Criminal justice: Crime

3 definitions of crime

Legalistic, moral definition/social harms, sociological

Legalistic

violation of criminal law

Moral definition/Social Harms

crime that's immoral or causes pain and suffering without a specific regulation in place; it affects society/is a social problem

Sociological

states that crime serves as a function for society

Why is crime seen as a function of society (from a sociological perspective)?

It creates jobs (police officers, lawyers, criminal justice professors, etc.), serves as an example of what not to do, & highlights peoples issues (ex thievery highlights poverty)

Deviance

The violation of a social norm; not the same as criminal/illegal.

What are some examples of deviance?

not smoking when other peers are, speeding 5-10 over, playing music too loud in public, road rage, etc.

Delinquency

Crimes committed by “young people” (depends on the laws in a state).

Classification of Crimes

Against the person, against property, against public order, against the state, by the state, & corporate crime

Crimes against the “Person”

Ex: assault, homicide, & battery

Crimes against Property

Ex: burglary, embezzlement, motor vehicle theft, & arson

Crimes against Public Order

Ex: disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct, & public intoxication

Crimes against The State (overall government)

Ex: treason, espionage, & tax evasion

Crimes by The State

Ex: genocide, crimes against humanity, political assasination, & political repression

Corporate Crime

Ex: corporations taking bribes, toxic waste dumping, price-fixing, & corporate negligence

Criminology

Scientific study & understanding of crime & criminal behavior.

Criminal Justice

The study of the 3 major parts of the criminal justice system: policing (enforcement), courts, corrections (i.e. jail, probation, fines).

Criminalistics

focuses more on speaking with people rather than analyzing evidence

Mala Prohibita

acts that are “bad” because they’ve been prohibited or restricted by law.

Examples of Mala Prohibita

speeding, robbery, jaywalking, & loitering.

Mala in Se

acts that are inherently bad; wide-scale consensus in their prohibition

Examples of Mala in Se

Sexual assault, murder, child abuse, & slavery.

Gemeinschaft

simple, communal, relatively homogenous societies; characterised by normal consensus.

Example of Gemeinschaft

hunter gatherer culture; they didn’t deviate from the ways of life or else they’d be banished.

Gesellschaft

complex, associational, individualistic, & heterogeneous.

Who was Durkheim and what did he believe?

he was a French sociologist from the late 1850s - early 1900s. He argued that crime is a product of anomie, which means crime is a byproduct of poorly defined norms.

What are consensus views?

Crime is functional (sociological pov), there’s an agreement between members of society as to what is “wrong,” & there’s equal application of the law

What are conflict views?

The law is a tool of the ruling class & is used to protect the status quo

Example of a conflict view

laws against crack cocaine in order for the government to reinforce their control over the people & mass incarceration

What are top crimes based on?

precedence, historical context, & media attention

St. Valentines Day Massacre (Feb 14, 1929)

Al Capone had many members of a separate gang lined up & killed, leaving them to be seen as a message. Emphasized gang violence & police corruption.

Holocaust (1941 - 1945)

Assasination of JFK (Nov. 1963)

significant because the most powerful man at the time was publicly killed, especially when television became a more common source of media.

Mississippi Burning Case (June 1964)

the KKK murdered 3 Civil Rights workers, and it was especially significant because some of the victims were white.

The Manson Family Killings (Aug. 1969)

Charles Manson was labeled as a serial killer in a hippie cult during the Vietnam war because he had people in the cult kill for him (even though he never personally killed them himself).

Watergate “Scandal” (June 1972)

Nixon was spying on his political opponents with listening devices (wire tapping) which led to a loss of trust in the government.

Columbine H.S. Shooting (April 1999)

more significant than other shootings because it was originally supposed to be a bombing, the killers had notebooks documenting that they were planning the shooting, and the media coverage was immense. At the time it was also the biggest shooting & the killers hadn’t aimed for just one person but killed several people.

O.J. (Jan. 1995)

it was obvious that O.J. murdered his wife but was found not guilty. There was much more focus on him because he was Black & this case exposed the racism within law enforcement. It’s the origin of the quote “if it doesn’t fit, you must acquit” and the infamous white Bronco due to the high-speed car chase. O.J. was once a public figure which made media coverage even greater.

OKC Bombing (Apr. 1995) & 9/11

led to the greatest expansion of United States security.

Attica Prison Riot (Sep. 1971)

prisoners revolted against really harsh conditions. They didn’t get supplies to last for long enough & didn’t eat well. Police came in & killed many prisoners & even some guards.

Murder of George Floyd (2020)

George Floyd was unjustly killed for suspected counterfeit. He was unarmed and was slowly choked to death. The media coverage was huge because it was during COVID-19 when everyone was online. The police officer was actually prosecuted.

Crime Rates

When did crime rates become measurable?

around the 1960s

What is the trend in crime throughout the years?

It’s decreased overall

When did crime rates hit their peak?

during the 1990s

The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)

Official crime statistics published by the FBI

How does the FBI receive crime stats?

Police departments voluntarily send their crime reports to the FBI, usually to argue for more funding

What is actually found in the UCR?

some reported crimes, not all; crimes in general, not implying they have been solved; & serious offenses only

Index Crimes

a statistical measure used by law enforcement and researchers to track and evaluate the volume, rate, or severity of crime in a specific area

Part I Index Crimes

crimes that are more serious offenses

Examples of Part I Index Crimes

Homicide (the most accurate crime we have data for), forcible rape, robbery, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, & arson

Part II Index Crimes

all other crimes

Examples of Part II Index Crimes

Cybersecurity crimes, crimes against the state, crimes committed by the state, & corporate crime.

Why is Crime sometimes not Reported to Police?

Active criminals don’t report crimes committed against them, people can be too scared of their perpetrators, people believe it’s too much of a hassle, and/or a fear that the criminal justice system wouldn’t take it seriously.

“The Dark Figure”

metaphor for crimes that police don’t know about.

What are the least reported crimes?

Domestic violence and sexual assault

Why police may underreport crime

it may look like they’re not doing their job & can be blamed for not doing enough/not preventing it.

NIBRS (National Incident-Based Reporting System)

More detailed crime statistic database than UCR because it tracks more crimes; attempted vs. completed. The new system that’s used

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

Aims to collect data from victims but avoids using “crime terms” because people are less likely to respond

Self-Report Surveys

Only include crimes people think are valid enough to report due to the hassle

Who are most perpetrators?

Men

Who are most victims?

Men

What’s the unofficial statistic of crime based on racial groups?

it’s equal across all racial groups

How does the criminal justice system have racial bias?

they put more focus on POC who commit crimes

Age-crime curve

most crime starts to rise around teenage/adolescent years, peaks around people’s 20s, and lowers at around 30.

Where is crime concentration the largest?

communities high in poverty & inequality