crim mt

Crime

An act or omission forbidden by law.

Criminology

Scientific study of crime and criminal behavior.

Deviance

Violates social norms; all crime is deviant but not all deviance is crime.

Legalistic Perspective

Crime is defined as a violation of criminal law.

Political Perspective

Crime reflects the interests of those in power.

Sociological Perspective

Crime is antisocial behavior that requires repression.

Psychological Perspective

Crime is viewed as problem behavior.

Consensus Perspective

Laws reflect shared moral values within a society.

Pluralist Perspective

Laws reflect a compromise among diverse, conflicting groups.

Conflict Perspective

The law is seen as a tool used by the powerful to maintain their interests.

Classical Criminology

Theory asserting that humans are rational beings who exercise free will and make decisions based on pain and pleasure.

Jeremy Bentham

Philosopher who argued that punishment must outweigh the pleasure derived from crime.

Neoclassical Criminology

Acknowledges rationality while considering situational factors, opportunity, environment, and social influences.

Specific Deterrence

Prevents the individual offender from reoffending.

General Deterrence

Prevents others from committing crime by setting an example.

Rational Choice Theory

View that crime is a conscious, rational decision, weighing the costs versus benefits.

Routine Activities Theory

Crime occurs when there is a motivated offender, a suitable target, and no capable guardian.

Lifestyle Theory

Victimization is linked to an individual's lifestyle choices.

Violent Crime

Includes acts such as homicide, assault, and robbery.

Property Crime

Encompasses burglary, theft, fraud, and arson.

Crimes Against Public Order (CAPO)

Includes drug offences, prostitution, and gambling.

Culpable Homicide

Includes murder, manslaughter, and infanticide.

Non-Culpable Homicide

Includes self-defense and accidental death during lawful activity.

Serial Murder

Involves 3 or more victims in separate events.

Mass Murder

Involves 4 or more victims in a single location or event.

Assault Level 1

Minor assault behaviors such as pushing or slapping.

Assault Level 2

Assault involving a weapon or bodily harm.

Assault Level 3

Serious assault causing wounding, maiming, or disfiguring.

Sexual Assault Level 1

Involves violations of sexual integrity.

Sexual Assault Level 2

Involves weapon or threat during assault.

Sexual Assault Level 3

Aggravated sexual assault.

Crime Statistics Sources

Include Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) and Victimization Survey.

Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR)

Official police data that mainly captures reported crimes.

Victimization Survey

Captures unreported crime and victimization experiences.

Selin & Wolfgang Typology of Victims

Categories include primary, secondary, tertiary, mutual, and no victim (victimless crime).

Social Dimensions of Crime

Includes correlations such as youth being the highest victimization demographic, gender distribution of offenders, and socio-economic factors.