Criminal justice introduction how crime is measured

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1. Chapter 2 How Crime is Measured and Who It Affects Introduction to Criminal Justice A Brief Edition

2. The Problems of Measuring Crime Logistical obstacles to effectively and efficiently measure crime: Problems of definition: The interpretation of behaviors that seem to be criminal offenses can be problematic. Problems of resources: Thousands of criminal justice jurisdictions report official criminal justice statistics. Problems of politics: Public officials do not want their communities perceived as high-crime areas. copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 2

3. How Crime Is Measured Not all offenses are reported. Offenses that occur but are not reported are called the dark figure of crime . copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 3

4. How Crime Is Measured A crime may not be reported for several reasons… The offender is a family member, a friend, or an acquaintance. The victim believes that it was trivial or that the potential penalty is too grave for the harm done. The victim fears reprisal. The victim feels antipathy toward the police. The victim may have broken the law as well or is embarrassed by the circumstances under which the offense occurred. copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 4

5. How Crime Is Measured The Dark Figure of Crime A metaphor that describes offenses that go unreported to police and criminal justice officials and is never quantified. copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 5

6. The Dark Figure of Crime copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 6

7. How Crime Is Measured Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) An annual publication by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that uses data from all participating law enforcement agencies in the United States to summarize the incidence and rate of reported crime. The most extensive and useful measure of crime Although the UCR provides a useful picture of crime in the United States, it is subject to unintentional and intentional error. copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 7

8. What is meant by crime rate? The number of Crime Index offenses divided by the population of an area, usually given as a rate of crimes per 100,000 people. copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved How Crime Is Measured Uniform Crime Reports 8

9. Calculating the crime rate copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 9

10. The Hierarchy Rule In a multiple-offense situation, the law enforcement agency must determine which offense occurs highest in the violent crime/property crime hierarchy and record that offense. How Crime Is Measured The Uniform Crime Reports copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 10

11. How Crime Is Measured National Incident-based Reporting System (NIBRS) copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved Gathers data on each criminal act even if several acts are committed within the same complex of behavior. The advantage of the NIBRS over the UCR is that it allows law enforcement to identify precisely when and where an offense takes place, its form, and the characteristics of victims and perpetrators. 11

12. How Crime Is Measured National Incident-based Reporting System copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved Because the UCR uses the hierarchy rule when dealing with multiple offenses, only the highest offense in the hierarchy is reported and the rest are ignored. The NIBRS compensates for the hierarchy rule by gathering data on multiple offenses. 12

13. FIGURE 2.2 Regional Crime Rates Examine the differences in regional crime rates. Why might the rates of some regions be so much higher than others? Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States, 2015, Crime Map copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 13

14. How Crime Is Measured National Crime Victimization Survey The primary source of information on criminal victimization in the United States and attempts to measure the extent of crime by interviewing crime victims. A method for trying to ascertain the level of unreported crime Gathers data on the frequency, characteristics, and consequences of criminal victimization from a sample of about 90,000 U.S. households. Administered annually by the U.S. Census Bureau copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 14

15. How Crime Is Measured Self-report studies copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved Individuals identify the types of offenses they have committed over the study period. Important because they are not filtered through criminal justice system agencies. Provide a relatively accurate picture of crime without having to view the behavior through the lens of law enforcement agencies or victims, both of which may introduce bias. 15

16. How Crime Is Measured What part of the crime picture do reporting methods miss or obscure? Corporate crime Organized crime Drug sales Prostitution and gambling copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 16

17. How Crime Is Measured Measuring white-collar and corporate crime is difficult for several reasons... The UCR and NIBRS primarily reflect street crime. White-collar and corporate crime typically fall within federal jurisdiction. Much of the investigation and regulation of corporate and white-collar crime is done by regulatory agencies and professional associations. copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 17

18. Victims of Crime According to the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act, a victim is “a person that has suffered direct physical, emotional, or pecuniary harm as a result of the commission of a crime. . . .” copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 18

19. Mendelsohn (1950s): Mendelsohn believed most victims had an unconscious attitude that led to their victimization. Von Hentig’s 12-point typology is the basis for later theories of victim precipitation . Victims of Crime Typologies of Crime Victims copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 19

20. Victim-precipitation theory is the idea that crime victims sometimes play an active role in initiating a crime or escalating it. Most definitions of victim precipitation assert two major points: first, that the victim acted first during the course of the offense, and second that the victim instigated the commission of the offense. Victims of Crime Typologies of Crime Victims copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 20

21. When offenses go unreported, it affects how the system can assist them. Victims may not be able to obtain services, and the offender remains free to commit more offenses. Law enforcement resources may be misallocated or not allocated at all because the authorities do not have an accurate record of crime. Victims of Crime Incidence of Victimization copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 21

22. Types of Victims Victims of violent crime Victims of hate crime Victims of financial crime The elderly and children VICTIMS OF CRIME Categories of Victims copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 22

23. Victims’ Rights and Assistance Services for victims of federal criminal offenses were made law in 1990 with the passage of the Victims’ Rights and Restitution Act. Victims of Crime Victims’ Rights and Assistance copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 23

24. A victim-impact statement is an account given by the victim, the victim’s family, or others affected by the offense that expresses the effects of the offense, including economic losses, the extent of physical or psychological injuries, and major life changes. Victims of Crime Victims’ Rights and Assistance copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 24

25. Victims’ Rights and Assistance: Victims’ “bill of rights” typically include: The right to be informed The right to be heard The right to restitution The right to protection Victims of Crime Victims’ Rights and Assistance copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 25

26. What are the Uniform Crime Reports? What is the dark figure of crime? Calculate a crime rate. What is the definition of “victim”? copyright Oxford University Press 2019. All rights reserved 26 Questions