Violent Crimes Class 1 – Missing Children

Administrative Give quiz Make sure you keep track of quizzes, journals and paper proposal

Review Social construction of crime History of Crime Crime Waves/Crime Panics

Today I. The Crime of the Twentieth Century II. The Response by the Public and the Government III. The Federalization of Crime IV. Missing children V. Danger in schools

I. The Crime of the Twentieth Century March 1, 1932 baby of Charles and Anna Lindbergh kidnapped Ransom was demanded and paid Baby was dead Suspect arrested Tried, convicted and executed

II. The Response by the Public and the Government Public completely outraged by the crime Demands for action and to make sure this couldn’t happen again Result was passage of “The Lindbergh Law” by Congress

III. Federalization of Crime Most crimes are local Most are dealt with by state or local authorities Lindbergh Law was major step toward increasing federal role in law enforcement

IV. Missing Children Myth of Missing Children – Missing children and sexual exploitation of children – Results of most child disappearances

V. Danger in Schools Incidents as in Columbine and Newtown have people worried about the safety of their children in schools NRA has recommended that teachers carry guns or that armed guards be posted How dangerous are schools?

Next Time Serial Killers

Violent Crime Class 2 – Serial Killers

Administrative Return Quiz at end of class Collect paper proposals Mid-term examination

Review Crimes Against Children – Myth that Missing Children and Sexually Exploited Children are the Same Problem – Most missing children have run away – Most abducted children not abducted by strangers Story of the Lindbergh Kidnapping and its Role in the Creation of the Myth of Child Abductions

Today I. Nature of Crime Panics II. Creation of the Serial Killer Panic III. Defining Serial Killers IV. Genuine Scale of the Problem V. The Lewis Lent Case VI. The Ted Bundy Case

I. Nature of Crime Panics Often based in part on xenophobia and anti- immigrant prejudice Can be used by agencies to help build support for their missions Doesn’t mean there is no real foundation

II. Creation of the Serial Killer Panic Problem of getting accurate numbers Source of the numbers Serial Murder Panic and Federal Government Linkage of serial murder to children

III. Defining Serial Killers Serial killers versus mass murderers Definitional issues

IV. Genuine Scale of the Problem Seems problem did grow after late 1960s The serial murder wave Greater dangers than serial murder How are most of the serial killers we catch caught?

V. The Lewis Lent Case Sara Anne Wood disappearance The Lent confession What do we know and what was the public led to believe?

VI. The Ted Bundy Case Bundy Background Notice how ordinary all of this seems and how many people he impressed

VI. The Ted Bundy Case Arrests and conviction What do we know?

Next Time Murder and Stalking

Violent Crimes Class 3 – Murder and Stalking

Administrative Anyone have paper proposal to submit? Will return paper proposals and talk about papers at end of class Turn in journals Schedule mid-term

Review Crime as a social construct History of crime Crime Waves Myths about crime against children Myths about serial killers Recent Example of Passing Laws too Quickly

Today I. Murder Variations II. Creation of the Stalking Myth III. Defining and Measuring Stalking IV. Legal Responses to the Stalking Myth V. Nature of Most Stalking Behavior VI. Consequences of Criminalization VII. The John Hinckley Story

I. Murder Variations Stereotypes and Myths about murder? Do homicide rates vary significantly between the USA and other countries? Examples Why such sharp differences?

I. Murder Variations U.S. homicide rate How does this compare to other types of violent death – Vehicle accidents – Suicide

II. Creating the Stalking Myth Background of stalking and the law Focus on sensational celebrity cases Ability of celebrities to help create mythology Emotion-laden terminology

III. Defining and Measuring Stalking How is stalking defined? How should we define stalking?

IV. Legal Response to the Stalking Myth Why the flurry of laws? 1989 there were no statutes This all happened in the absence of a precise definition and any analysis of the seriousness of the problem

V. Nature of Most Stalking Behavior Hard to know how extensive it is without clear definition Researchers who find it extensive usually define it broadly Gender patterns Behaviors Most common stalking patterns

VI. Consequences of Criminalization Stalking and other criminal charges Stalking and the power to arrest Stalking and punishment

VII. The John Hinckley Story Do you know who he is? Background The Jodie Foster Obsession

VII. The John Hinckley Story Attempts to get Foster’s attention The Assassination attempt Message to Foster before the attempt on Reagan

VII. The John Hinckley Story The trial The public reaction Hinckley since

Next Time Organized Crime

Violent Crime Class 4 – Organized Crime

Administrative Any questions about where we are or what we are doing? Anyone have paper proposal to return Will return journals. Don’t forget that next time must respond to all comments and questions

Review Murder in the US and elsewhere Creation of the stalking myth Laws rushed to passage without thinking through the implications Most stalking nonviolent and most by men trying to continue domestic relationships The John Hinckley affair

Today I. The Organized Crime Myth II. The Mafia story and U.S. Culture III. New Businesses of Organized Crime IV. State-organized Crime V. Alternative solutions

I. The Organized Crime Myth Define the term – organized crime What kinds of criminal activities are involved?

I. The Organized Crime Myth What is the “Mafia?” What is the “Syndicate?” What is the “Cosa Nostra?” The Mafia Myth in the United States

II. The Mafia Story and U.S. Culture Why was the Mafia Story so easy to establish and hard to eliminate in the United States? What is the alternative narrative to the organized crime myth? How is organized crime organized?

III. New Businesses of Organized Crime Crime has internationalized Relatively new businesses – Arms trafficking – Contraband smuggling – Illegal dumping of hazardous wastes

IV. State-Organized Crimes What is a state-organized crime? Examples? Does government actively attempt to eliminate or reduce this behavior?

V. Alternative Solutions How do we try to address this problem now? Given the nature of organized crime, what solutions might be successful?

Next Time Economic and Consensual Crime We’ll be showing a movie so we need to choose snacks!