"system" with various stages through which offenders pass

traditionally concerned with "major biological divisions of mankind"

based on skin color, hair texture etc

caucasian, negroid, mongoloid

 differences in groups based on cultural customs (language, religion, food, family life, etc)

• the politically and culturally dominant group in ociety defines labels and applies them to groups
• these labels change over time and place as dominant group changes
• ex. 2000 census included multiracial category

process by which we attach meaning and importance to racial categories

this process is both historically and contextually specific

structural; based on relations between group

race plays a central role in social relationships

it cannot be reduced to something else like SES

membership across different categories (race, gender, class, ethnicity, etc)

at the structural level thse factors create systems of domination and oppression

non dominant groups in population.

• often possess and wish to prserve stable ethnic, religious, or linguistic traditions.
• often singeled out by others for differential treatment.
• can be based on race, religion or sexual orientation.

numerical majority, but more importantly have disproportianate share of political/economic power

often wish to maintan status quo

sterotypes, prejudice, and discrimination from this group has lasting effects

means of categorizing large amounts of info

largely negative and fixed generalisations

they can change, but often dont

usually focus on perceived inadequacies, undesirable qualities

negative or hostile BEHAVIORS?ACTIONS taken towards members of a particular group

based on stereotypes and prejudice

usually aimed against racial and ethnic minority groups from Whites

social practices which attribute meits or allocative values to members of racially categorised groups solely due to "race"

changes over time and place

more covert now (laissez-faire racism) than in the past as ppl link statues/terms to certain groups

conscious or unconscious favoring of one group over others

excessive pride in one's group and/or sterotypes or prejudice toward others

members of any group can engage in this kind of racism

racist behavioral patterns may have structural aspects to them

systematically stratified society shapes identity and produces substantive differences

i.e. 100:1 (500g to 5g) crack:cocaine laws

policies and practices of societal institutions operate in ways to produce systematic and persistent differneces across groups

INTENT IS IRELEVENT, THE RESULT IS

differnces in outcomes across groups

may or may not be due to discrimination or bias

• basic human equality, justice and human rights concerns
• there are biases and discrimination in criminal justice (institutionalized racism)

1) UCR 

2)NCVS

3)self reports

4) ethnographic research

annually published reports by FBI

been around since 1930, improved after 1945

covers 94% of the population

divides between part I and part II offenses

Categories: White (inc. latinos), Black, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native

doesnt capture intraracial or intraethnic heterogeniety

often based on police officers' discretionary discrimnation abou arrestees and victims

includes both part I and part II offenses

defined as criminal offense commited against a person, property or society which is motivated, in whole or in part, by offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sxual orientation or ethnicity/national origin.

data collected since 1992

1. data source is official law enforcement
2. screening process for crimes (falsified and unfounded)
3. longest runniing source of crime data
4. data for Part 1 crimes are generally valid and reliable (except rape and larceny-theft , underreported)

1. most crimes arent reported to police (dark figure of crime)
2. of known crimes, relatively few cases are cleared
3. no victim data (only for homicide)
4. no social class info
5. no ethnicity info, questionable race info
6. social processes may play a role in recording incidents, making arrests

New data collection (since 1988)

data compiled by FBI based on police reports

more detailed than UCR

1. more detailed than the UCR (info on multiple victims, all crimes attempted and completed, weapons, etc)

2. measures bias crimes

1. limited populatin coverage (only 31 states, and of those only 13 have all police agencies participating)

this covers only 25% of population, and 38% of police agencies in the US

began in 1972 as alternative source of crime data

nationally representative sample of household population (about 80,000 ppl, 40,000 households)

respondents are asked about victimization in last 6 months

remain in sample for 3 yrs

definitions of crime similar to UCR

respondents are 12 and over

number of victims

victim characteristics (inc. income)

offender charactersitics (when known)

whether reported to police (reasons)

other incident characteristics

Categories: 

1. White,

2. black,

3. American Indian and Alaska Native (usually "other"),

4. Asian, native hawaiin, otherpacific islander (usually "other"),

5. two or more races

distinction made between hispanic and non-hispanic

race and ethnciity based on self report

1. info on dark figure of crime

2. victim and offender characteristic (includes ethnicity, though limited)

1. not all crimes are reported

2. over or under reporting

3. victims may misclassify crimes

4. telescoping: think its in the past 6months but it isnt

5. no white collar crime info

1.ask individuals about crimes they have commited

2. provides demogrpahic

3. characterstics of offenders (self identified race/ethnicity)

specificity depends on categories provided

4. data collection usually reliable and valid (except for black males)

5. varying populations covered

6. typically taps minor crimes

in depth interviews and fieldwork providing detailed understanding

results aren't generalizable

1. larceny theft
2. burgulary
3. motor vehicle theft
4. aggravated assault
5. robbery
6. rape
7. arson
8. homicide

carnal knowledge of a female forcible and against her will. 

new definition: the penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by the sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.

taking the property from possession of another using force or threat of force

interpersonal contact

taking property from possesion or constructive possesion of another

• shoplifting
• breaking into vending machine
• breaking into empty car
• pick-pocket

unlawful entry of a structure (building) to commit a felony or theft (breaking and entering)

dont have to break in

no personal interaction

wilful or malicious burning of structure or other personal property (urs or another persons)

often excluded in part I crimes (added in 90s)

only 75% coverage

1. arrested for crime
2. charged for crime

case turned over to prosecution (whether or not the case is pursued)

**info for arestees in UCR is not necessarily based on cleared cases**

ranking for being prone to victimisation:

1. blacks

2. latinos

3. non-latinos

4. Whites

ranking of proneness:

1. blacks

2. latinos

3. native-Americans

4. Asians

5. Anglos

burgulary: black

mv theft: black

theft: white

total property: white