chapter 2 adapted from: frank schmalleger’s criminal justice today, 9e.prentice hall, education...
TRANSCRIPT
THE CRIME PICTURE
Chapter 2
Adapted from:Frank Schmalleger’s CRIMINAL JUSTICE TODAY, 9E.PRENTICE HALL, Education Inc. ©2007 Pearson Education, Inc.
How many crimes are committed annually in the United States?
How do we keep track?How are statistics calculated?
Counting Crimes
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The Crimina
l Justice Funnel
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The FBI Crime Clock
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The Value of Data
Data are valuable and can be used to
Shape public policy Analyze and evaluate existing programs
Create new programs Plan new laws Develop funding requests
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Sources of Data
Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)National Incident Based Reporting System (NIMBRS) National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
Offender self-reports Other regular publications
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UniformCrimeReports
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Uniform Crime Reports
The reports began in 1930. Data are collected by F.B.I. Approximately 16,000 police agencies provide data. Only crimes known to the police are included. Law enforcement agencies submit reports voluntarily. The UCR contains the Crime Index.
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UCR: Crime Index
The Index is made up of Part Ioffenses.
Violent crime
Murder, rape, robbery, assault Property crime
Burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, arson
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UCR: Crime Index
Crime Index = major crimes
100,000 population
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UCR: Crime Rates
Crime Rate = number of crimes
100,000 population
Rates allow for comparison across areas and times.
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Actual and Projected Rates of Crime (1950–2010)
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UCR: Clearance Rates
Clearance Rate = number of crimes solved number of crimes
committed
Clearances are based on arrests, not judicial dispositions.
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Crimes Cleared by Arrest, 2004
NationalIncidentBased ReportingSystem
NIBRS: The New UCR
National Incident Based Reporting System
Incident driven, rather than summary based
FBI started this program in 1989. Goals: to enhance and improve crime data collection, analysis, and publication.
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NIBRS
National Incident Based Reporting System
Includes nature of the disposition of the complaint
Replaces the old Part I and Part II offenses with 22 general offenses
NIBRS22 offenses include:
kidnapping larceny motor vehicle theft pornography prostitution narcotics offenses embezzlement extortion
arson assault bribery burglary counterfeiting vandalism gambling homicide fraud
weapons violations robbery forcible sex offenses non-forcible sex offenses receiving stolen property
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NIBRSAlso collects data on:
bad checks vagrancy disorderly conduct driving under the influence drunkenness non-violent family offenses
liquor law violations “peeping Tom” activities runaways trespassing general category of all “other” criminal law violations
NationalCrimeVictimizationSurvey
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NCVS
National Crime Victimization Survey
Began operation in 1972 Based on victim self-reports Designed to measure the “dark figure” of crime Uses data collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics More than 50,000 households are surveyed twice per year
NCVSIncludes data on:
Robbery Assault Burglary Personal and household larceny Motor vehicle theft Rape
NCVS Statistics Reveal
2004—crime rates at lowest level in years. 15% of all households are touched by crime. 24 million victimizations each year. About 1/2 of all violent crime is reported. Slightly more than 1/3 of all property crime is reported. Victims are more likely:
Men Younger peopleAfrican AmericanLower income (for violent victimization)
NCVSHousehold crime rates are highest for households:
Headed by younger people Headed by African-Americans With six or more members Headed by renters Located in central cities
Problems with the UCR and the NCVS
UCR
• Not everyone reports• Some crimes are rarely reported• Victims inaccuracies• Bureaucratic influences • Hierarchical counting system• Contains only data that FBI thinks is appropriate
NCVS
•There is potential for false or exaggerated reports• False reports may be generated by overzealous interviewers• Some people won’t respond• Respondents may suffer from faulty memories• Respondents may misinterpret events• Hierarchical counting system• Contains only data that BJS thinks is appropriate