Criminology Basics and Crime Data Analysis

These flashcards cover essential vocabulary and concepts in criminology, the criminal justice system, deviance, and methods of measuring crime.

Criminology

The study of crime, criminals, and society's reaction to crime.

Quantitative

Ask mostly closed-ended questions that produce numerical date

Criminal Justice System (CJS)

A set of institutions, policies, and practices designed to create and enforce laws, maintain public order, and deal with law violators.

Qualitative

Ask open-ended questions

Legislation

Formal rules (laws) created to define crimes and establish penalties.

Law enforcement

Agencies responsible for investigating crimes, arresting suspects, and preventing crime.

Legal system (courts)

Judicial institutions that adjudicate criminal cases and determine guilt.

Corrections

Institutions and programs that carry out sentences for criminal convictions.

Criminal Code of Canada

The document codifying laws, criminal offenses, and penalties in Canada.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Guidelines protecting individual rights within the criminal justice system.

Crime Severity Index (CSI)

A standardized measure of crime in terms of severity, impacting community safety.

Self-report offender surveys

Surveys asking individuals about their own criminal behavior.

Victimization surveys

Surveys that measure crime prevalence and impact by interviewing victims.

Underreporting

The phenomenon where not all crimes are reported to law enforcement.

Statistical rarity perspective

Defines deviance as behaviors that are rare within a population.

Social harm perspective

Defines deviance based on the harm it causes to individuals or society.

Normative violation perspective

Defines deviance as behaviors that violate social norms.

Societal reaction perspective

Defines deviance by the social response it evokes.

Labeling theory

The theory that societal labels applied to individuals can influence their self-identity and behavior.

Summary offense

Less serious criminal behavior resulting in minor punishments.

Indictable offense

More serious criminal behavior with harsher penalties.

Crimes Against Persons

Crimes involving force or violence against individuals.

Crimes Against Property

Crimes aimed at obtaining money, property, or tangible benefits.

Crimes Against Public Order/Society

Crimes that disrupt social order or engage in prohibited activities.

Dark figure of crime

Crimes that go unreported and are not captured in official statistics.

Prevention

Goal is to reduce a likelihood of crime by making them less attractive and proactively addressing it’s root causes

Punishment

Goal is to impose a penalty on individuals who commit crimes to hold them morally accountable

Punishment as retribution

For the person so just pay for the crime

Punishment as deterrence

Hard punishment so the crime will be less likely to be committed again

rehabilitation

The goal is to reform offenders to reduce the likelihood of reoffending so they can go back into the society law-abiding citizens

Hobbes

Believe that human nature requires rules to preserve social order (he thinks human nature is bad so we need rules to make us good)

Rousseau

Believe the human nature is good, but society creates a complications that necessitate social contract (he thinks human nature is good, but we still need rules to keep us in line)

conformity

Following the rules of order