criminal justic quiz 2

Criminal Behavior

Behavior defined by legislation, status, and codes

Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

Part 1 and 2 offenses, hierarchy rule, summary based crime report, not much detail.

UCR Part 1 offenses

Violent crimes and crimes against people

UCR Part 2 offenses

White collar, vandalism, money crimes, against society

UCR Hierarchy Rule

Only most serious crime get reported even if there are other crimes.

UCR Pros and Cons

Pros: Standardized crime data, Long term trends, simple, National coverage.

Cons: Hierarchy rule, limited detail, voluntary, Dark Figure of Crime.

Dark Figure of Crime

Crimes law enforcement don’t know about

National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

Redesigned UCR system, incident driven not summary based, bigger picture; every crime, not just the worst. Con: if one person commits a lot of crimes it could skew the numbers. 22 general offenses.

National Crime Victimization Survey

Sampled, made to uncover dark crime

Cons: interviewee resistance, timelessness

Self reporting surveys

Self report crime you’ve done.

Causes of crime

Factors that directly participate in criminal offense

Correlations of crime

Factors that are mutually related, but are not necessarily causal

Pre-classical school of Theory

Crime is caused by supernatural forces

Positivist School

A school of thought on crime arguing that some behavior occurs as a result of factors outside the control of individuals

Biological theories

Theoretical propositions that look to the body to identify individuals who are predisposed to criminal offending.

Biological theories: Eugenics

Hereditary traits, racial profiling.

Biological theories: Phrenology

Looks at the shape of their head.

Biological theories: Craniometry

Looks at the size of the head and brain.

Biological theories: physiognomy

Looks at the facial features.

Biological theories: People

Cesare Lombroso and William Sheldon

Cesare Lombroso

Individuals that have not developed at the same rate as rest of society.

William Sheldon

Body types:

-endomorph

-ectomorph

-mesomorph

Psychoanalytical

All behavior is motivated by wishes and desires found within our unconscious minds.

Personality theories

Explain criminal behavior as an expression of impulsiveness, aggression, or sensation-seeking

Differential association theory

A sociological theory positing that crime is a product of the social environment whereby values are gained from those around individuals

Strain theory

A theoretical proposition that crime rates are produced by an individuals inability to conform to cultural values or achieve monetary success through accepted norms.

General strain theory

More strain individuals are exposed to, the more likely they are to be criminals

Social control theory

More strongly the individuals are bonded to their community their less likely they are to be criminals

Labeling theory

They’ll become what you call them

General theory of crime

Self-control

Reintegrative shaming

Criminals are punished, paying their debt, and reintegrated into society

Conflict theory