AJ 50 – Introduction to Administration of Justice

Chapter 2 -

The Crime Picture

The Collection of Crime Data

Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)– FBI annual publication, since 1930– Some 16,000 participating LE agencies provide crime

information to FBI based on reported crimes– Used to develop national Crime Index

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)– Bureau of Justice Statistics annual survey– Measures reported and unreported crime

NIBRS

National Incident-Based Reporting System Incident-based system gathers data on every

single crime occurrence From city, county, state, federal agencies Replaces Part I & II Offenses with

information on 22 general offenses

Crime Index

Violent and property crimes reported Used for geographical and historical comparisons Used to calculate Crime Rate

– Number of crimes per unit of population Historical trends in crime rate

– 1940’s = decrease– 1960’s–1990’s = increase– 1990’s–2007 = decrease– Current trends?

Crime Index data in transition to new NIBRS

Part I Offenses Violent crimes

– Murder– Rape– Robbery– Aggravated Assault

Property crimes– Burglary– Larceny/Theft– Motor Vehicle Theft– Arson

FBI crime clock (p. 38)– Frequency of crime occurrence

Murder Definition?

– Unlawful killing of another human being– 187 PC

Degrees?– 1st, 2nd

– Voluntary/involuntary/vehicular manslaughter Weapon most commonly used?

– Firearm By whom?

– Most suspects/victims acquainted Comparison to other Part I Offenses?

– Least likely to occur/most likely to be cleared– Why?

Rape

Definition?– Unlawful/forceful sexual intercourse without consent– 261 PC

Against whom?– Female, male, same-gender

“Statutory” Rape?– Victim is minor– 261.5 PC = Unlawful Sexual Intercourse

Sexual Battery?– Unlawful physical contact of some sexual nature without consent

Date Rape?– Acquaintance Rape during “dating” relationship/situation

Robbery

Definition?– Unlawful taking of another’s property by force or violence

and placing the victim in fear– 211 PC

How?– Armed with weapon– Unarmed = “strong-arm” robbery

“Highway” Robbery?– Robbery that occurs outdoors in public

Aggravated Assault

Definition?– Unlawful attack or attempt to inflict injury on

another person Types?

– Simple = misdemeanor (240 PC)– Aggravated = felony (243 PC, 245 PC)

Weapon, serious injury, etc. Same as Battery?

– No! Battery is a completed assault (242 PC)

Burglary

Definition?– Unlawful entry with intent to commit theft or any felony– 459 PC

Types?– Residential, Commercial, Institutional, Auto

Breaking and Entering?– Not necessarily, structure may be unlocked

Annual loss?– Over $4 billion in losses (2007)– Average loss per offense ~ $1,900

Larceny/Theft

Definition?– Unlawful taking of property of another– 484 PC

Grand Theft vs. Petty Theft?– 487 PC (F) or 488 PC (M) – Depends on value of stolen property ($400)

Common but often under-reported… why? Identity Theft?

– Increasing problem, huge losses

Motor-Vehicle Theft

Definition?– Theft/attempted theft of motor vehicle– 10851 VC

Motor Vehicle?– Self-propelled road vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, etc.)– Tractors, airplanes, trains, etc. fall under Theft category

Connection to violent crimes? Losses?

– Over 1 million vehicles stolen in 2007– $7.4 billion

Arson

Definition?– Burning of property with or without intent to defraud– 451 PC

Why?– Malicious mischief, insurance fraud, destroy evidence or

hide other crimes Most common targets?

– #1 structures, #2 vehicles Annual Loss?

– ~ $1 billion– Average loss per offense ~ $17,000

Part II Offenses

Less-serious violations as compared to Part I Statistics based on number of arrests as

opposed to number reported– Many would be unreported

Numbers reflect number of arrests, not necessarily number of arrestees

Refer to Table, page 49

NCVS

National Crime Victimization Survey Information based on victims’ self-reporting

rather than police reports Intended to show the “Dark Figure of Crime”

– Crimes that occurred but unreported– Rape, robbery, burglary, assault, larceny

Crime Typology

Crimes classified along particular dimensions– Property crimes– Violent crimes– Specific victim type

Many have overlapping characteristics Crime Classification = seriousness of offense

– Infraction– Misdemeanor– Felony

Crimes Against Women

Women less likely to be victims of all personal crimes except for rape

Higher rate of injury to female victims Violence against women primarily from

partner Other associated crimes

– Domestic Violence– Rape/Date Rape– Stalking/Cyberstalking

Refer to statistics on p. 52-53

Crimes Against the Elderly

In general, victimization declines with age

Elderly more likely to be…– Victims of property crimes– Victimized by strangers– Victimized in or near home during daytime– Injured (less likely to protect themselves)

Hate Crimes

Crimes with a motive of…– Hatred, bias, or prejudice based on the actual or

perceived race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation of an individual or group of individuals

422.55 PC & 422.6 PC Connection to “regular” PC sections? Examples?

White-Collar Crime

Usually nonviolent crime for financial gain committed by…

– Person of high professional/business status– Person of high professional/technical knowledge

or skill Corporate Crime

– Criminal actions committed by a corporate entity or its executives or agents

Organized Crime

Criminal activity by a highly-organized group or association, often supplying illegal goods or services

– Drug trafficking– Gambling– Prostitution– Loan-Sharking/Racketeering

Transnational Organized Crime– Occurs across national borders– International drug/weapons trade

Gun Crime

Large number of crimes committed with firearms, especially handguns

Gun-control legislation aimed at reducing firearms-related crime

– Second Amendment protections?

Drug Crime

Continuing to increase Connection to other crimes? Huge $$$

– $65 billion in illicit drug sales annually in US

– $142 billion in US, Mexico, Canada Costs of drug enforcement?

– Investigation, arrest, prosecution, incarceration

High-Technology Crime

Computer Crime (Cyber-crime)– Criminal activity through the use of computer

technology– Malware – malicious computer programs such as

viruses, worms, etc. Invasion of operating systems to alter, damage, destroy

stored information Computer Piracy

– Unauthorized duplication/transfer of software, music, movies, etc.

– Who does this harm?

Terrorism Committing a violent or dangerous act against

human life in order to…– Coerce or intimidate government or civilians– In furtherance of political/social objectives

Domestic Terrorism– Terrorist individual or group based within US without

foreign direction– Acts directed at US government or populace

International Terrorism– Terrorist individuals/groups with links to foreign

power– Acts directed across national boundaries to further

group’s political/social goals