspect and victim

Self-report study

Individuals are asked about criminal offenses they have committed, even those they have never been arrested or charged for

Uniform crime reports (UCR)

an annual publication by the FBI that uses data from all participating law enforcement agencies in the U.S to summarize the incident and rate of reported crime

Victim

a person that has suffered physical or psychological harm as a result of a crime

Victim impact statement

an account given by victim, family of victim, or others who were affected by the offense

Victim precipitation

a situation in which crime plays an active role in initiating a crime or escalating it

Capital crime

a homicide that meets statutory aggravating factors, making the offender eligible for the death penalty

Victim perception

the individual’s belief about their likelihood of being victimized, shaping behavior and actual exposure