3-4 Crime in the United States (A,B,C,D,& E)

3-4 Crime in the United States

• According to the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), American law enforcement officers make more than six times as many arrests for misdemeanors and less serious felonies compared to more serious felonies.

• Only 5% of all arrests involve violent crimes.

• Marcus Felson from the Rutgers University School of Criminal Justice has noted that "most crime is very ordinary."

• Current efforts by law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, and private industry have increased the availability of information on crime more than at any other time in the nation’s history.

Learning Objective 7: Factors Influencing Crime Rate Changes

• Criminologists identify three key factors often used to explain fluctuations in the nation’s crime rate:

  1. Imprisonment:

     • An offender in prison or jail cannot commit crimes in the community.

     • The fear of imprisonment may deter potential offenders from committing crimes.

  2. Youth Populations:

     • Individuals under the age of twenty-four are responsible for the majority of crimes committed in the United States.

  3. The Economy:

     • When legitimate earning opportunities decline, individuals may resort to illegitimate methods, such as crime.

• It is essential to recognize that pure statistics may not capture the full picture, and crime rates do not always behave as experts predict.

3-4a Overview of Crime in the 1990s and 2000s

Key Statistics and Predictions of the 1990s

• In 1995, James Q. Wilson predicted an increase in crime due to a rise in young male populations, expecting an influx of 30,000 more young offenders by 2000.

• Other experts, such as John DiIulio and James A. Fox, supported these predictions, foreseeing significant crime surges, including terms like "juvenile super-predators" and "blood bath" by 2005.

• Contrary to these dire forecasts, crime rates began to decline in 1994.

The Great Crime Decline (1990s)

• Even with initial increases, from 1990 to 2000, significant drops in various crime rates were observed:

  • Homicide rate: decreased by 39%.

  • Robbery rate: decreased by 44%.

  • Burglary rate: decreased by 41%.

  • Auto theft rate: decreased by 37%.

• The 1990s witnessed a “golden era” for crime reduction due to various factors:

  • Robust economy contributing to lower crime rates.

  • Increased incarceration rates as a deterrent to crime.

  • Lower percentage of the population in at-risk age brackets compared to 1980.

Contributing Factors to the Crime Decline

• Innovation in Police Tactics: Law enforcement adopted new methods, including zero-tolerance policies inspired by Wilson, enhancing community policing effectiveness.

• Impact of the Crack Cocaine Epidemic: Many individuals involved in drug-related crimes had been either imprisoned or killed, leading to reduced crime rates.

Trends in the 21st Century

• The first fifteen years of the 2000s continued the crime reduction trend of the previous decade, with both violent and property crimes dropping about 30%.

• Contributing factors identified by crime expert James Alan Fox include:

  1. Longer prison sentences resulting from sentencing reforms.

  2. Enhanced law enforcement strategies, including intelligence-driven policing.

  3. Aging population leading to lesser tendencies towards criminal behavior.

  4. More lenient marijuana laws contributing to reductions in drugs-related crimes.

Recent Fluctuations in Crime Rates (2010s-2020s)

• The last five years of the 2010s showed fluctuations in crime rates, with an increase in violent crime rates for several years—this trend continued into the 2020s.

• The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected crime dynamics:

  • Murders in large cities increased by 16% during lockdowns.

  • Other violent and property crimes decreased, presenting an unusual situation.

• Theories for Divergence in Crime Rates:

  • Increased time at home due to lockdown resulted in higher domestic conflicts, leading to more homicides.

  • The pandemic disrupted court processes, allowing more offenders to remain free awaiting trials.

  • Social unrest and movements, such as Black Lives Matter, influenced civilians to resolve disputes independently rather than involving police, potentially leading to more violent outcomes.

Conclusion: Factors Influencing Crime Rate Changes

• In summary, the understanding of crime trends in the United States since the 1990s highlights the complex interplay of social, economic, and law enforcement factors which shape criminal behavior and crime rates. The relationship between population demographics, law enforcement practices, and socio-economic conditions proves critical in interpreting and predicting crime.

3-4b Crime, Race, and Poverty

Overview

Although crime and victimization rates have generally decreased across racial lines over the past twenty years, the trends have been less favorable for African Americans compared to whites. For instance, Blacks are significantly more likely to be both homicide victims and offenders, with gun violence particularly affecting African American men. According to data from the CDC, Black men are 14 times more likely than white men to die from firearm homicides.

Race and Crime

• Statistics: African Americans, who make up 13% of the population, account for 36% of arrests for violent crimes and 30% for property crimes.

• In New York City, African Americans are arrested at fifteen times the rate of whites for marijuana-related offenses.

• Black juveniles are three times more likely than their white counterparts to face delinquency court and 45% more likely to have their cases moved to adult court.

Myth vs Reality: “Black on Black” Violence

• Myth: The stereotype that a significant portion of violent crime involves African Americans killing other African Americans.

• Reality: This notion overlooks demographic patterns where most crimes happen within racial and ethnic groups due to proximity. The majority of white homicide victims are killed by white offenders, and similarly for Latino communities. Focusing on “Black on Black” crime perpetuates stereotypes and overlooks the real underlying issues, such as economic disadvantages in neighborhoods.

Class and Crime

• Sociologist Ruth D. Peterson's research found that neighborhoods suffering from higher levels of disadvantage, regardless of their racial makeup, display higher violent crime rates. In contrast, the predominant factor influencing crime is the level of poverty.

• Income Level and Crime: African Americans are twice as likely to live in poverty, making them more vulnerable to the factors contributing to criminality. Evidence suggests income level is a stronger factor than race in determining crime trends. For example, research has shown that family income correlates significantly with violent behavior among children.

• Education: There’s a clear link between educational attainment and crime rates. High school dropouts are more likely to be incarcerated compared to graduates.

The Class-Crime Relationship

• Learning Objective 8: Income level plays a critical role in crime trends over race. Struggling financially can provoke illegal behaviors driven by the need to fulfill basic consumer needs.

• However, it is important to note that poverty does not inherently cause crime; many individuals in low-income neighborhoods are law-abiding citizens. Also, wealthier individuals often engage in white-collar crime, which is less frequently reported.

Ethnicity and Crime

• Growing interest in crime among Latino populations suggests they represent the largest minority group in the U.S. Nearly 20% of all arrests involve a Latino suspect, and their homicide victimization rate is approximately 50% higher than that of whites, although overall violent victimization rates are lower.

• Other minority groups like Asian Americans and Native Americans display varied crime and victimization rates. For example, Native Americans are arrested consistent with their population while Asian Americans have lower arrest rates than their population percentage.

Key Takeaways

• Crime in the United States reveals complex interactions between race, class, and ethnicity.

• Addressing crime requires acknowledging systemic issues such as poverty, lack of education, and the socio-economic conditions influencing crime rates, rather than attributing problems solely to race or ethnicity.

3-4c Women and Crime

OverviewCrime is predominantly male-driven, with significant disparities in arrest and incarceration rates between genders.

• Statistics: 64% of homicides involve male victims and perpetrators, while only 3.1% feature both female.

• Female Incarceration: Women represent about 7% of the national prison population and 16% of the jail population; they make up 28% of all arrests.

A Growing Presence

Learning Objective 9: Discuss the prevailing explanation for the rising number of women incarcerated in the United States.

• Rising Arrests: Between 1991 and 2019, arrests for men fell by 28%, whereas female arrests increased by 20%.

• Prison Statistics: Women in federal and state prisons have risen from around 6,000 in 1970 to approximately 108,000 today.

• Explanations for Increase:

  1. Changes in women’s life circumstances and behavior.

  2. Shifts in the criminal justice system's approach towards women, as more women are now arrested for minor offenses, particularly drug-related crimes.

Women as Crime Victims

• Despite fewer women committing violent crimes, they experience violent crime at rates similar to men. Removing simple assault from the data shows women are 25% more likely to become victims of violent crime.

• Intimate Partner and Domestic Violence: Men are twice as likely to experience violence by strangers compared to women. In intimate partner violence:

  • 10% of women have been raped by an intimate partner compared to 2.2% of men.

  • Over a lifetime, 24% of women face intimate partner violence versus 14% of men.

Domestic Violence

Women are at a heightened risk of domestic violence, which encompasses various forms of abuse.

• Discretion in Action:

  • Prosecutor's authority often conflicts with victims’ wishes. Victims often hesitate to cooperate due to fear of retaliation or emotional ties to the abuser.

• Prosecutorial Decisions: The case study emphasizes the dilemma of prosecuting domestic violence cases where victims may withdraw their testimonies.

Stalking

• Stalking disproportionately affects women, with women's likelihood to be targeted being three times higher than that of men.

• Cyberstalking: Involves harassment through digital means, with states enacting laws to address this issue.

Campus Crime and Women

• College students are twice as likely to be stalked or cyberstalked compared to the general public, indicating insecurity on campuses for female students.

• Sexual Violence on Campus: A survey found over 25% of undergraduate women experienced sexual assault, yet fewer than 30% reported it.

Conclusion

The rising numbers of women in the criminal justice system reflect both societal changes and shifting attitudes within the justice system itself. Pursuing solutions to address the issues of victimization and crime among women necessitates not only understanding the context of their experiences but also implementing systemic changes in laws and support systems for both victims and offenders.

3-4d LGBTQ Status and Victimization

Overview

The LGBTQ acronym represents individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning. The experiences of this community with crime, particularly victimization, are significant yet often underreported in large-scale crime measurements. This section explores the victimization of LGBTQ individuals, especially in relation to sexual assault and hate crimes on campus.

Victimization Statistics

• According to a study by the Association of American Universities, approximately 23% of LGBTQ students have reported experiencing a sexual assault while on campus.

• Hate Crimes: The FBI's annual report reveals that about one in five hate crime incidents in the USA is directed against LGBTQ individuals. However, these statistics may not fully capture the incidence of hate crimes due to underreporting.

  • Underreporting Issues: Research indicates a general lack of trust in law enforcement among LGBTQ individuals leads to underreporting of victimization. A self-reported survey showed LGBTQ individuals experience stalking at rates similar to the general population but report their victimization to police at the lowest rates.

Factors Influencing Victimization

1. Social Stigmatization: Societal discrimination and stigma against LGBTQ individuals can perpetuate environments where victimization is more likely to occur. This stigma can also dissuade victims from reporting crimes due to fear of further victimization or discrimination by authorities.

2. Legal Barriers: Legal protections for LGBTQ individuals can vary significantly by jurisdiction, affecting their willingness to report crimes or access resources.

Learning Objectives Addressed

• Objective #1: Understanding the prevalence of LGBTQ victimization: The significant statistics regarding sexual assault on campus and hate crime incidents underscore the need for awareness and intervention.

• Objective #2: Examining the factors contributing to underreporting: The exploration of social stigmatization and legal barriers illuminates why LGBTQ individuals may hesitate to report crimes, despite experiencing victimization similar to other demographic groups.

Conclusion

The understanding of LGBTQ victimization highlights critical social justice issues. Advocacy for inclusive law enforcement practices and support systems is essential in addressing these disparities and ensuring that LGBTQ individuals feel safe and empowered to report victimization.

3-4e Mental Illness and Crime

Overview of Mental Illness and Crime

In the context of the criminal justice system, mental illness encompasses various symptoms including recurring depression, anger, hallucinations, and conditions like schizophrenia. Recent government research indicates that about 11% of Americans over eighteen suffer from some form of mental illness, equating to approximately 26 million individuals.

Linking Mental Illness to Violent Behavior

• Statistical Evidence: Studies show that individuals with mental illness do not pose a significant threat to society. The American Journal of Psychiatry reported that only 4% of violent crimes in the U.S. can be attributed to people with mental illness.

• Serious Conditions: Although serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can increase the risk of violent behavior, the most critical risk factor for violence in the mentally ill population appears to be substance abuse, with 80-90% of mentally ill inmates also abusing drugs or alcohol.

Victimization Risk among Mentally Ill Individuals

It’s important to note that those suffering from mental illness are often more likely to be victims rather than offenders, which can be attributed to several factors:

1. Employment Challenges: Mental illness can hinder a person's ability to maintain employment, often leading to poverty—a known correlate of victimization.

2. Homelessness: Individuals with mental illness are more likely to be homeless, hence more vulnerable to crime.

3. Decision-Making Difficulties: Mental conditions can impair judgment in potentially dangerous situations, raising the risk of assault. One study indicated that mental illness increases the danger of victimization by 50% for men and 64% for women.

Legal Restrictions on Firearm Ownership

• Current Laws: Nearly every state restricts firearm ownership for individuals with mental illness. Federal law prohibits selling firearms to individuals adjudicated as mentally defective or committed to a mental institution.

• Debate: Questions arise concerning the fairness and necessity of these legal constraints in protecting the public from gun violence.

Mental Health Services and Their Challenges

• Advocacy for Services: Mental health advocates argue that improving access to treatment and temporary housing for those with mental illness can mitigate harm to themselves and society.

• Cost of Services: The prohibitive costs associated with mental health services remain a barrier, leading to ongoing challenges within the criminal justice system.

Ethical Considerations

• California's Consent Policy: California mandates affirmative consent policies across state colleges to combat sexual assault, raising sentiments on whether such regulations positively or negatively influence sexual conduct on campuses.

Policy Issues: Criminalizing Homelessness

• Current Trends: Increases in homelessness arise from a lack of affordable housing and a decline in federally subsidized housing, leading many to seek shelter in undesired living conditions.

• Criminalization Practices: An investigation by the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty found that 50% of 187 surveyed cities banned various activities such as camping in public areas, sleeping in public, and panhandling, exacerbating difficulties for homeless individuals.

Impact on Homelessness and Crime

• Consequences of Criminalization: Critics argue that these ordinances worsen homelessness by creating criminal records, limiting access to housing and employment. Politicians maintain that such policies target health hazards created by encampments.

Legal and Ethical Debates

• Public Spaces and Rights: Various viewpoints are presented in the ongoing debate about the rights of homeless individuals to occupy public spaces and whether prohibitive laws serve to protect community health or unjustly penalize poverty.

• Judicial Action: A federal court ruled that punishing homeless people for sleeping outdoors infringes on their rights, emphasizing that homelessness is not a choice for many.

Conclusion

The intersection of mental illness, homelessness, and crime raises significant ethical and systemic questions that require thoughtful consideration, balancing public safety with compassion and support for vulnerable populations.