8: Crime and Criminal Justice
- Page ID
- 14487
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)- 8.1: The Problem of Crime
- This page addresses the limitations of the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) in accurately capturing crime rates in the U.S., along with challenges posed by police recording practices that may lead to underreporting. It contrasts the UCR with the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which suggests that actual crime rates are higher than reported. Self-report surveys reveal further unnoticed delinquency.
- 8.2: Types of Crime
- This page explores various crime categories, emphasizing violent crimes, particularly homicide, and property crimes, which create community fear, especially among women. It highlights the impulsive nature of homicides, predominantly committed by males using firearms. The text also covers white-collar, organized, and consensual crimes, noting that white-collar crimes inflict significant economic harm, while organized crimes cater to public demand.
- 8.3: Who Commits Crime?
- This page discusses crime trends, highlighting that males commit more crimes than females due to socialization and opportunity, with peak criminal behavior occurring in late teens and early twenties. Social class affects crime types, where poorer individuals engage in street crime and wealthier individuals in white-collar crimes.
- 8.4: Explaining Crime
- This page emphasizes that crime is best understood through social structure theories rather than biological or psychological ones. It covers key theories such as social disorganization, anomie, and interactionist theories focusing on peer influence. Social bonding theory suggests that strong social ties reduce delinquency, while conflict theories analyze power dynamics and social group interactions that shape laws and criminal behavior.
- 8.5: The Criminal Justice System
- This page examines the complexities of the US criminal justice system, focusing on the balance between public safety and individual rights, police culture, and the challenges facing the legal system, particularly for the poor. It critiques capital punishment for its high costs, racial bias, and ineffectiveness in deterring crime, highlighting the wrongful convictions that have led to its reconsideration in some states.
- 8.6: Reducing Crime
- This page discusses shifting from punitive measures to preventative strategies in crime reduction, emphasizing the importance of addressing root causes such as poverty and social conditions. It critiques the "get-tough" approach, advocating for improvements in neighborhood conditions, early childhood programs, and school infrastructure. Furthermore, it calls for reforms in the criminal justice system for nonviolent offenders while promoting stricter enforcement against white-collar crime.
- 8.7: End-of-Chapter Material
- This page discusses the significant concern of crime in the U.S., highlighting public fear and media exaggeration of violent crime rates. It notes that the FBI's statistics may underreport actual crime, advocating for the National Crime Victimization Survey for accuracy. The page emphasizes crime prevalence among specific demographics and explores sociological theories of crime causes.