Term
| when was the term Criminology first used? what did it mean? |
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Definition
late 1800s
scientific concern with the phenomenon of crime |
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Term
| What did Sutherland say about criminology? |
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Definition
Criminolgy includes making laws, breaking them, and the reactions of breaking laws
it is objective and develops principles and knowledge about process of law, crime, and treatment/prevention |
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Term
| What did Sutherland say criminology develops principles and knowledge about? (3) |
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Definition
1. Process of law
2. crime
3. treatment/prevention of crime |
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Term
| What were the implications of Sutherland's views on criminology? |
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Definition
| 1. empirical: positivism/modern science |
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Term
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Definition
| behavior that violates social norms |
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Term
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Definition
| human conduct that violates criminal law and is subject to punishment |
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Term
| what is the difference between deviance and crime? |
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Definition
| Deviance is constantly changing and differs between states and countries |
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Term
| List: 2 main concepts/models of crime |
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Definition
1. concensus model
2. conflict model |
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Term
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Definition
Certain acts deemed so threatening to society that they are designated crimes
ex: murder, robbery |
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Term
| what are the assumptions of the concensus model of crime? |
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Definition
1. society agrees on what is wrong
2. society is a stable entity in which laws are created for the greater good
3. Laws function to harmonize most of interests that most us accept, no sacrifice |
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Term
| What is the conflict model of crime? |
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Definition
| criminal law expresses values of the ruling class and criminal justice system is a means of controlling classes that have no power |
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Term
| what are the two assumptions of the conflict model of crime? |
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Definition
1. struggle for power is a basic feature of human existence than is concensus
2. through power struggles that various interest groups control law making and law enforcement |
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Term
| list: 6 perspectives of why some people are more prone to commit crime |
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Definition
1. biological
2. moral development
3. sociological
4. crime is normal and a result of human nature
5. Interactionist: Society and CJ system's impact on the offender
6. Society's reactions to breaking laws |
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Term
| biological perspective of crime |
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Definition
genes, hormones, diet make people commit crime more often
ex: adhd/conduct disorder and gluten allergies |
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Term
| moral development perspective on crime |
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Definition
| conscience, criminal personality |
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Term
| Sociological perspective on crime |
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Definition
effect of economic and social conditions
-strain theory
-deviant subcultures |
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Term
| Perspectives of crime: Crime is normal |
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Definition
crime is normal and resultant of human nature and we are all criminals, some just have more restraint than others
examines ability of social groups and insists to make rules effective |
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Term
| Perspectives on crime: Interactionist |
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Definition
society and criminal justice system's impact on the offender
-labelling theory
-conflict theory
-radical criminology
---society makes criminals |
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Term
| Perspectives of crime: Opportunity |
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Definition
routine activities
rational choice: weigh pros and cons |
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Term
| Why are people against researching crime? |
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Definition
1. research on crime is more recent than on causes of crime
-more controversial
-some people think that research helps assist the government in prevention of crime and repression
-some agree that is supports corrupt power structures |
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Term
| why is it important to research crime? |
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Definition
-may discover inhumane, arbitrary, or ineffective practices
-provide databases and ideas for humane, effective CJ system |
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Term
| what are the similarities between criminology and criminal justice? |
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Definition
1. use same research methods
2. closely related fields
3. same rigorous educational standards (phd to research and professor)
4. pursue same goals |
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Term
| What are the differences between criminology and criminal justice? |
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Definition
criminology has european roots, focuses on crime and criminality
criminal justice is an american field, focuses more on decision-making proceses, operates on efficiency, just treatment of offenders, needs of victims, effects of changes in sentencing |
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Term
| criminology as a science: goal |
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Definition
pursues knowledge about crime and control through scientific method, rather than casual observation
avoids confirmation bias |
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Term
| 3 questions during research |
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Definition
1. who will be observed and how many observations will be made?
2. Purpose of experiment?
3. methods |
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Term
| 3 reasons to measure crime |
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Definition
| 1. collect/analyze information to test theories of why people commit crime and make predictions from data |
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Term
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| ystematic set of principles that explain how two or more phenomena are related |
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Term
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Definition
| testable proposition that describes how two or more factors are related |
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Term
| Three reasons to study crime |
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Definition
1. ethical, what works and what doesnt
2. enhance knowledge of characteristics of different offenses. why some crimes are committed more than others
3. to make measurements necessary to make daily decisions (policy and tactics)
ex: how many people flow thru count jails? number of beds, personnel nmeeded. anticipate future needs and measure effect of CJ efforts
ex: what effect does change in law have on crime? "shall issue" laws good? |
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Term
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Definition
entire group we want to know about
ex: all murderers in US; all police officers in US; all larcenies in Michigan, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
selected subgroup of population of interest; used when non practical to study whole population (supposed to be representative of population)
make inferences about population based on observations of sample |
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Term
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Definition
| to what extent to the characteristics of stubjects studied represent larger population? |
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Term
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Definition
1. cross-sectional research
2. longitudinal |
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Term
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Definition
| observations made at one point in time |
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Term
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Definition
| multiple observations made over period of time |
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Term
| Types of survey research (2) |
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Definition
1. questionnaire
2. interviews |
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Term
| advantages of interviews in research |
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Definition
| 1. cost-effective; only practical way to measure some things (ex: dope smoking - self-reported behaviors_ |
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Term
| advantages of interviews in research |
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Definition
| 1. cost-effective; only practical way to measure some things (ex: dope smoking - self-reported behaviors_ |
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Term
| disadvantages of interviews (2) |
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Definition
1. truthfulness (social desirability); memory; understanding of terms; response bias
2. limitations: measures only correlations, can't always survey entire population or get a representative sample |
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Term
| Advantages of experiments |
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Definition
| can make tentative inferences about the causal relationship between variables |
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Term
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Definition
1. field experiment
2. lab experiments |
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Term
| Field experiment: Example - kansas city preventative patrol study |
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Definition
ex: kansas city preventative patrol study
IV: number of officers on routine preventative patrol
DV: crime rates, attitudes toward police, etc. |
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Term
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Definition
simulated environment, controlled conditions
-rule out all rival causal factors (extraneous variables) |
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Term
| What does NCVS stand for? |
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Definition
| National Crime Victimization Survey |
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Term
| 7 critiques/disadvantages of the NCVS |
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Definition
1. narrower coverage than UCR
2. over-reporting (SS may embellish crime reports or make stuff up to get attention)
3. under-reporting (due to embarrassment, fear of self-incrimination, faulty memory, etc.)
4. possibility of inconsistent interviewing and reporting of data
5. possibility of sampling error (not representative of larger population) example: incarcerated, homeless, etc. are not included in NCVS
6. definition of crimes don't always correspond to federal/state statutes
7. NCVS redesigned 1989-1993; current results are not comparable to those of 10 years ago |
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Term
| why may over-reporting occur in NCVS? |
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Definition
| participants may embellish crime reports or make stuff up to get attention |
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Term
| why may under-reporting occur in NCVS? |
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Definition
due to embarrassment
fear of self-incrimination
faulty memory |
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Term
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Definition
1. addresses unreported crime
2. in-depth information on victimization
3. huge aid in gathering data on domestic violence |
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Term
| What is criminal homicide? |
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Definition
-murder and non-negligent manslaughter
-non-negligent killing of another person
-suicide, accidental deaths, justifiable homicides by law enforcement or killing of felons excluded |
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Term
| Criminal homicide as class I offense: what is excluded? (3) |
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Definition
1. suicide
2. accidental deaths
3. justifiable homicides (law enforcement, killing of a felon) |
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Term
| Criminal I offenses: Manslaughter by negligence |
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Definition
negligent killing
excluded: traffic fatalities, accidental deaths |
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Term
| Criminal offenses type I: Forcible rape |
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Definition
against females
rapes by force and attempted assault to rape
excludes: men and statutory offenses |
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Term
| Criminal offenses type I: what is "weird" about the definition of FORCIBLE RAPE? |
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Definition
excludes men and statutory offenses
archaic definition but it is used by the FBI still |
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Term
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Definition
take items from others by FORCE or THREAT of force
violence and fear |
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Term
| Type I offenses: aggravated assault |
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Definition
attempt to commit serious bodily harm or injury upon an individual
usually involves weapon or deadly force |
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Term
| burglary and breaking/entering |
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Definition
enter STRUCTURE unlawfully to commit felony/theft
excludes: forcible entry |
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Term
| what is excluded in the definition of burglary and breaking/entering? |
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Definition
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Term
| larceny theft: excludes what? |
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Definition
| motor theft and embezzlement |
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Term
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Definition
taking property from others
forgery, worthless checks |
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Term
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Definition
attempt to take
excludes: farm equipment, construction equipment, airplanes, and motor boats |
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Term
| motor vehicle theft: what is excluded? |
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Definition
farm equipment
construction equipment
airplanes and motor boats |
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Term
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Definition
| burning/attempt to burn without attempt to defraud property of another |
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Term
| What information is included in the UCR? (3) |
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Definition
1. crimes reported to police
2. crimes cleared by police
3. clearance of juvenile arrests, value of property stolen, and information on criminal homicide in detail |
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Term
| 3 ways FBI communicates data to public |
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Definition
1. number of crimes reported to police and arrests made (raw numbers)
2. crime rates per 100,000 people
3. changes in crime rate over time |
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Term
| 2008 clearance rates of property vs violent crimes (%) |
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Definition
45% violent crimes
17% property crimes |
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Term
| 2 ways that clearance rates can be manipulated on the UCR? |
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Definition
1. inflated to show new program or leadership is working
2. depressed to make "crime problem" seem more serious and justify budget needs |
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Term
| 5 things that Crime Rates are subject to (what manipulates the results?) |
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Definition
1. do people report the crime to the police?
2. recording (reporting practices by police can easily manipulate numbers) FBI guidelines for definitions of crimes vary from state law and can be interpreted differently among departments)
3. not all departments submit data or are not consistent
4. manipulation as discussed above or to improve public image.
5. hierarchy rule (when multiple offenses occur, only most serious crime committed is counted -- ie abduction->rape-> murder |
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Term
| What is the irony regarding crime rate and confidence in police? |
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Definition
as number of officers and citizen confidence in police increases, official crime rates also may increase
why? more reporting, more "eyes" |
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Term
| list: 4 approaches to meaning of crime (according to book) |
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Definition
1. legalist
2. political
3. psychological
4. sociological |
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Term
| legalist perspective of crime: define |
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Definition
| view that crime is conduct that violates criminal laws of local, state, or federal government |
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Term
| legalist perspective of crime: what does it assume? |
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Definition
| assumes that without a legal definition, there would be no criminal act, no matter how deviant or offensive to swociety a behavior may be |
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Term
| unsupported assumptions of legalist perspective |
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Definition
1. assumes that everyone agrees with the laws that forbid certain behaviors, such as jaywalking and euthanasia
2. implies that the power to define certain behaviors as violations is fair. each persons view of right and wrong is equally reflected in the law |
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Term
| the political perspective: goal |
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Definition
| to protect their own interests and gain control over those with less power wo may represent direct or indirect threats to their interests |
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Term
| political perspective: define |
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Definition
| view that individuals with political power use their position to define illegal behavior and to establish laws governing crime |
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Term
| psychological perspective of crime: define |
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Definition
| view that crime is maladaptive behavior, or an individuals inability to be in harmony with his or her environment |
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Term
| sociological perspective: define |
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Definition
| view that crime is any antisocial act that threatens the existing social structure or the fundamental well-being of humans |
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Term
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Definition
| behavior that elicits a social reaction by violating the standards of conduct defined by society |
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Term
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Definition
| rules of behavior that guide our everyday interactions with one another |
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Term
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Definition
| nonbinding social conventions, including appropriate dress, manners, and hygiene |
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Term
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Definition
| strong convictions about certain behaviors ==rules of etiquette, matters of respect, or shared understandings of "the way things are done" in our society |
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Term
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Definition
| informally forbidden socially offensive acts |
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Term
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Definition
| formal written sanctions designed to regulate behaviors society considers to require the greatest level of response and control |
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Term
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Definition
| human behavior interpreted as violating society's norms for a specific time and place and that must be controlled and prevented by legal decree |
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Term
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Definition
| scientific study of the incidence and forms of crime and criminal behavior, their causes and consequences, and social reaction to control of, and prevention of crime |
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Term
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Definition
| academics, researchers, and policy analysts who focus on understanding the nature of crime, patterns of criminal behavior, various causes of criminality, and society's reaction to crime |
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Term
| societal needs theory: define |
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Definition
| theory of lawmaking that holds that law reflects the needs of society |
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Term
| Ruling class theory: define |
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Definition
| theory of lawmaking that holds that law is simply a reflection of the interests and ideology of the ruling class |
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Term
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Definition
| theory of lawmaking that holds that law inevitably favors some groups' interests |
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Term
| structural contradictions theory |
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Definition
| theory of lawmaking that holds that law is the result of structural contradictions leading to conflicts, which create dilemmas, which legislators and judges attempt to resolve |
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Term
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Definition
| laws criminalizing obtaining or performing an abortion during the first trimester of pregnancy were unconstitutional |
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Term
| what levels of evidence do you need for criminal law violations? and civil? |
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Definition
criminal law: beyond reasonable doubt
civil: preponderance |
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Term
| 3 differences between civil and criminal law |
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Definition
1. criminal law is considered to be anm act against the government.
2.levels of evidence
3. a crime must carry with it a specified punishment with criminal law, not civil |
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Term
| what principles determine what makes an act a crime in the US? |
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Definition
1. crime cannot occur without meeting the requirements of legality: mens rea, and punishment
intent and acknowledgement that it is actually a crime by law |
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Term
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Definition
1. facts (data)
2. theories |
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Term
| problems with sensational crime |
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Definition
public overestimates how much crime truly exists, particularly violent crime
"crime problem" illusion |
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Term
| 4 things that the FBI provides data about on the UCR |
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Definition
1. crimes known to police
2. crimes cleared by arrest
3. persons arrested
4. data on the number and employment of law enforcement personnel |
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Term
| another name for part I offenses |
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Definition
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Term
| List all types of crimes considered to be Part I offenses (9) |
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Definition
1. homicide
2. forcible rape
3. robbery
4. aggravated assault
5. burglary
6. larceny
7. arson
8. hate crimes
9. motor vehicle theft |
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Term
| List all types of crimes considered to be Part II offenses |
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Definition
1. public intoxication
2. drug offenses
3. simple assault
4. vagrancy
5. gambling |
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Term
| What does NIBRS stand for? |
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Definition
| National Incident-Based Reporting System |
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Term
| what information is included in crimes reported on NIBRS? |
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Definition
1. information about offense (location, weapon, drugs, etc
2. information about the parties (sex, age, race of offender and victim; any relationship between them
3. information about the property (value of property stolen or damaged) |
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Term
| 3 things that the NCVS asks victims |
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Definition
1. victim: sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, income, education lvl, etc
2. offender: sex, age, race, substance abuse
3. offense: time, place, weapons, conmsequences of injury |
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Term
| 3 of the most consistent findings of criminological research: |
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Definition
1. freqeuncy of committing crime is correlated with age
2. women commit far fewer crimes than men
3. race is a correlate of crime frequency |
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Term
| correlation between age and crime |
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Definition
decreases with age
peaks at 17 or 18
desire of youth to be more accepted by peers, increase in economic demands on youth, decrease in adult supervision, desire for independence and adult privileges |
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Term
| correlation between race and crime |
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Definition
| -disproportion arrest rate of young black males compared to young white males |
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Term
| correlation between gender and crime |
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Definition
men are five times more likely to be arrested for violent crimes
socialization |
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Term
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Definition
| persistent offenders; those who account for most criminal behavior |
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Term
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Definition
| group of people with similar characteristics |
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Term
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Definition
| study of criminal behavior over the kife course of the offender |
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Term
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Definition
| removal of offenders from society so that they are no longer a threat to public safety |
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Term
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Definition
| policy advocating mandatory life imprisonment for offenders convicted of a third felony offense |
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Term
| what does the three strikes law call for? |
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Definition
| mandatory life imprisonment for offenders convicted of a third felony offense |
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Term
| Crimes committed by Enron |
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Definition
Fraud
lied to stockholders, accountants, government, and public to increase stock value
stock became worthless, bankrupt company, wiped out employees' retirement savings |
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Term
| what are the characteristics of a good theory? |
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Definition
1. logically consistent
2. testable
3.valid and reliable
4. shows relationship among variables
5. objective |
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