Chapter 2: The Crime Picture – Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Chapter 2: The Crime Picture, including data sources, offense classifications, and notable laws and crimes.

Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR)

FBI program that collects standardized offenses to measure crime; historically used monthly aggregates and evolved toward incident-based data via NIBRS.

National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

Redesigned UCR format that is incident-driven with detailed information; includes 52 Group A offenses and replaces the old summary-based approach.

NCVS (National Crime Victimization Survey)

Bureau of Justice Statistics survey of about 90,000 households to capture crimes not reported to police, using victim self-reports.

Offender self-reports

Surveys asking individuals to disclose their involvement in illegal activity; not national in scope and not regularly conducted.

Part I offenses

Major crime categories in UCR/NIBRS (originally 7; arson added in 1979 to become 8).

Part II offenses

Less serious offenses (social-order crimes) whose arrests are recorded by UCR/NIBRS; crimes reported to police may be underrepresented.

Crime Index

Early UCR summary measure later discontinued in 2004.

7 Part I offenses

Murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft.

Arson

Willful burning of property; added as an 8th Part I offense in 1979 and subject to data limitations.

Murder

Unlawful killing of a human being; includes subtypes such as first-degree and second-degree murder.

First-degree murder

Criminal homicide that is planned.

Second-degree murder

Intentional killing that is generally unplanned.

Spree killings

Killings at two or more locations with little time between murders.

Mass murder

Killing four or more victims at one location in a single event.

Serial murder

Killing several victims across three or more separate events.

Rape

Unlawful sexual intercourse achieved through force and without consent; gender-neutral definition adopted in 2012.

Robbery

Unlawful taking of property from someone’s immediate possession by force or threat; includes strong-arm robbery.

Strong-arm robbery

Robbery carried out through intimidation without using a weapon.

Aggravated assault

Assault involving a weapon or causing serious injury; felony in most cases.

Burglary

Unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft; includes forcible entry, unlawful entry without force, and attempted forcible entry.

Larceny-theft

Unlawful taking or attempted taking of property; most frequently reported Part I offense.

Motor vehicle theft

Theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle; highly reported; typically has a low clearance rate.

Identity fraud

Obtaining credit, merchandise, or services by fraudulent representation; fastest-growing crime in recent years.

Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act

1998 federal law making identity theft a crime and deterring fraudulent use of personal information.

Hate crime

Criminal offense motivated by bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin.

Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)

1994 act increasing penalties for sex offenses, providing victim assistance, and funding shelters and hotlines; expanded protections in later reauthorizations.

Corporate crime

Criminal activity by corporations or corporate executives for the benefit of the firm.

White-collar crime

Finanically motivated nonviolent crime by professionals in business or government.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act

2002 federal law to deter and punish corporate fraud and improve corporate governance.

Organized crime

Unlawful activities of a highly structured group engaged in supplying illegal goods or services.

Transnational organized crime

Organized crime that operates across national boundaries.

Gun crime

Crimes involving firearms; targeted by various federal laws and acts.

Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act

1993 act requiring background checks for firearm purchases.

Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act

1994 comprehensive crime law expanding penalties and funding for crime control.

Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban

1996 law prohibiting gun possession by certain domestic violence offenders.

Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act

2004 act shielding gun manufacturers and dealers from certain liability claims.

Drug crime

Crimes related to illegal drugs; linked to rising incarceration and public health concerns (opioid crisis noted).

Cybercrime

Crimes that involve computers or computer networks; many offenses reuse traditional crimes with technology.

Terrorism

Violent act or threat intended to intimidate or coerce; became a major concern after 9/11.

Domestic terrorism

Terrorist acts committed by individuals or groups within the United States.

International terrorism

Terrorist acts connected to foreign power or operations across borders.

Cyberterrorism

Using high technology to plan or carry out terrorist attacks.

Hierarchy rule

Only the most serious offense in a criminal incident is counted for that incident.

Group A offenses

The 52 offenses in NIBRS categorized as Group A for detailed reporting.

Dark figure of crime

Crimes that occur but are not reported to the police, creating a gap between actual and recorded crime.

Clearance rate

Proportion of reported crimes that have been 'solved' (based on arrests, not judicial disposition).

Exceptional clearance

Clearance by exceptional means when the offender is identified but cannot be arrested.

Crime Clock

FBI visualization of crime frequency showing how often major crimes occur.

Violent crime

Crimes against persons (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault).

Property crime

Crimes against property (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson).