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Criminal Justice - Crime

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    Study Guide Criminal Jus Ɵ ce – Crime 1. Part I O ff enses The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) groups the most serious crimes in the United States into a category called Part I crimes , also known as index offenses . These crimes are considered the most harmful to society and are used to track national crime trends. 1.1 Violent Crimes 1.1.1 Murder Murder is the unlawful killing of one person by another. In 1996, police departments across the United States reported 19,645 murders . There are two main types: • First - degree murder is planned and deliberate. • Second - degree murder is intentional but usually not planned. It often happens in the “heat of passion.” In most murders, firearms are the weapon used . 1.1.2 Forcible Rape Forcible rape is defined as sexual intercourse with a female carried out forcibly and against her will. This is different from statutory rape , which involves sexual activity with a female who is below the legal age of consent, even if force is not used. Forcible rape is the least reported violent crime , meaning many incidents are never reported to police.

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    Study Guide 1.1.3 Robbery Robbery involves taking or attempting to take someone’s property by force or by threatening force . In about 20 percent of robberies , a gun is fired. 1.1.4 Aggravated Assault Aggravated assault happens 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 Crimes 1.2.1 Burglary Burglary is the unlawful entry into a structure, vehicle, or vessel without force , with the intent to commit a felony inside. 1.2.2 Larceny - The Ō Larceny - theft is taking or trying to take someone else’s property without force , using stealth, and intending to keep it permanently. Examples include: • Shoplifting • Pickpocketing • Purse snatching • Bicycle theft This is the most common crime in the United States , making up more than half of all crimes committed each year .

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    Study Guide 1.2.3 Motor Vehicle The Ō Motor vehicle theft is taking or attempting to take a vehicle owned by someone else, with the intent to deprive the owner of it. 1.2.4 Arson Arson involves intentionally burning or attempting to burn property. This can happen with or without the intent to commit fraud. 1.3 How Do We Measure Crime? The federal government uses two main sources to collect information about crime in the United States. 1.4 The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) are published each year by the FBI. They are based on crimes reported to the police and on arrest records . • Part I crimes are reported as crimes known to the police. • Part II crimes include many offenses that do not always have clear victims, such as drug crimes. Because people often do not report victimless crimes — and police may have trouble detecting them — arrest statistics are used for Part II crimes. In 1996: • About 15 million arrests were made for Part II crimes. • The highest arrest numbers were for: ○ Drug abuse violations ○ Larceny - theft ○ Driving under the influence Each had about 1.5 million arrests .

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    Study Guide 1.5 The Crime Index and Crime Rate One important feature of the UCR is the Crime Index , which is the total number of Part I crimes in a year. • In 1996, the Crime Index was 13.5 million offenses . • Property crimes made up nearly 90 percent of these offenses. The crime rate tells us how many crimes occur per 100,000 people. It is calculated like this: Crime Index ÷ population × 100,000 = crime rate For example, in 1997, the national murder rate was 770 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 UCR Advantages: • It includes homicide data, which surveys cannot collect. Disadvantages: • Many crimes are never reported to police. • Some crimes are reported but not officially recorded. Because of this, the UCR always underestimates the true amount of crime . Changes in crime trends may reflect changes in reporting or police practices, not real changes in criminal behavior.

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    Study Guide 1.8 The Na Ɵ onal Crime Vic Ɵ miza Ɵ on Survey (NCVS) The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is run by the U.S. Department of Justice. It interviews 100,000 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 theft It does not include murder or drug crimes , which can sometimes make crime trends appear misleading. 1.9 What the NCVS Reveals NCVS data show that: • Actual crime levels are much higher than UCR reports suggest. • About 23 million households experience crime each year. • Victims lose about $13 billion annually . • Young African - American males face a much higher risk of violent victimization. • Violent crimes are rare events overall . • Most crimes are never reported to police . Drawbacks of the NCVS include memory errors by respondents and the high cost of conducting interviews.

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    Study Guide 1.10. Crime Is Not Always Increasing A common myth is that crime always rises. In reality, crime declined during the 1990s . • The 1998 UCR showed that serious crime fell in 1997 for the sixth year in a row . • Violent crime dropped 5 percent , including: ○ 9 percent fewer murders ○ 9 percent fewer robberies • Property crime fell 4 percent , with an 8 percent drop in arson . The NCVS showed similar declines, confirming that crime was truly decreasing. 1.11 Why Did Crime Decrease? A Strong Economy The strong economy of the 1990s created legal job opportunities, especially for young people who might otherwise have turned to drug markets. Changing Popula Ɵ on Pa Ʃ erns The 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 Manipula Ɵ on Some police departments faced pressure to show lower crime rates. In a few cities, officials were accused of mislabeling serious crimes as less serious ones. However, experts believe this did not fully explain the nationwide decline , since victim surveys showed the same downward trend.

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    Study Guide 1.13 The Decline of the Crack Market Crack 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 crime declined. 1.14 A Serious Warning About Youth Violence Even though overall homicide rates dropped, firearm killings among young people remain high . Key findings: • Gun homicides by adults aged 25 and older dropped by about 50 percent . • Gun killings by those aged 18 – 24 increased during the same period. • In 1997, this age group committed 6,076 firearm homicides — almost double the number in 1976. Criminologists believe the spread of illegal handguns during the crack era is a major reason youth violence remains a serious concern. 2. Drugs and Crime Drugs and crime are closely linked, but the relationship is more complex than it may seem. Not all crime is caused by drugs, and drug use does not automatically lead to criminal behavior. Still, drugs play a role in several types of criminal activity.

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    Study Guide 2.1 Three Ways Drugs Are Linked to Crime 1. Drug - De fi ned Crimes Some crimes exist only because drug laws exist . These are called drug - defined crimes . Examples include: • Possessing illegal drugs • Using controlled substances • Selling or distributing drugs These acts are crimes because they violate drug laws. 2. Crimes Connected to Drug Use Some crimes are committed because 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 drugs However, research shows that only a small percentage of robberies and burglaries are actually drug - related . 3. Organized Crime Linked to the Drug Trade Drugs are also connected to large - scale criminal activity . These crimes include: • Money laundering • Political corruption • Other organized crimes that support drug trafficking These activities help keep the illegal drug market running.

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