Measuring Crime and Criminology Concepts

Flashcards reviewing key concepts, statistics, and definitions regarding measuring crime, correlation vs. causation, demographic factors, and criminological surveys.

What concept is illustrated by the graph comparing Nicholas Cage film appearances to swimming pool drownings?

It illustrates that correlation does not equal causation, as two variables can correlate without one directly causing the other.

What process does this funnel diagram illustrate regarding criminal cases in Canada?

It demonstrates that the number of criminal cases shrinks at every step of the legal process, starting from $2\,052\,191$ incidents reported to police down to $4\,781$ federal admissions.

What is the formula used to calculate the standard crime rate per $100\,000$ population?

$$\text{Crime Rate}=\frac{\text{Number of offences x 100 000}}{\text{Population}}$$

How is correlation defined in the lecture notes?

Correlation is defined simply as a relationship between two variables.

How is causation defined in the lecture notes?

Causation is defined as a relationship that always happens directionally (i.e., A always causes B, and B does not cause A).

Which specific crime is identified as the least reported crime in the lecture notes?

Sexual assault.

What five factors are listed as reasons why sexual assault is underreported?

Stigma, power imbalances, revictimization, victim blaming, and lack of evidence.

What is the threshold in sentence length that distinguishes provincial custody from federal jurisdiction in Canada?

Provincial custody involves less severe sentences of less than $2\text{ years}$ ($< 2\text{ years}$), while federal jurisdiction involves more severe sentences of $2\text{ years}$ or more ($> 2\text{ years}$).

According to the 2014 Canadian incident data, how many total incidents were reported to the police?

$2\,052\,191$ incidents.

How many cases resulted in guilty findings in Adult Criminal Court in 2013-14?

$228\,328$ cases.

How many sentenced admissions were made to provincial/territorial custody in 2013-14?

$64\,604$ admissions.

How many warrant of committal admissions were made to federal jurisdiction in 2014-15?

$4\,781$ admissions.

Which type of crime makes up the lowest number of reported crimes despite receiving higher media coverage?

Violent crime.

What three factors have contributed to the decline in the overall crime rate in Canada since its peak in the 1990s?

Changes in how arrests are made, the length of time court cases can take before being acquitted, and rehabilitation.

How does the Crime Severity Index (CSI) account for the seriousness of different offences?

Weight is given to different crimes based on the severity of their sentencing.

Why did the overall Crime Severity Index (CSI) rise in Guelph despite a decrease in violent crime severity?

An increase in non-violent crime severity was the primary driver of the overall rise.

How does Guelph's focus on education and awareness impact its reported crime statistics?

It helps more crimes actually be caught and reported.

Which demographic group is identified as most likely to both offend and be victimized?

Young, less educated males.

Which four marginalized groups are identified as being disproportionately victimized?

Indigenous peoples, people experiencing homelessness, people with mental illness, and people with physical disabilities.

What effect does marriage or having a spouse have on criminal behavior in young males?

When young males get married or have a spouse, they become less likely to commit crime.

What is the definition and function of the Crime Severity Index (CSI) in Canada?

The Crime Severity Index (CSI) monitors the severity level of police-reported crime in Canada.

What is the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program?

The UCR is a nationwide data-collecting system run by the FBI in the U.S. that tracks police-reported crime statistics.

What is the General Social Survey (GSS) - Canadian's Safety?

A national survey used in criminology to measure self-reported experiences of crime and the justice system, formerly known as the GSS on Victimization.

What is the aging out phenomenon?

The decline in criminal activities with age.

What does the life course perspective state regarding chronic offenders?

It states that chronic offenders may still commit the same amounts of crime as they age.

What three stages of criminal activity do criminologists examine when studying criminal careers?

The onset of criminal activity, the types and amounts of crime, and its termination.

How many specific crime types does the General Social Survey (GSS) collect information on?

Eight ($8$) crime types.

Why are property crimes reported to police at higher rates than physical or sexual assaults?

Property crimes are more likely to be reported because a police report is necessary for insurance claims, whereas physical or sexual assaults are often underreported due to fear of privacy concerns.

How did the aging of the baby boom generation contribute to Canada's long-term crime rate decline?

The baby boom caused a large surge in young adults who were more likely to commit crime; as that generation aged out, the overall crime rate decreased.

Besides demographic shifts, what policy factors influenced Canada's crime rate reduction since the 1990s?

Tougher sentencing and parole laws in Canada.

What is the purpose of longitudinal studies in criminological research?

They follow development and behaviour over long periods of time to help identify factors that distinguish criminals from non-criminals as well as the number and kinds of offenders.

Why is focusing exclusively on individual factors counter-productive in understanding crime?

It ignores social, cultural, historical, and political barriers, as well as essential demographic factors such as age, class, gender, and race.

What four factors explain why older adults are less likely to commit crimes?

They have less strength, less mobility, find the gains from crime less attractive, and their peers no longer endorse law-breaking.

What impact does processing youth through the criminal justice system have on reoffending?

Processing youth through the criminal justice system increases the likelihood of reoffending.

In which specific category of crime has female participation been predominantly increasing?

Property offences.

How do self-report survey findings compare to official police records regarding gender differences in crime?

Self-report surveys show more similarities in male and female criminal activity than official reports do.

What experience is women's criminal behavior closely related to according to research?

Women's criminal behaviour is closely related to their experiences of social exclusion.

Why do researchers disagree on whether social class is directly related to crime?

They disagree due to different opinions on the definition of class; defining 'lower class' strictly by income can combine vastly different groups such as graduate students, stockbrokers, pensioners, single mothers, and prison inmates.

What alternative concept is suggested instead of 'lower class' to evaluate economic disadvantage in crime?

Economic marginalization.

How might the criminal justice system systematically discriminate against economically marginal individuals?

Through the over-policing of poorer neighbourhoods and the inability of economically marginal individuals to afford expensive legal representation.