Criminology Review

Broken Windows theory

introduced to describe the social disorder that occurs in run- down and neglected neighborhoods, which leads to higher crime rates.

Emergency doctrine

allows warrantless searches if evidence may be destroyed or in cases of imminent danger.

Due process

established rules and principles designed to protect private rights found in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that prevent the government from unfairly or arbitrarily depriving anyone of life, liberty, or property.

Slave patrol

originated in 1704 and continued on into the 1850s.

Felony

a criminal offense that is more serious and generally results in more severe punishment than a misdemeanor.

Street crimes

considered those that are relatively common and serious; they involve a victim and an offender who come together in space and time.

Interrogation

suspect or arrested person is sat down in an adversarial environment; a person is exposed to the knowledge of their rights; if rights are not given, evidence obtained is not admissible.

Exigent circumstances

emergency situation that are present to prevent (a) escape, (b) harm to the officer or others, and (c) destruction of evidence.

Interview

the police have not determined the persons role in a crime; generally not adversarial or accusatory; usually done with a witness or victim to gather information.

UCR

The ________ does not represent all the crimes that occur.

Misdemeanor

a less serious crime punishable by fine, forfeiture, or short- term confinement.

Probable cause

in criminal law, the existence of more than a suspicion that a person has committed an illegal act.

Mala prohibita

describes behavior that is prohibited by law; this is dynamic and changes over time.

Mala in se

refers to behavior that is sinful and inherently wrong by nature.

Grass eaters

passive participants when others were engaging in bribery and corruption.

Miranda v. Constitution

court case that established the Miranda Rights; a person in custody must be read their rights or else the evidence gathered is deemed inadmissible.

Classical theory

crime occurs when the benefits outweigh the cost; crime is a free- willed choice.

Code of Hammurabi

the oldest known legal code; established approx. 300 provisions for family, trade, real property, personal property, and labor.

Meat eaters

persons who actively engaged in corrupt activities.

Critical/Marxist theory

Inequality in power and material well- being create conditions that lead to street crime and corporate crime; the ruling class exploits the working class through labor and laws.

Criminology

the academic discipline that investigates the nature, extent, and causes of criminal offending and criminal victimization

Positivist theory

Crime is caused or determined

Individual trait theory

Criminals differ from noncriminals on a number of biological and psychological traits

Social disorganization theory

Crime occurs in the city zone that has high levels of poverty, heterogeneity, and residential mobility

Differential association or social learning/subcultural theory

Crime is learned through associations with criminal definitions that approve of criminal conductor neutralizations that justify criminal conduct

Anomie/institutional anomie theory

the gap between the American dreams goal of economic success and the opportunity to obtain this goal creates structural strain

Strain/general strain theory

When individuals cannot obtain success goals such as money or status they experience strain; People under strain adapt accordingly by either accepting or rejecting the goals and means to obtain what society values

Control theory

The key factor in crime causation is the presence or absence of social control that emphasizes relationships

Rational choice/deterrence theory

Crime is seen as a choice that is influenced by its costs and benefits; crime is a rational choice

Routine activity theory

Peoples daily routine activities affect the likelihood they will be attractive targets who encounter offenders in situations in which no effective guardianship is present

Labeling/ shaming theory

People become stabilized in criminal roles when they are labeled as criminals, develop criminal identities, are sent to prison, and are excluded from conventional roles

Critical/Marxist theory

Inequality in power and material well-being create conditions that lead to street crime and corporate crime; the ruling class exploits the working class through labor and laws

Peacemaking theory

Crime is caused by suffering that is linked to injustice rooted in inequality and daily personal acts of harm

Feminist theory

Crime cannot be understood without considering gender; crime is shaped by the different social experiences of and power exercised by men and women

Developmental/life course theory

Crime causation is a developmental process that starts before birth and continues through the life course

Integrated theory

Crime is caused by components described in a variety of theories

Uniform Crime Reports

a compilation of crime reports submitted by various law enforcement agencies that is designed to provide unified, reliable, and systematic information on a set of frequently committed serious crimes

Code of Hammurabi

the oldest known legal code; established approx. 300 provisions for family, trade, real property, personal property, and labor

misdemeanor

a less serious crime punishable by fine, forfeiture, or short-term confinement

felony

a criminal offense that is more serious and generally results in more severe punishment than a misdemeanor

Slave patrol

originated in 1704 and continued on into the 1850s

probable cause

in criminal law, the existence of more than a suspicion that a person has committed an illegal act

due process

established rules and principles designed to protect private rights found in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments that prevent the government from unfairly or arbitrarily depriving anyone of life, liberty, or property

use of force

only permitted in certain circumstances

Consent

when police officers ask for permission to search and you voluntarily say yes, they can proceed without a warrant

Plain view doctrine

the rule that permits officers to seize evidence without a warrant if it is easily seen

Exigent circumstances

emergency situation that are present to prevent (a) escape, (b) harm to the officer or others, and (c) destruction of evidence

Incident to a lawful arrest

allows law enforcement to search any person without a warrant once that person is lawfully arrested

Automobile exception

should police have probable cause to believe that a vehicle contains contraband, fruits of a crime, evidence, and/or instrumentalities of crime, the vehicle can be searched

Suspicionless search

an acceptable search based on place and reasonable potential of wrongdoing

Emergency doctrine

allows warrantless searches if evidence may be destroyed or in cases of imminent danger

interview

the police have not determined the persons role in a crime; generally not adversarial or accusatory; usually done with a witness or victim to gather information

interrogation

suspect or arrested person is sat down in an adversarial environment; a person is exposed to the knowledge of their rights; if rights are not given, evidence obtained is not admissible

Miranda v. Constitution

court case that established the Miranda Rights; a person in custody must be read their rights or else the evidence gathered is deemed inadmissible

Grass eaters

passive participants when others were engaging in bribery and corruption

Meat eaters

persons who actively engaged in corrupt activities

Broken Windows theory

introduced to describe the social disorder that occurs in run-down and neglected neighborhoods, which leads to higher crime rates

example of plain view doctrine

if a police officer enters a house and sees illegal contraband on the table, they would not need to contact a judge for a search warrant

example of stop and frisk

In Adams v. Williams, the court ruled that reasonable cause for a stop and frisk may be based on information supplied by another person (a police informant)

example of fruits of the poisonous tree

if the police conducted an illegal search of a suspected marijuana growing operation and discovered evidence that methamphetamine was being cooked at the site, that evidence would be inadmissible