1. Chapter 7: Crime in America
Law and Civics
Chapter 7: Crime in America

2. Crime
Crime is something one does or fails to do that is in violation of the law
Orrrrrrrrrrrrrr
Behavior for which there is a set penalty
A decision made by legislature that tries to protect the public on what most people believe is right and necessary for the orderly conduct of society

3. Crime continued… Certain acts are prohibited or required to:
Protect life and property
Preserve individual freedoms
Maintain the system of government
Uphold the morality of society
Crime victims are also victims of Human Rights violations.
Ex: It is a universal right for a person to own property. So when someone steals it is a Human Rights Violation
Another example, personal security. Thus rape, assault, murder, etc are also Human Rights Violations.

4. Task…
Assume you are a member of a commission established to evaluate laws. Consider the following acts, then rank these crimes using the following scale:
VS- Very Serious
S- Serious
U-Undecided
LS- Less Serious
NS- Not Serious
NAC- Not a crime (if you think the issue shouldn’t be a crime)

5. Crime Statistics
The Federal Government collects data on crime reports and arrests and makes them available online
Much of this data is organized by 7 “index crimes”

6. Crime Statistics These Crimes are: Larceny/ Theft Burglary
Motor Vehicle Theft
Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Forcible Rape
Murder and Negligent Manslaughter

7. Fiction on Crime Statistics
With the “Big 7” in mind, most arrests and crimes in the US are drug related
80% of drug violations are for “possession
20% are for the sale or manufacture of drugs
In recent years, there have been more arrests for drug violations then for any other single index crime

8. Causes/ Realities Crime Statistics
Possible Causes for crime in the US:
Poverty
Permissive courts
Unemployment
Lack of education
Abuse of alcohol and drugs
Inadequate police protection
Rising population
Breakdown in Morals
An ineffective correctional system
Influence of the Internet

9. Fiction/ Reality of Crime Statistics
“Crime happens mostly in Urban areas”
Poverty is not necessarily the case as family stability is a better factor in these cases
“Tougher penalties would cure crime”
The US already has some of the harshest criminal laws
We also have the highest incarceration rate of any industrialized nation
Incarceration is imprisonment as a result of violation of law and sentencing by the local, state, or federal government

10. Fiction/ Reality of Crime Statistics
“More police on the streets could stop more crimes”
Crimes happen almost every day/ minute/ second in the US and the chances of police prevention of this crime are very slim to none.
“Towns with high crimes can’t do anything because they have no money
Many places have begun to embrace Community Policing- A strategy whereby the community works actively with the local police to lower the crime rate in its area

11. Crime on Campus
The overall rate of violent incidents for all public schools was about 3 incidents per 100 students in 2006… updated
The rate of violent incidents was about twice as high in middle schools as in either primary or high schools
Bullying is more of a concern on the Middle School level as well.

12. EVIL

13. Drugs on School Campuses
Coupled with the issue of campus safety is the problem of drug use among students in elementary, middle, and high schools
Among large schools, 1000 students or more, 75% report at least one incident of distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs

14. Drugs on College Campus
On some college campuses, the use of alcohol is a serious problem. (NO WAY!)
Even though obvious, many other crimes stem from the use of alcohol
Some question, and rightly so, the effectiveness of campus policing with such situations as this and this

15. Gangs
A gang, refers to people who form groups that are closed to the general public, for certain common purposes that may or may not include violent criminal act
At one time, it was thought that violent gangs only functioned in large, urban cities
Now gangs function in towns and cities of all sizes throughout the country
Numbers on gangs: 25,000 gangs with 750,000 members

16. Strategies to reduce Crime/ Gangs
Build safer communities with special attention to safe schools, after-school programs, community policing, and prevention of domestic violence/ child abuse
Reduce costs and improve the fairness of the criminal justice system
Develop cost-effective alternatives to incarceration, reserving prison sentences for those who cannot be safely treated in community-based programs
Create effective drug-control policies. Reduce funds spent on catching drug sellers and users; expand funding for drug treatment and job training; and repeal laws requiring mandatory prison sentences for drug possession.

17. Strategies to reduce Crime/ Gangs
Operate outreach and intervention programs which social workers and trained counselors encourage gang members to become involved in positive, non-gang activities
Provide greater opportunities for younger people, including athletics, clubs, school tutoring, community service work, and job training.
Mobilize government agencies, schools, parents, community groups, religious organizations, and other youths to increase awareness and develop opportunities for young people
Organize prevention strategies in which police and probation officers identify gang members (and wannabes) and place them in anti-gang membership programs.

18. Strategies to reduce Crime/Gangs
Prosecute gang members for illegal activities
Organize neighborhood watch groups that regularly remove graffiti and make it difficult for gangs to establish a presence or intimidate the community

19. Guns and the Law
The right to bear arms is the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
Most Americans who own firearms own them legally and use them lawfully.
However, guns are frequently used in violent crimes

20. Guns and the Law
Efforts to control firearms are very controversial among US citizens, millions who believe passionately that their liberty and perhaps their safety will be at risk if gun ownership is restricted.
Others argue that it is not guns but gun users who cause violence and that law-abiding citizens have a right to own firearms

21. Gun Control Argument
Both sides of the gun control argument can be easily seen, but there is no way to ignore the power of modern day weapons…
Should weapons like this just be allowed to be purchased by anyone?

22. Modern Gun Control
The Gun Control Act of is the primary gun control law of the Federal Government
This was passed shortly after the assassinations of MLK and RFK.
Other laws that have been passed since including the Gun Control Act of 1993, enacting the Brady Act

23. Modern Gun Control The Gun Control Act of 1968
Serial Numbers on all gun
Licensing fee for all manufacturers, importers, and dealers
Prohibits interstate sale of handguns
Set penalties for carrying and using guns in crimes of violence or drug trafficking
Minimum age requirements for firearms purchased by dealers
18 for long gun
21 years old for handguns

24. Modern Gun Control Brady Act of 1993
Named after press secretary James Brady who was wounded in the assassination attempt of Ronald Reagan
Created a national system of an instant back-up check of people trying to purchase a gun/guns
In 2004, about 8.1 million applications for guns were processed… How many do you think were rejected?
126,000 were rejected
Initially created a “5 Day” national waiting period before the sale of a gun
Ruled unconstitutional in 1997, forcing state to enact their own waiting period laws.

25. Great Gun Control Argument
On her show in 1998, in the wake of the Columbine High School Shooting in 1998, Rosie O’Donnell interviewed celebrity Tom Selleck, a self-admitted gun enthusiast as the conversation got very personal…

26. Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse has come into general use in recent years
Substance is used to describe all the different kinds of chemicals that people abuse, including drugs and alcohol.
Substance Abuse- occurs when people use these substances at a detriment to their health, others around them, or resulting in a crime.

27. Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol is the most widely abused substance in the US today
The main reason why is because drinking alcohol is generally socially acceptable in our society
It is legal for purchase by adults 21 and older, formerly 18 and older (1984), during the entire lifetime of the US from 1789-Today except for the age of Prohibition

28. Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol is not legal in every country (Even in US Dry Counties)
For example, it is illegal to even consume alcohol in countries like Saudi Arabia
It is legal for purchase by adults 21 and older, formerly 18 and older, during the entire lifetime of the US from 1789-Today (except for the age of Prohibition)

29. Implied Consent
Implied Consent- is a law in most states under which the driver agrees to submit to a BAC test in exchange for the privilege of driving
In those states, refusal to take the test could result in immediate and automatic suspension of the driver’s license for a certain period even if the driver is not found guilty of DWI.

30. Drug Abuse as Crime
Between 50-75% of people arrested test positive for at least one drug
Possession, distribution, or sale of certain drug is a crime that may violate federal law, state law, or both
The Controlled Substances Act, classifies drugs into 5 groups

31. With So Many Drug Offenses…
Because there are so many drug offenses and repeat offenders, many states have passed recidivist laws.
Recidivist laws are laws passed in the 1990’s which require long jail or prison sentences, including life without parole, for people that are repeatedly convicted of the same crime, even relatively minor ones

32. The Marijuana Argument
From your book on page 93… Highlights:
Some people think marijuana should be legalized, used for medical purposes, tax profits to pay for society’s needs, and therefore controlled by the government
Others oppose any sort of drug legalization.
People feel that criminal laws deter drug use and that reducing penalties would deliver a message of acceptance.

33. Victims of Crimes
People of ages were victims of crime more then any other group
Except for rape and sexual assault, males are more frequently the victims of violent crime
Lower income households are more likely to be victims of crime

34. Victims of Crimes
Members of minority groups and people who rent their homes are more likely to be victims of crime rather then white-homeowners
With so many victims, society now has laws in place that help and aid victims of crime

35. Helping Victims of Crimes
If a crime occurs the victim/ victim’s relatives can receive the following benefits
Financial Assistance
Paid Medical Bills
Making up for Lost Salary
Paying Funeral Costs
Other Services
Restitution can also be sought.
Restitution requires criminals pay back or otherwise compensate victims of a crime.

36. Megan’s Law
Megan Kanka was a 7 year old who was abducted, molested, and murdered by a neighbor who was a convicted sex offender.
Megan’s Law is the term used for the laws all 50 states passed within two years of her death
This law requires the registration of all sex offenders in a state and makes this information public
These laws have been tested twice in the Supreme Court, from Alaska and Connecticut, and upheld

37. Preventing and Reporting Crime
Report suspicious activity to the police. They cannot help you if you do not call them
Always lock your doors and windows
Don’t open the door when you don’t know who it is
Cancel newspapers and mail when you are away for an extended period

38. Preventing and Reporting Crime
Do not enter your home if you think someone has broken in. If so, call police from a neighbor’s home
Be alert in high-crime areas such as dark, deserted streets and parking lots
Use the “buddy system”. Criminals are less likely to target pairs or groups of people

39. Preventing and Reporting Crime
Do not flash money in public
If you witness a crime or have been a victim of a crime, stay calm and call the police
Try to provide police with the most info possible. If you can write down the details of the situation as well as a description of the suspect
You may be asked to file a complaint or to testify in court. Your help will assist the police in preventing future crimes in your community