unit 2: criminal law & juvenile justice chapter 7 crime in america
TRANSCRIPT
STREET LAW
UNIT 2: Criminal Law & Juvenile Justice
Chapter 7
Crime in America
A crime is the violation of a law established to protect people & maintain an orderly societyPeople everywhere are affected by crime;
however, certain factors such as age, gender, & location influence the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime
Criminals in the U.S. wear many faces, from the teen who steals DVD’s from the electronics store to the career thief planning an armed bank robbery
Authorities disagree over the causes of crime & what can be done about itThey argue that poverty, unemployment, lack of
education, drug & alcohol abuse, & inadequate police protection are to blame
Some people believe that working to end these problems would lead to a decrease in crime rates
Gangs & gang activity also contribute to the problem of crimeExperts agree that combating the problems of
gangs & crime begins with outreach & intervention programs to prevent gang involvement
The Nature of Crimes
A crime is something that a person does or fails to do that violates the lawThe government establishes penalties for such
behavior Crime rates are influenced by many factors,
although many people disagree about the causes of crime & the best solutions to the problem
In recent years, crime on high school & college campuses has become a serious problemHate crimes, violent assaults, property crime
Crime is costly—in addition to the loss of life & property, it costs the government a great amount of money to prevent, investigate, & prosecute crime
FBI Uniform Crime Reports Crime Clock
reports the frequency of crimes Crime Index
totals of violent crimes & property crimes
The National Council on Crime & Delinquency recommends alternatives to incarceration as one strategy for reducing crime
Problem 7.1 – page 75 Problem 7.2 – page 76 Problem 7.3 – page 78 Problem 7.4 – page 80 Problem 7.5 – page 81
“The Case of Weapons at School”
Gangs & Crime
Gangs are active in towns & cities of all sizes throughout the countrySeattle HoodsEast Tacoma Gang Graffiti
Gangs expose their members & their communities to extreme violence & danger
Many youths join gangs because gangs offer a sense of belonging & an opportunity to earn moneyBeyond the Shadows: Crime in Yakima
Most people agree that a promising strategy to discourage gang membership is to provide young people with opportunities & community connections that will offer them a greater sense of belonging
Gang Risk Factors
Poverty School Failure Substance Abuse Family Dysfunction
DomesticViolence
Community Violence
PoorSelf-Esteem
Little Adult Participation
Problem 7.6 – page 84First 3 of Accused Crips Gang Members Sentenced
Prevention, Intervention & SuppressionNational Gang Center
○ National Gang Center - Chapter 6
Framework forDelinquency Prevention & Early Intervention (Page 10)
Gang Prevention & Intervention Strategies (Page 11)
Ch. 7 – Analyzing (HO)
Guns & the Law
Most Americans who own firearms own them legally & use them lawfullyHowever, guns are often used in violent crimes
Many people disagree about the government's role in controlling gun ownership
Does the Second Amendment protect the right of individuals to own guns?
Or . . .
Does the Second Amendment give the states power to maintain a militia but does not entitle individuals to own guns?
The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the Second Amendment to mean that the state has the right to maintain a militia
The Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 is the primary federal gun-control law
Congress amended this law in 1993 by enacting the Brady Act
• Established national system to check backgrounds of persons before selling guns to them
Gun laws have also been enacted at the state & local levels
For Your Information – page 86 Problem 7.7 – page 87
Problem 7.8 – page 88Law in Action:Child Access Prevention (CAP) Laws
Substance Abuse & Crime
Abuse of alcohol & drugs (substance abuse) contributes to many social problems & often leads to other criminal activityAlthough many adults use alcohol responsibly,
alcohol abuse can be very harmful to societyImplied Consent Law: the driver agrees to submit
to a BAC test in exchange for the privilege of driving○ WA – DUI Arrest Information & Advice
Is the best way to handle the drug problem to legalize some or all drugs?Would legalization allow the government to better
regulate drugs & eliminate the problems that are associated with illegal distribution of drugs?
Problem 7.9 – page 91 Problem 7.10 – page 92
Law in Action: Drug CourtsOffer treatment instead of punishment for
individuals who commit crimes & have problems with controlled substances
Problem 7.11 – page 93 Problem 7.12 – page 94
Law in Action: Drugs in the City
Victims of Crime
Every person is at risk to be a victim of crimeHowever, teens & young adults are more likely
than any other age groups to be victims Victim advocacy groups [MADD] work to
protect victims by promoting the concerns & rights of victimsVictims are not a party to the criminal case & their
rights & needs are too often ignored
Problem 7.13 – page 96Figure 7.3: Violent Crime Rates
Law in Action:Victim’s Rights: Megan’s Law as AdvocacyPassed as a result of victim’s advocacy groupsRequires the registration of all convicted sex
offenders in a community
Dateline: To Catch a Predator FOX News: PA - Local Law International Megan’s Law Proposal WA Megan’s Law Website WA Assoc. of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs –
Registered Offenders
Recidivist (Repeat Offender) LawRequire long sentences—including sentences of
life in prison w/o parole—for persons who are repeatedly convicted of the same crime, even relatively minor ones
Preventing & Reporting Crime
You can help fight crime by learning how to protect yourselfAlso, reporting crime can help to prevent others
from being victims There are many organizations & programs
that exist to assist victims of crime & prevent future crime
Law in Action – page 99Good Samaritan Laws
WA - 911 Good Samaritan Law Problem 7.14 – page 99
Ex Post Facto An ex post facto law (from the Latin for "from after the action") or
retroactive law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences (or status) of actions committed or relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law – In reference to criminal law, it may criminalize actions that were legal when committed; or aggravate a crime by bringing it into a more severe category than it was in at the
time it was committed; or change or increase the punishment prescribed for a crime, such as by adding new
penalties or extending terms; or alter the rules of evidence in order to make conviction for a crime more likely than it
would have been at the time of the action for which a defendant is prosecuted Conversely, a form of ex post facto law commonly known as an amnesty law
may decriminalize certain acts or alleviate possible punishments Example: replacing the death sentence with lifelong imprisonment) retroactively