Criminal Justice - Crime - Quick Guides

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Study GuideCriminal JusƟce–Crime1. Part I OffensesThe Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) groups the most serious crimes in the United States into acategory calledPart I crimes, also known asindex offenses. These crimes are considered the mostharmful to society and are used to track national crime trends.1.1 Violent Crimes1.1.1 MurderMurderis the unlawful killing of one person by another. In 1996, police departments across theUnited States reported19,645 murders.There are two main types:•First-degree murderis planned and deliberate.•Second-degree murderis intentional but usually not planned. It often happens in the “heat ofpassion.”In most murders,firearms are the weapon used.1.1.2 Forcible RapeForcible rapeis defined as sexual intercourse with a female carried out forcibly and against her will.This is different fromstatutory rape, which involves sexual activity with a female who is below thelegal age of consent, even if force is not used.Forcible rape isthe least reported violent crime,meaning many incidents are never reported topolice.

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Study Guide1.1.3 RobberyRobberyinvolves taking or attempting to take someone’s propertyby force or by threatening force.In about20 percent of robberies, a gun is fired.1.1.4 Aggravated AssaultAggravated assaulthappens when someone intentionally injures—or tries or threatens to injure—another person using a weapon or causing serious harm.If the victim needs medical care because of the injury, the assault is considered aggravated.1.2 Property Crimes1.2.1 BurglaryBurglaryis the unlawful entry into a structure, vehicle, or vesselwithout force, with the intent tocommit a felony inside.1.2.2 Larceny-TheŌLarceny-theftis taking or trying to take someone else’s propertywithout force, using stealth, andintending to keep it permanently.Examples include:•Shoplifting•Pickpocketing•Purse snatching•Bicycle theftThis is themost common crime in the United States, making upmore than half of all crimescommitted each year.

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Study Guide1.2.3 MotorVehicle TheŌMotor vehicle theftis taking or attempting to take a vehicle owned by someone else, with the intentto deprive the owner of it.1.2.4 ArsonArsoninvolves intentionally burning or attempting to burn property. This can happen with or withoutthe intent to commit fraud.1.3 How Do We Measure Crime?The federal government usestwo main sourcesto collect information about crime in the UnitedStates.1.4 The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)TheUniform Crime Reports (UCR)are published each year by the FBI. They are based on crimesreported to the policeand onarrest records.•Part I crimesare reported as crimes known to the police.•Part II crimesinclude many offenses that do not always have clear victims, such as drugcrimes.Because people often do not report victimless crimes—and police may have trouble detecting them—arrest statisticsare used for Part II crimes.In 1996:•About15 million arrestswere made for Part II crimes.•The highest arrest numberswere for:○Drug abuse violations○Larceny-theft○Driving under the influenceEach had about1.5 million arrests.

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Study Guide1.5 The Crime Index and Crime RateOne important feature of the UCR is theCrime Index, which is the total number of Part I crimes in ayear.•In 1996, the Crime Index was13.5 million offenses.•Property crimesmade up nearly90 percentof these offenses.Thecrime ratetells us how many crimes occur per 100,000 people.It is calculated like this:Crime Index ÷ population × 100,000 = crime rateFor example, in 1997, the national murder rate was770 murders per 100,000 people.1.6 What Does an Increase in the Crime Rate Mean?If the Part I crime rate goes up, it could mean one or more of the following:1.More people are committing crimes.2.Offenders are committing crimes more often.3.More crimes are being reported or officially recorded.1.7 Strengths and Weaknesses of the UCRAdvantages:•It includes homicide data, which surveys cannot collect.Disadvantages:•Many crimes arenever reported to police.•Some crimes are reported but not officially recorded.Because of this, the UCRalways underestimates the true amount of crime. Changes in crimetrends may reflect changes in reporting or police practices, not real changes in criminal behavior.

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Study Guide1.8 The NaƟonal Crime VicƟmizaƟon Survey (NCVS)TheNational Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)is run by the U.S. Department of Justice. Itinterviews100,000 people in 50,000 households twice a year.Instead of relying on police reports, it asks people directly about their experiences as crime victims.The NCVS includes:•Rape and sexual assault•Robbery•Simple and aggravated assault•Theft•Burglary•Motor vehicle theftItdoes not include murder or drug crimes, which can sometimes make crime trends appearmisleading.1.9 What the NCVS RevealsNCVS data show that:•Actual crime levels aremuch higherthan UCR reports suggest.•About23 million householdsexperience crime each year.•Victims lose about$13 billionannually.•Young African-American males face a much higher risk of violent victimization.•Violent crimes arerare events overall.•Most crimes arenever reported to police.Drawbacksof the NCVS include memory errors by respondents and the high cost of conductinginterviews.

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Study Guide1.10. Crime Is Not Always IncreasingA common myth is that crime always rises. In reality, crimedeclined during the 1990s.•The 1998 UCR showed that serious crime fell in 1997 for thesixth year in a row.•Violent crime dropped5 percent, including:○9 percent fewer murders○9 percent fewer robberies•Property crime fell4 percent, with an8 percent drop in arson.The NCVS showed similar declines, confirming that crime was truly decreasing.1.11 Why Did Crime Decrease?A Strong EconomyThe strong economy of the 1990s created legal job opportunities, especially for young people whomight otherwise have turned to drug markets.Changing PopulaƟonPaƩernsThe U.S. population has been aging.•The number of teens and young adults—groups with higher crime rates—declined.•Older adults generally commit fewer crimes.1.12 Concerns About Police Data ManipulaƟonSome police departments facedpressure to show lower crime rates. In a few cities, officials wereaccused of mislabeling serious crimes as less serious ones.However, experts believe this didnot fully explain the nationwide decline, since victim surveysshowed the same downward trend.

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Study Guide1.13 The Decline of the Crack MarketCrack cocaine had a major impact on crime.•When crack spread in the mid-1980s, violence increased sharply.•Many dealers carried guns to protect their territory.•Crime peaked and then began falling in the early 1990s.As young people turned away from crack and police cracked down on illegal guns, violent crimedeclined.1.14 A Serious Warning About Youth ViolenceEven though overall homicide rates dropped,firearm killings among young people remain high.Keyfindings:•Gun homicides by adults aged 25 and older dropped by about50 percent.•Gun killings by those aged18–24 increasedduring the same period.•In 1997, this age group committed6,076 firearm homicides—almost double the number in1976.Criminologists believe the spread of illegal handguns during the crack era is a major reason youthviolence remains a serious concern.2. Drugs and CrimeDrugs and crime are closely linked, but the relationship is more complex than it may seem. Not allcrime iscaused by drugs, and drug use does not automatically lead to criminal behavior. Still, drugsplay a role in several types of criminal activity.

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Study Guide2.1 Three Ways Drugs Are Linked to Crime1. Drug-Defined CrimesSome crimes existonly because drug laws exist. These are calleddrug-defined crimes.Examples include:•Possessing illegal drugs•Using controlled substances•Selling or distributing drugsThese acts are crimes because they violate drug laws.2. Crimes Connected to Drug UseSome crimes are committedbecause of drug use, but drugs themselves do not directly cause them.This includes:•Crimes committed to get money to buy drugs (such as theft or burglary)•Crimes committed while a person is under the influence of drugsHowever, research shows thatonly a small percentage of robberies and burglaries are actuallydrug-related.3. Organized Crime Linked to the Drug TradeDrugs are also connected tolarge-scale criminal activity.These crimes include:•Money laundering•Political corruption•Other organized crimes that support drug traffickingThese activities help keep the illegal drug market running.

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