Measuring CrimeMeasuring Crime

CJ 601 Research CJ 601 Research Methodology in Criminal Methodology in Criminal

JusticeJustice

Dr. Louis VenezianoDr. Louis Veneziano

IntroductionIntroduction

Crime is commonly used as a Crime is commonly used as a dependent variabledependent variable

Fundamentally important to Fundamentally important to measure crime measure crime

Conceptual Definition of Conceptual Definition of CrimeCrime

Crimes are acts of force or fraud Crimes are acts of force or fraud undertaken in pursuit of self-undertaken in pursuit of self-interestinterest

Crime results from a lack of Crime results from a lack of socializationsocialization

People who lack self-control People who lack self-control commit crimecommit crime

Operational Definition of Operational Definition of CrimeCrime

Violation of societal rules listed in a Violation of societal rules listed in a legal codelegal code

Created by people with powerCreated by people with powerPeople who violate these rules are People who violate these rules are

subject to state sanctionssubject to state sanctions

Purposes of Measuring Purposes of Measuring CrimeCrime

1.1. Monitoring (surveillance)Monitoring (surveillance)

2.2. Agency AccountabilityAgency Accountability

3.3. ResearchResearch

Ways of Measuring CrimeWays of Measuring Crime

1.1. Official Government StatisticsOfficial Government Statistics

2.2. Self-Report SurveysSelf-Report Surveys

3.3. Victim SurveysVictim Surveys

Official Government Official Government StatisticsStatistics

Uniform Crime ReportUniform Crime Report National Incident-Based Reporting National Incident-Based Reporting

SystemSystem Drug Surveillance SystemsDrug Surveillance Systems

Uniform Crime ReportUniform Crime Report

FBIFBI 19301930 VoluntaryVoluntary

Part I OffensesPart I Offenses

Crimes reported to the policeCrimes reported to the police Dark Figure of CrimeDark Figure of Crime

Violent CrimesViolent Crimes Crimes Against the PersonCrimes Against the Person Confrontation with victimConfrontation with victim

Property CrimesProperty Crimes No confrontation with victimNo confrontation with victim

Violent OffensesViolent Offenses

MurderMurder RobberyRobbery RapeRape Aggravated AssaultAggravated Assault

Property OffensesProperty Offenses

BurglaryBurglary LarcenyLarceny Motor Vehicle TheftMotor Vehicle Theft (Arson)(Arson)

Part II OffensesPart II Offenses

All other crimes other than traffic All other crimes other than traffic offensesoffenses

Number of people arrestedNumber of people arrested

Problems with the UCRProblems with the UCR

Hierarchy RuleHierarchy Rule UnderestimateUnderestimate

Unreported crimeUnreported crime Low clearance ratesLow clearance rates

National Incident-Based National Incident-Based Reporting SystemReporting System

Reporting each crime incident Reporting each crime incident rather than a summary-based rather than a summary-based measure of crime in a jurisdictionmeasure of crime in a jurisdiction

Information about:Information about: SituationSituation OffenderOffender OffenseOffense VictimVictim

Drug Surveillance SystemsDrug Surveillance Systems

Arrestee Drug Abuse MonitoringArrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Drug Abuse Warning NetworkDrug Abuse Warning Network

Drug episodesDrug episodes Pulse CheckPulse Check

QualitativeQualitative

Model of CrimeModel of Crime

Biological

Sociocultural

Offender

Situation

Victim

Offense

Self-Report SurveysSelf-Report Surveys

Self-Report SurveysSelf-Report Surveys National Household Survey on National Household Survey on

Drug AbuseDrug Abuse Monitoring the FutureMonitoring the Future

Victim SurveysVictim Surveys

National Crime Victimization National Crime Victimization SurveySurvey 19721972