Chapter Two: Crime and Crime Causation

Violent Crime

Crimes that result in serious bodily harm or death (murder, rape, robbery). Victim-offender relation is usually known

Property Crime

Crimes that threaten or impact the property of another (theft, embezzlement, burglary) victim - offender relation usually not known)

Public Order Crimes

Crimes that threaten the well-being and safety of society (public intoxication, vandalism)

Occupational Crimes

Crimes committed in the context of legal business (white collar crime, Enron)

Vicarious Liability

Allows a business to be held criminally responsible (no person will be, but the business is)

Ponzi Schemes

Give me 5,000 dollars and I will double your money in 6 months” The Primary investor simply takes all the money

Organized Crime

Crimes committed in the framework of continuing a business that makes a profit from illegal activity. legitimate business fronts to illuminate businesses revolving around drugs, guns, sex, rackets (illegal scheme), illegal disposal of toxic waste

What is the RICO statute?

If prosecutors prove that the mob boss knew about all the illegal schemes, then they can be changed the same as the foot solders. Before, the bosses would not be arrested because you couldn’t connect them to the crime

Transnational Crime?

Crime that spread across national borders… or across US boarders

Examples of Transnational Crime?

Albanese notes difference between smuggling, theft, fraud, etc

Examples of International Crime

terrorism, human rights violations, genocide

What are Interpol, FBI, EUROPOL?

Fusion centers for complex crimes

What is political crime (terrorism)

Criminal acts carried out either by the government or against a government that are driven by ideological purposes (an act intended to cause injury to a state or government).

Victimless Crime?

Involve a willing and private exchange of goods or services that are in demand but illegal. Buying Drugs, sex trading, gambling

Dark Figure of Crime

The total amount of crime that happens but is not reported

Uniform Crime Reports? (UCR)

Houses all crime data of US law enforcement agencies, would only report the most dangerous crime (hierarchal)

NIBRS? National Incident based reporting system

Focused on more data of the crime…no longer hierarchical. A change to the UCR

The National Crime Victim Survey?

More data to get a better idea of the “dark figure” of crime. Sent to heads of households (prevents domestic abuse victims from reporting). Doesn’t include homeless, incarcerated, elderly people in care facilities. Uses a hierarchal structure

Why is Victimization a new area of study?

Since society is the primary victim in crimes, the individual victim was not included and how the crime impacted their life.

What are some aspects of victimization?

Who is the victim, what is their relation to the offender, how has the crime impacted their life/livelihood, what happens to victims in the CJ system, what role to victims play in causing the crimes that they suffer from

What are some traits that can increase your likelihood of being victimized?

Prior victimization, age, gender, race, marital status, income, lifestyle

What are the 3 aspects of Crime Causation Theory?

A willing criminal, lack of guardianship, and a suitable target

Do most victims know their offenders?

yes! especially in cases of sex crimes or domestic abuse.

How can victimization be traumatic?

Relive the event, might be cast in unflattering light, blamed, humiliated, or feel shame. Often victims don’t report crimes because they think they will be blamed.

What are some costs of crime?

Economic costs, psychological and emotional costs, cost of operating the CJ system

What are some examples of economic costs of crime?

Loss of property, loss of productivity, medical expenses, loss of $ to businesses, loss of tax revenue, loss of property value, loss of income

five principles of the classical school?

1. Crime is rational and most people could do it

2. People weigh the pros and cons before they commit crime

3. Fear of punishment deters people

4. Punishment should fit the crime

5. Punishment should be swift, certain, and severe enough to connect the crime with the punishment

Neo-Classical School?

Society impacts us and if we do crime (mitigating circumstances), no one truly has free will.

Positive School and Biology?

Tries to connect science to criminology. Says that criminals are scientifically different from non-criminals, and science can be used to solve the causes of crime

What did Cesare Lombroso believe?

That people are born criminals, that they are primitive and have primitive traits, and these traits are acquired through hereditary, alcoholism, epilepsy or syphilis

What is biological criminology the study of currently?

the study of how our environment affects us as explanations for crime and the impacts it has on crime

What is the sociological approach to crime?

That crime is caused by external social factors (race, age gender) and these dont make you any more “criminal” but they increase the odds that you might be. These characteristics bounce off of each other to increase or decrease the odds

What is social structure theory?

Blame crime on the existence of a powerless lower class that lives with poverty and deprivation and turns to crime as a result.

What theory did Robert Merton come up with

People are unable to achieve their goals the normal way, and then they turn to crime .

Social Process Theories?

See criminality as normal behavior that everyone could do. It depends on the influences that push a person towards or away from crime and how one is perceived by others.

Learning Theories

Theories that see criminal behavior as learned, just as legal behavior is learned. Depends on the environment

Control Theories

Idea that criminal behavior occurs when the bonds that tie an individual to society are broke/weakened. examples are family, friends church

Labeling Theories

Theories that say the causes of criminal behavior are found not in the individual but in the social process that labels certain acts as deviant or criminal. If a person is labeled as a “criminal/felon” they are more likely to take up that role.

Critical Criminology

Theories that assume criminal law and the CJ system are primarily a means of controlling the lower classes, women, and minorities