This document provides an overview of crime and criminal justice. It discusses definitions of norms, laws, and different types of crimes. Statistics on violent crimes like murder, rape, assault, and robbery are presented, as well as property crimes like burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft. Information is given on who typically commits crimes, as well as theories for the causes of crime from biological, psychological, sociological, and political perspectives. The roles of police, courts, and punishments in the criminal justice system are outlined.
These PowerPoint presentations are intended for use by crime prevention practitioners who bring their experience and expertise to each topic. The presentations are not intended for public use or by individuals with no training or expertise in crime prevention. Each presentation is intended to educate, increase awareness, and teach prevention strategies. Presenters must discern whether their audiences require a more basic or advanced level of information.
NCPC welcomes your input and would like your assistance in tracking the use of these topical presentations. Please email NCPC at trainings@ncpc.org with information about when and how the presentations were used. If you like, we will also place you in a database to receive updates of the PowerPoint presentations and additional training information. We encourage you to visit www.ncpc.org to find additional information on these topics. We also invite you to send in your own trainer notes, handouts, pictures, and anecdotes to share with others on www.ncpc.org.
These PowerPoint presentations are intended for use by crime prevention practitioners who bring their experience and expertise to each topic. The presentations are not intended for public use or by individuals with no training or expertise in crime prevention. Each presentation is intended to educate, increase awareness, and teach prevention strategies. Presenters must discern whether their audiences require a more basic or advanced level of information.
NCPC welcomes your input and would like your assistance in tracking the use of these topical presentations. Please email NCPC at trainings@ncpc.org with information about when and how the presentations were used. If you like, we will also place you in a database to receive updates of the PowerPoint presentations and additional training information. We encourage you to visit www.ncpc.org to find additional information on these topics. We also invite you to send in your own trainer notes, handouts, pictures, and anecdotes to share with others on www.ncpc.org.
How do criminals decide to commit a crime? Do they even think about the risks and benefits? Why do some commit crimes regardless of the consequences? These are some questions we often ask for ourselves because of the growing number of crimes happening in the society today.
This presentation includes slides on the definition of crime and distinction between crime and deviance. It also includes slides on types of criminals.
Imran Ahmad Sajid
University of Peshawar
How do criminals decide to commit a crime? Do they even think about the risks and benefits? Why do some commit crimes regardless of the consequences? These are some questions we often ask for ourselves because of the growing number of crimes happening in the society today.
This presentation includes slides on the definition of crime and distinction between crime and deviance. It also includes slides on types of criminals.
Imran Ahmad Sajid
University of Peshawar
11320171Chapter 13 Public Order Crimes-Slides andBenitoSumpter862
11/3/2017
1
Chapter 13: Public Order Crimes
-Slides and data in this outline are from Adler, Mueller, and Laufer (2007, 2013 &
2018); Siegel (2015); and modified by Manning (2007, 2013, 2015 & 2018).
Drug abuse and crime
Alcohol and crime
Sexual morality offenses
Law and Morality
• Public Order Crimes
• Behavior that is outlawed because it threatens the general well-being of
society and challenges its accepted moral principles.
• Sometimes referred to as victimless crimes.
• Drug and alcohol use, prostitution, pornography and even gambling.
• Censorship of those freely choosing to engage maybe a violation of free
speech.
• Which may lead to dissent
• Moral Crusaders say it doesn’t diminish freedom of opinion.
Law and Morality
• Criminal or Immoral?
• Social harm
• Immoral acts can be distinguished from crimes on the basis of the injury they cause:
• Acts that cause harm or injury are outlawed and punished as crimes.
• Acts, even those that are vulgar, offensive, and depraved are not outlawed or punished if they
harm no one.
• 500,000 US deaths per year due to alcohol and tobacco
• Immoral yet legal and regulated by our government.
• Marijuana is nonfatal and sold for medical purposes
• Should laws be applied to shape social morality?
• What about polygamy, or minors and marriage?
• Why is prostitution illegal?
11/3/2017
2
Substance Abuse: when did it begin?
• Egypt – use of opium
• Religion 3,500 BC; Painkiller 1,600 AD
• USE – Use begins for medical purposes
• Opium (Morphine and Codeine)
• Used to treat a wide variety of illness
• Civil War morphine = Soldiers disease
• 1860s cocaine to unblock sinues.
• Alcohol and its prohibition
• January 16, 1920, the 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale and
transportation of alcoholic beverages.
• Women’s Christian Temperance Union
• American Anti-Saloon League (Carrie Nation).
• December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution repealed 18th.
Stats on drug abuse
• Extent of substance abuse
• Alcohol abuse in USA national high school studies: approximately 52%
• Binge drinking – 5x once per month 23%
• Heavy drinking – 5 per night 5 x per month 6%
• NHS surveys show:
• Drug abuse declined between 1970-1990
• Increased until 1996
• 2007 till now marijuana rose to an all time high
• Major issues: K2 and spice is synthetic marijuana (not plant based)
• Overall drug used peaked in 1970s, decreased till 1990s and now steady.
• Exceptions: Marijuana and Heroin (US epidemic) has increased since 2011
Drug abuse linked to crime
• Substance abuse appears to be heavily linked to crime.
• Adolescents who use illegal drugs engage in more fights and theft.
• 40% incarcerated adults for violence crimes used alcohol before arrest.
• Alcohol reduces restraint on aggression
• Alcohol reduces awareness of consequences
• Drunk driving
• There are different kinds of drug users but not all commit crimes.
• There are differences in criminality ...
11320171Chapter 13 Public Order Crimes-Slides andSantosConleyha
11/3/2017
1
Chapter 13: Public Order Crimes
-Slides and data in this outline are from Adler, Mueller, and Laufer (2007, 2013 &
2018); Siegel (2015); and modified by Manning (2007, 2013, 2015 & 2018).
Drug abuse and crime
Alcohol and crime
Sexual morality offenses
Law and Morality
• Public Order Crimes
• Behavior that is outlawed because it threatens the general well-being of
society and challenges its accepted moral principles.
• Sometimes referred to as victimless crimes.
• Drug and alcohol use, prostitution, pornography and even gambling.
• Censorship of those freely choosing to engage maybe a violation of free
speech.
• Which may lead to dissent
• Moral Crusaders say it doesn’t diminish freedom of opinion.
Law and Morality
• Criminal or Immoral?
• Social harm
• Immoral acts can be distinguished from crimes on the basis of the injury they cause:
• Acts that cause harm or injury are outlawed and punished as crimes.
• Acts, even those that are vulgar, offensive, and depraved are not outlawed or punished if they
harm no one.
• 500,000 US deaths per year due to alcohol and tobacco
• Immoral yet legal and regulated by our government.
• Marijuana is nonfatal and sold for medical purposes
• Should laws be applied to shape social morality?
• What about polygamy, or minors and marriage?
• Why is prostitution illegal?
11/3/2017
2
Substance Abuse: when did it begin?
• Egypt – use of opium
• Religion 3,500 BC; Painkiller 1,600 AD
• USE – Use begins for medical purposes
• Opium (Morphine and Codeine)
• Used to treat a wide variety of illness
• Civil War morphine = Soldiers disease
• 1860s cocaine to unblock sinues.
• Alcohol and its prohibition
• January 16, 1920, the 18th Amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale and
transportation of alcoholic beverages.
• Women’s Christian Temperance Union
• American Anti-Saloon League (Carrie Nation).
• December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution repealed 18th.
Stats on drug abuse
• Extent of substance abuse
• Alcohol abuse in USA national high school studies: approximately 52%
• Binge drinking – 5x once per month 23%
• Heavy drinking – 5 per night 5 x per month 6%
• NHS surveys show:
• Drug abuse declined between 1970-1990
• Increased until 1996
• 2007 till now marijuana rose to an all time high
• Major issues: K2 and spice is synthetic marijuana (not plant based)
• Overall drug used peaked in 1970s, decreased till 1990s and now steady.
• Exceptions: Marijuana and Heroin (US epidemic) has increased since 2011
Drug abuse linked to crime
• Substance abuse appears to be heavily linked to crime.
• Adolescents who use illegal drugs engage in more fights and theft.
• 40% incarcerated adults for violence crimes used alcohol before arrest.
• Alcohol reduces restraint on aggression
• Alcohol reduces awareness of consequences
• Drunk driving
• There are different kinds of drug users but not all commit crimes.
• There are differences in criminality ...
122820211Chapter Two Defining Crimes and MeasurinCicelyBourqueju
12/28/2021
1
Chapter Two: Defining Crimes and
Measuring Criminal Behavior
-Slides and data in this outline are from Adler, Mueller, and Laufer (2007, 2013,
2018 & 2022); Siegel (2015); and modified by Manning (2007, 2013, 2015, 2018
& 2022).
Scared Straight Program – 1978 Rahway Max Prison
-Politically motivated –fit the get tough on crime bill
-Three year post experiment study shows evidence must be evidence based
-Criminologists embrace a systematic empirical study of the nature and extent of crime.
Example of successful criminology research based policy:
-Domestic violence research between 1981-82 shows police counseling and temporary separation was
not effective.
-Now there are more mandatory arrest being made.
7 Basic Requirements for an Act to be a Crime
Defense must prove failure of a basic requirement
• 1. The act requirement – mind & Body
• Conscious act not an unconscious act or reaction
• Not a status or condition
• 2. The legality requirement – prohibited by law
• Thoughts without action – no crime
• Choosing to not fill out sex registration forms – is a crime
• Good Samaritan?
• 3. The harm requirement
• 4. The causation requirement
• Behavior in question caused the harm – not a 3rd party
• 5. The mens rea requirement (guilty mind)
• 6. The concurrence requirement
• Must be a criminal act with criminal intent (Ex: striker – rock –window)
• Exceptions – felony murder
• 7. The punishment requirement – its must already exist
12/28/2021
2
Criminal defense negates basic ingredients of
crime.
• Crime – must be known to the police
• Not all crimes reported are cleared
• DA will not always prosecute
• Defense negation of crime elements examples:
• Insanity defense; legality requirement lacking; duress, self-defense.
• State tries cases on behalf of the state
• Victims can file civil law suits for pain and suffering
Typologies of Crime
• The French created the following three categories accepted
worldwide
• Felonies - severe
• Misdemeanors – minor
• Violation - fines
• As Criminologist we will also focus on the following
• Violent crime
• Crimes against property
• White collar and corporate crime
• Drug, alcohol and sex-related crime
12/28/2021
3
Reasons for Measuring Crime
• Researchers collect and analyze data to test theories about why
people commit crime.
• Researchers and criminal justice agencies need to enhance their
knowledge of the characteristics of various types of offenses.
• Criminal justice agencies depend on certain information to facilitate
daily operations and anticipate future needs.
The Research Process
• Topic – research question
• Theory: is a set of principles that explain how 2 or more phenomena
are related
• May choose to use a hypothesis or not.
• Methodology (qualitative vs. quantitative)
• Will you use secondary data or primary data
• Analysis
• What did you do, findings, discussions and conclusions
12/28/2021
4
Exploring and defin ...
12/28/2021
1
Chapter Two: Defining Crimes and
Measuring Criminal Behavior
-Slides and data in this outline are from Adler, Mueller, and Laufer (2007, 2013,
2018 & 2022); Siegel (2015); and modified by Manning (2007, 2013, 2015, 2018
& 2022).
Scared Straight Program – 1978 Rahway Max Prison
-Politically motivated –fit the get tough on crime bill
-Three year post experiment study shows evidence must be evidence based
-Criminologists embrace a systematic empirical study of the nature and extent of crime.
Example of successful criminology research based policy:
-Domestic violence research between 1981-82 shows police counseling and temporary separation was
not effective.
-Now there are more mandatory arrest being made.
7 Basic Requirements for an Act to be a Crime
Defense must prove failure of a basic requirement
• 1. The act requirement – mind & Body
• Conscious act not an unconscious act or reaction
• Not a status or condition
• 2. The legality requirement – prohibited by law
• Thoughts without action – no crime
• Choosing to not fill out sex registration forms – is a crime
• Good Samaritan?
• 3. The harm requirement
• 4. The causation requirement
• Behavior in question caused the harm – not a 3rd party
• 5. The mens rea requirement (guilty mind)
• 6. The concurrence requirement
• Must be a criminal act with criminal intent (Ex: striker – rock –window)
• Exceptions – felony murder
• 7. The punishment requirement – its must already exist
12/28/2021
2
Criminal defense negates basic ingredients of
crime.
• Crime – must be known to the police
• Not all crimes reported are cleared
• DA will not always prosecute
• Defense negation of crime elements examples:
• Insanity defense; legality requirement lacking; duress, self-defense.
• State tries cases on behalf of the state
• Victims can file civil law suits for pain and suffering
Typologies of Crime
• The French created the following three categories accepted
worldwide
• Felonies - severe
• Misdemeanors – minor
• Violation - fines
• As Criminologist we will also focus on the following
• Violent crime
• Crimes against property
• White collar and corporate crime
• Drug, alcohol and sex-related crime
12/28/2021
3
Reasons for Measuring Crime
• Researchers collect and analyze data to test theories about why
people commit crime.
• Researchers and criminal justice agencies need to enhance their
knowledge of the characteristics of various types of offenses.
• Criminal justice agencies depend on certain information to facilitate
daily operations and anticipate future needs.
The Research Process
• Topic – research question
• Theory: is a set of principles that explain how 2 or more phenomena
are related
• May choose to use a hypothesis or not.
• Methodology (qualitative vs. quantitative)
• Will you use secondary data or primary data
• Analysis
• What did you do, findings, discussions and conclusions
12/28/2021
4
Exploring and defin ...
AQA forensic psychology revision for alevel paper 3.
SLIDE 25 - HOLT EXAMPLE : Holt - significant difference in positive behaviour compared to a non-token group.
For some reason that part wasn't included in the upload.
The Indian economy is classified into different sectors to simplify the analysis and understanding of economic activities. For Class 10, it's essential to grasp the sectors of the Indian economy, understand their characteristics, and recognize their importance. This guide will provide detailed notes on the Sectors of the Indian Economy Class 10, using specific long-tail keywords to enhance comprehension.
For more information, visit-www.vavaclasses.com
Instructions for Submissions thorugh G- Classroom.pptxJheel Barad
This presentation provides a briefing on how to upload submissions and documents in Google Classroom. It was prepared as part of an orientation for new Sainik School in-service teacher trainees. As a training officer, my goal is to ensure that you are comfortable and proficient with this essential tool for managing assignments and fostering student engagement.
Read| The latest issue of The Challenger is here! We are thrilled to announce that our school paper has qualified for the NATIONAL SCHOOLS PRESS CONFERENCE (NSPC) 2024. Thank you for your unwavering support and trust. Dive into the stories that made us stand out!
Welcome to TechSoup New Member Orientation and Q&A (May 2024).pdfTechSoup
In this webinar you will learn how your organization can access TechSoup's wide variety of product discount and donation programs. From hardware to software, we'll give you a tour of the tools available to help your nonprofit with productivity, collaboration, financial management, donor tracking, security, and more.
The Roman Empire A Historical Colossus.pdfkaushalkr1407
The Roman Empire, a vast and enduring power, stands as one of history's most remarkable civilizations, leaving an indelible imprint on the world. It emerged from the Roman Republic, transitioning into an imperial powerhouse under the leadership of Augustus Caesar in 27 BCE. This transformation marked the beginning of an era defined by unprecedented territorial expansion, architectural marvels, and profound cultural influence.
The empire's roots lie in the city of Rome, founded, according to legend, by Romulus in 753 BCE. Over centuries, Rome evolved from a small settlement to a formidable republic, characterized by a complex political system with elected officials and checks on power. However, internal strife, class conflicts, and military ambitions paved the way for the end of the Republic. Julius Caesar’s dictatorship and subsequent assassination in 44 BCE created a power vacuum, leading to a civil war. Octavian, later Augustus, emerged victorious, heralding the Roman Empire’s birth.
Under Augustus, the empire experienced the Pax Romana, a 200-year period of relative peace and stability. Augustus reformed the military, established efficient administrative systems, and initiated grand construction projects. The empire's borders expanded, encompassing territories from Britain to Egypt and from Spain to the Euphrates. Roman legions, renowned for their discipline and engineering prowess, secured and maintained these vast territories, building roads, fortifications, and cities that facilitated control and integration.
The Roman Empire’s society was hierarchical, with a rigid class system. At the top were the patricians, wealthy elites who held significant political power. Below them were the plebeians, free citizens with limited political influence, and the vast numbers of slaves who formed the backbone of the economy. The family unit was central, governed by the paterfamilias, the male head who held absolute authority.
Culturally, the Romans were eclectic, absorbing and adapting elements from the civilizations they encountered, particularly the Greeks. Roman art, literature, and philosophy reflected this synthesis, creating a rich cultural tapestry. Latin, the Roman language, became the lingua franca of the Western world, influencing numerous modern languages.
Roman architecture and engineering achievements were monumental. They perfected the arch, vault, and dome, constructing enduring structures like the Colosseum, Pantheon, and aqueducts. These engineering marvels not only showcased Roman ingenuity but also served practical purposes, from public entertainment to water supply.
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2. Norms, Law, and Crime
• Norms are rules and expectations by
which a society guides the behavior of its
members.
• A law is a norm formally created through a
society’s political system.
– Civil law defines legal rights and relationships
involving individuals and businesses.
– Criminal law defines everyone’s
responsibility to uphold public order.
3. Norms, Law, and Crime
• Crime is the violation of a criminal law
enacted by the federal, state, or local
government.
– Misdemeanor: a less serious crime punishable by
less than a year in prison
– Felony: a more serious crime punishable by at least
one year in prison
• 55% of people in the U.S. think dealing with
crime is a “top priority” for our society.
– Fear of crime is itself a social problem because it
limits the things people do and the places they go.
4. Crime Statistics
• Crime against property is crime that involves
theft of property belonging to others.
– burglary, larceny-theft, motor-vehicle theft, arson
• Crime against persons is crime that involves
violence or the threat of violence against
others.
– murder and manslaughter, aggravated assault, forcible
rape, and robbery
5. The annual FBI Uniform
Crime Report includes only
reported street crimes.
It does not include “elite
crimes” such as business
fraud, insider stock trading,
corruption, price fixing, and
illegal dumping of toxic
wastes.
The UCR underestimates
the actual extent of street
crime and gives a biased
picture of the typical
criminal.
6. Violent Crime: Patterns and Trends
• Violent Crimes:
– 12% of all serious offenses
– increased quickly from 1960 until the early
1990s
• Why a recent drop in violent crime?
– Strong economy
– Drop in use of crack cocaine
– Hiring of more police
– Tougher sentencing
7. Violent Crime: Murder
• Rate has been falling since 1993
• Murder victims:
– 78% are male
– 51% are African American
– 46% are white
• Arrests made in 63% of all murders
• 78% of all murder victims knew the
offender; in 23% of the cases, they were
related.
8. Violent Crime: Murder
• Many cases of homicide include a history
of the killer stalking the victim.
– Stalking is defined as repeated efforts
by someone to establish or reestablish
a relationship against the will of the
victim.
– 75% of stalking victims
are women.
9. Violent Crime: Forcible Rape
• Nationally, only 28% of women who
are raped make a report to the police.
• Most attackers know their victims, but
arrests are made in only 21% of reported
cases.
• Statistics include attempted rape and male
rape victims, but not sex with a minor
(statutory rape).
10. Violent Crime:
Aggravated Assault
• Aggravated assault accounts for
63% of all reported violent crime.
• The majority of both victims and
offenders are men.
• Arrests are made in 51% of the reported
cases.
11. Violent Crime: Robbery
• Involves stealing and threatening
another person; a property and a
violent crime
• Least likely of all violent crimes to result in
an arrest; just 29% were cleared in 2012.
• Offenders:
• 87% male
• 62% under age 25
• 55% African American
• 43% white
12. Property Crimes: Patterns and Trends
• Seven times as many property crimes as
violent crimes
• A property crime occurs every four
seconds.
• Annual losses: $16 billion
• Arrests made in 18% of reported cases
13. Property Crimes: Burglary and
Larceny-theft
• Burglary
– only 11% of cases are cleared
– Majority of those arrested are male
(84%) and under 25 (55%)
• Larceny-theft
– 16% of cases cleared
– Comprise 60% of all crimes tracked
by FBI
– 43% of arrests were females
– includes shoplifting, purse-snatching
14. Property Crimes:
Motor Vehicle Theft and Arson
• Motor Vehicle Theft
– Only 7.4% of cases are cleared
– Losses in 2012: $4.3 billion
– Offenders:
• 50% under 25; 81% males
• Arson
– 19% of cases cleared
– Average loss of about $13,000
– Offenders:
• 57% under age 25; 82% males
15. “Street” Crime: Who Are the Criminals?
• Age: young; arrest rates peak in the late teens
• Gender: Males accounted for 63% of arrests for
property crime and 80% of arrests for violent
crime.
– Women show up most often for larceny-theft (43% of
arrests are of women), fraud (41%), embezzlement
(48%), and prostitution (68%).
• Social class: Crime rates are high in low-
income neighborhoods but most crime is
committed by a small number of repeat
offenders.
16. • Race and Ethnicity:
– Most “street crime” arrests involve white
suspects.
– In proportion to population share (13%),
African Americans are more likely than whites
to be arrested
• Black males are six times more likely than white
males to spend time in jail.
• One-third of black men in their twenties either in jail,
on probation, or on parole
“Street” Crime: Who Are the Criminals?
17. • Why does race play a large part in the street
crime picture?
– Deprivation faced by black youths may lead to
hostility towards police and distrust of “the system.”
– Prejudice based on race may prompt people to
suspect blacks on the basis of skin color.
– 72% of black children are born to single mothers.
• Asian Americans underrepresented in street
crime statistics: higher income levels and strong
cultural emphasis on family, discipline, and
honor.
“Street” Crime: Who Are the Criminals?
18. Juvenile Delinquency
• Juvenile delinquency is violation of the
law by young people.
• The goal of the juvenile justice system is
to protect the community and serve the
best interests of youthful offenders.
• For serious offenses, juveniles can be
tried and sentenced as adults, but since
2005, they cannot be sentenced to death.
19.
20. Hate Crimes
• A hate crime is a criminal offense against
a person, property, or society motivated by
the offender’s bias against a race,
religion, disability, sexual orientation, or
ethnicity or national origin.
• 45 states and the federal government
mandate additional penalties for offenses
that meet the criteria of a hate crime.
• Many hate crimes are not reported.
21. White-Collar Crime
• Illegal activities committed by people of
high social position during the course of
their employment or regular business
activities
• Edwin Sutherland (1940):
– White collar crimes are more common than
people imagine.
– They often receive little public attention.
– Cases are usually heard in a civil court, and if
convicted, offenders rarely go to jail.
22. Corporate Crime
• Unlawful act committed by a corporation or
by persons acting on its behalf
• Gross negligence: knowingly producing a
faulty or dangerous product.
• The cost of white-collar and corporate
crime is far greater than the costs of all
property crimes in a year.
23. Organized Crime and Victimless Crime
• Organized crime is a business operation
that supplies illegal goods and services
such as gambling, sex, or drugs.
– Organized crime has become multinational.
• Victimless crimes refer to offenses that
directly harm no one but the person who
commits them, such as gambling and
prostitution.
– They can, and do, cause harm.
24. Violence
• Violence is behavior that causes injury to
people or damage to property.
• Violence becomes a social problem to the
extent that people define it that way:
1. What do the actors intend by their
actions?
2. Does the violence conform to or
violate social norms and values?
3. Does the violence support or
threaten the social order?
4. Is the violence committed by or
against the government?
25. Violence
• Institutional violence,
violence carried out by
government
representatives under the
law, is widely supported.
• People are quick to condemn anti-
institutional violence, violence directed
against the government in violation of the
law.
26. Serious Violence: Mass Murder
and Serial Killings
• Mass Murder: intentional, unlawful killing of four
or more people at one time and place.
– occur in schools, businesses, or homes, where people
assume they are safe from violence
– Mass murderers are almost always men.
• Serial Murder: the killing of several people by
one offender over a period of time.
27. The Mass Media and Violence
• Most researchers agree
that watching violence
may
– encourage people to be
more violent.
– desensitize people to
violence.
28. Youth Gangs and Violence
• Youth gangs are groups of young people who
identify with one another and with a particular
territory.
• Youth gangs can be:
– nonviolent groups.
– those who sometimes clash over turf.
– all-out criminal organizations.
• Typical violent gang members
– come from poor, single-parent families.
– are from neighborhoods characterized by high crime
rates, drug abuse, and limited job opportunities.
29. Drugs and Violence
• Drugs contribute to violence by distorting
judgment and reducing inhibitions.
• Some drugs are addictive and cause
cravings so strong that people may turn
violent in their search for the next high.
30. Guns and Violence
• Many people blame the problem of crime
on the easy availability of guns.
– 34% of households have at least one gun.
– 37% of these weapons are handguns.
• Gun violence is the
leading cause of death
for African American
and Latino males aged
15 to 34.
31. Guns and Violence
• Liberals:
– restrict availability of handguns
– require trigger locks
– ban military-style assault rifles
• Conservatives:
– Stand by Constitutional right to “keep and bear arms”
– Widespread gun ownership may help to reduce crime
by deterring would-be criminals.
32. The Criminal Justice System
• Society’s use of due process, involving
police, courts, and punishment, to enforce
the law.
• Due Process: The criminal justice system
must operate within the bounds of law.
33. Police
• Police make choices about what warrants
their attention.
• Smith and Visher found the following
factors guide police in arrest decisions:
1. How serious is the crime?
2. What does the victim want?
3. Is the suspect cooperative?
4. Does the suspect have a record?
5. Are bystanders watching?
6. What is the suspect’s race?
34. Courts
• 97% of criminal cases are settled through
plea-bargaining, a negotiation in which
the state reduces a defendant’s charge in
exchange for a guilty plea.
• Relying too heavily on plea bargaining can
take away a defendant’s constitutional
right to a trial.
35. Punishment
Justifications for a society to punish its wrongdoers:
– Retribution, moral vengeance by which society inflicts
on the offender suffering comparable to that caused by
the offense.
– Deterrence, using punishment to discourage further
crime.
– Rehabilitation, reforming an offender to prevent future
offenses.
– Societal protection, protecting the public by using
incarceration or execution to prevent an offender from
committing further offenses.
36. Does Punishment Work?
• Increasing criticism of mass incarceration,
with an unprecedented 2.3 million people
behind bars.
– Conservatives:
Concerned about high
costs ($30,000 per
inmate per year)
– Liberals: Concerned
about violence of prison
life, breaking up families,
targeting of minorities.
37. Restorative Justice and
Community Based Programs
• Restorative justice is a response to crime
seeking to restore the well-being of the
victim, offender, and larger communities
lost due to crime.
• Correctional programs located in society
as a whole rather than behind prison walls:
– Probation
– Shock Probation
– Parole
38. The Death Penalty
• 18 states have abolished the death penalty; six
have done so since 2006.
• Between 1977 and 2014,
– more than 8,000 people were sentenced to death.
– 1,359 executions were carried out.
• Trend is downward:
– 2013: 80 death sentences and 39 executions
– 47% of all death row prisoners are in Texas,
California, and Florida.
• 65% of U.S. adults support death penalty in
cases of murder.
39. Biological Causes of Crime
• Early research into biological causes:
– Cesare Lombroso (1876)
– William Sheldon (1949)
– Sheldon and Eleanor Glueck (1950)
• 1960s: Genetics and criminal behavior
• 2000s: Neurocriminology
• Biological theories do not provide an
adequate understanding of criminal
behavior.
40. Psychological Causes of Crime
• Personality traits play a part in criminality.
• Problems with this approach:
– Many serious crimes are committed by people
who are quite “normal”
– psychological theories consider only the
individual, not how society defines them
41. Structural-Functional Analysis:
Why Society Creates Crime
• Emile Durkheim: the Functions of Crime
– Crime affirms a society’s norms and values.
– Recognizing crime helps everyone recognize the line
between right and wrong.
– Reacting to crime helps bring people together.
– Crime encourages social change.
• Crime is a creation of society, not individuals.
• Crime is a normal and necessary element of
society.
42. Structural-Functional Analysis:
Why Society Creates Crime
• Robert Merton: Strain theory
– Crime is a product of society itself.
– Patterns of rule-breaking depend on whether
or not
• people accept society’s goals.
• society provides the opportunity to reach these
goals.
– Five specific outcomes: Conformity,
innovation, ritualism, retreatism, rebellion
43. • Cloward and Ohlin: Opportunity structure
– Becoming a criminal depends on the
presence of illegitimate opportunity.
– Patterns of conformity and criminality depend
on people’s relative opportunity structure.
Structural-Functional Analysis:
Why Society Creates Crime
44. • Travis Hirschi argues that social ties
discourage crime.
• Social ties that operate to control crime:
– attachment to other people
– access to conventional opportunity
– involvement in conventional activities
– belief in the rightness of cultural norms and
values
Structural-Functional Analysis:
Why Society Creates Crime
45. Symbolic-Interaction Analysis:
Socially Constructing Reality
• People learn criminal behavior from their
surroundings.
• What is defined as a crime and who is
defined as a criminal result from a highly
variable process of social definition.
46. Symbolic-Interaction Analysis
• Edwin Sutherland: Differential
Association Theory
– Learning takes place in social groups.
– Deviance depends on extent of contact with
those who discourage conventional behavior.
• Howard Becker: Labeling Theory
– The only real definition of “rule breaking” is
behavior that people label that way.
– No action is right or wrong in any absolute
sense.
47. Symbolic-Interaction Analysis
• Lemert: Primary vs. Secondary Deviance
– How individuals can be changed by the labels
people apply to their behavior.
– Primary deviance (skipping school, underage
drinking) may have only passing significance.
– Reaction of others to primary deviance can
provoke secondary deviance and the individual
begins basing choices on this “deviant
identity.”
48. Symbolic-Interaction Analysis
• Erving Goffman: the Power of Stigma
– A stigma is a powerful negative social label
that changes a person’s self-concept and
social identity.
– Once stigmatized, an individual may find that
conventional friends disappear.
– A criminal prosecution can be a powerful ritual
that stigmatizes an individual.
49. Social-Conflict Analysis:
Crime and Inequality
• Karl Marx: Class and Crime
– Social problems in terms of class conflict
– Crime as a product of social inequality
– Solution to the crime problem: Eliminate
capitalism for a more egalitarian system.
50. Feminist Analysis:
Crime and Gender
• With less access to good jobs and
positions of power, some women see
crime as a means of coping with their
exploitation and as a way to make a living.
• Police are far more likely to arrest women
working as prostitutes than men who pay
for sex.
• Women are at high risk of sexual violence.
51. Politics and Crime: Constructing
Problems and Defining Solutions
• Conservatives claim
– that people raised in strong, law-abiding
families are unlikely to commit crime.
– in tougher laws, more aggressive policing,
and harsher penalties to combat crime.
– that crime can be controlled when parents
teach children to make the right choices in a
world of pressures.
52. Politics and Crime: Constructing
Problems and Defining Solutions
• Liberals claim
– many people live in situations that pressure
them to break the law.
– that crime is caused by a harmful
environment, particularly by living in poverty.
– that jobs are the key to a drop in the crime
rate.
53. Politics and Crime: Constructing
Problems and Defining Solutions
• The radical left claims
– that economic insecurity is the real violence
carried out against people every day.
– the solution begins with a restructuring of the
economic and political system.
– that a more egalitarian social order can make
a real claim to justice.