Criminal Justice- Chapter 1

Definition of crime

An act that violates criminal law and is punishable by the government.

Crime rate

Often measured by the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS).

UCR

Uniform Crime Reports

NCVS

National Crime Victimization Survey

Visible crime

shoplifting, assault, robbery.

Occupational crime

 committed through a legal business/profession (fraud, embezzlement).

Organized crime

 illegal services for profit (gambling, drug trafficking).

Transnational crime

crimes that cross borders (cybercrime, human trafficking).

Victimless crime

 private exchange of goods/services (drug use, prostitution).

Political crime

against the government or carried out by the government.

Doing Justice

Accountability, protection of rights, fairness

Controlling Crime

Arresting, prosecuting, convicting, and punishing offenders.

Preventing Crime

Deterrence (punishment to discourage future crime)

Discretion

Officials (police, prosecutors, judges) use judgment in decision-making.

Resource dependence

Agencies rely on funding from political bodies (mayors, state legislatures, Congress).

Sequential tasks

Decisions happen in a set order (arrest → charging → trial → punishment

Filtering

Cases are filtered out as they move through the system (not all reported crimes lead to punishment).

Police

Maintain order, enforce laws, investigate crimes, arrest suspects.

Courts

Determine guilt and impose sentences

Corrections

Supervise and rehabilitate offenders (prisons, probation, parole).

Crime Control Model

 Prioritizes efficiency, speed, and public safety. Assumes guilt if likely.

Due Process Model

Prioritizes individual rights, fairness, and reliable outcomes. Focus on protecting the innocent.

Mala in se

Acts that are wrong in themselves *Murder ,rape, robbery

Mala Prohibita

acts that are crimes bc they are wrong in themselves *drugs, prostitution, gambling