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2 The Crime Picture
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The Collection of Crime Data
Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program A statistical reporting program run by the FBI and publishes Crime in the United States annually National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) An annual survey of selected American households
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The UCR/NIBRS Program Development of the UCR Program
Approximately 18,000 law enforcement agencies provide crime information to the program. Original UCR Program included a Crime Index which permitted comparisons over time. continued on next slide
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The UCR/NIBRS Program Development of the UCR Program
Murder, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson (Arson was added to the index in 1979)
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FIGURE 2-1 The Criminal Justice Funnel Source: Derived from Brian A
FIGURE The Criminal Justice Funnel Source: Derived from Brian A. Reaves, Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties, 2009 (Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2013), and updated with estimates by the author.
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The National Incident-Based Reporting System
Development initiated in 1988 A significant redesign of the original UCR Program Incident-driven, not summary-based Gathers many details about each criminal incident continued on next slide
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The National Incident-Based Reporting System
Includes 22 general offenses FBI began accepting crime data in NIBRS format in January 1989. The NIBRS format has not been fully adopted. Attempting to enhance the quantity, quality, and timeliness of crime-data collection by law enforcement agencies
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Differences between Traditional UCR and Enhanced UCR/NIBRS Reporting
Consists of monthly aggregate crime counts Consists of individual incident records for the 8 major crimes and 38 other offenses, with details on offense, victim, offender, and property involved continued on next slide
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Differences between Traditional UCR and Enhanced UCR/NIBRS Reporting
Records one offense per incident, as determined by the hierarchy rule, which suppresses counts of lesser offenses in multiple-offense incidents Records each offense occurring in anincident
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Historical Trends The first shift occurred in the early 1940s.
There was a decrease in crime due to the large number of young men who entered military service during World War II. continued on next slide
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Historical Trends The second shift was between 1960 and the early 1990s. Postwar baby boomers reaching crime-prone age Growing professionalization of some police departments resulted in greater and more accurate data collection continued on next slide
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Historical Trends The second shift was between 1960 and the early 1990s. Increase in drug-related criminal activity Crime rates peaked during the early 1990s continued on next slide
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Historical Trends The third shift was between 1991 and 2009.
Decrease in crime Sentencing reform Growth in the use of incarceration "War on drugs" Advances in forensic science technology continued on next slide
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Historical Trends A fourth shift in crime trends seems to be starting now. PERF reports "The reentry explosion" "The lengthening shadow of illegal immigration" "The sprawling parentless neighborhood of the Internet"
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UCR/NIBRS in Transition
Violent crimes (Also called personal crimes) include murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault Property crimes are motor vehicle theft, burglary, arson, and larceny-theft. Clearance rate Proportion of reported crimes that have been "solved"
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Part I Offenses Murder The unlawful killing of a human being
Smallest numerical category in Part I offenses Firearms are the weapons most often used. The offender is usually at least an acquaintance. continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Forcible Rape Sexual battery
The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will Sexual battery The intentional and wrongful physical contact with a person, without consent continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Date Rape Most rapes are committed by acquaintances.
Forced sexual intercourse that occurs within the context of a dating relationship Most rapes are committed by acquaintances. continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Robbery
The unlawful taking or attempted taking of property that is in the immediate possession of another by force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear Individuals are the most common target of robbers. continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Robbery
The unlawful taking or attempted taking of property that is in the immediate possession of another by force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear UCR/NIBRS Program scores a robbery as one robbery, even if multiple victims in one event. continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Assault Inflicting injury upon the person of another
continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Aggravated Assault
Inflicting serious injury upon the person of another Most frequent in the summer months Most aggravated assaults are committed with blunt objects or objects near at hand. continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Burglary
The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft Burglars usually do not know their victims. continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Larceny-Theft
The unlawful taking or attempted taking of property from the possession of another The most common of the eight major offenses continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Motor Vehicle Theft
Self-propelled vehicles that run on the ground and not on rails Most insurance companies require police reports before they will reimburse car owners for their losses continued on next slide
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Part I Offenses Arson Any willful or malicious burning, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling, public building, motor vehicle, etc.
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Part II Offenses Less serious than Part I offenses
Include a number of social-order (a.k.a. "victimless") crimes
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The National Crime Victimization Survey
Designed to estimate the occurrence of all crimes, whether reported or not First conducted in 1972 Dark figure of crime Crimes that are not reported to the police
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Comparisons of the UCR and the NCVS
Problems with the UCR/NIBRS Not all people report when they are victimized. Certain kinds of crimes are reported rarely, if at all. Victims' reports may not be entirely accurate. Inaccuracies may enter the data as it is filtered through a number of levels. continued on next slide
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Comparisons of the UCR and the NCVS
Issues with the NCVS Respondents relate events which may or may not have been crimes. Some victims are afraid to report crimes, even to non-police interviewers. Details about the crimes come directly from the victim with no attempt to validate the information against police records or any other source.
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Special Categories of Crime
Crime Typology A classification of crimes along a particular dimension Crime against women Men are more often the victims of violent crime. However, when women are victims of violent crime, they are more likely than men to be injured. continued on next slide
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Special Categories of Crime
Stalking Repeated harassing and threatening behavior which may be planned or carried out in secret
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Violence against Women Act (VAWA)
Educate police, prosecutors, and judges about the special needs of female victims Encourage pro-arrest policies in cases of domestic abuse continued on next slide
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Violence against Women Act (VAWA)
Provide specialized services for female victims Fund battered women's shelters
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Crime Against the Elderly
In general, elderly crime victims are more likely than younger victims to: Be victims of property crime. Report their victimization to the police. Be physically injured.
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Hate Crime Hate Crime A criminal offense committed against a person that is motivated by the offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin continued on next slide
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Hate Crime Most hate crimes consist of intimidation.
Hate crimes may also involve vandalism, simple assault, and/or aggravated assault.
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Corporate and White-Collar Crime
Identification doctrine Corporations treated as separate legal entities Can be convicted of violations of criminal law continued on next slide
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Corporate and White-Collar Crime
Corporate crime A violation of criminal statute by a corporate entity or by its executives, employees, or agents for the benefit of the corporation continued on next slide
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Corporate and White-Collar Crime
Violations of criminal law committed by persons of respectability in the course of their occupation
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Organized Crime Organized Crime Transnational Organized Crime
The unlawful activities of the members of a highly organized, disciplined association engaged in supplying illegal goods or services Transnational Organized Crime Unlawful activity undertaken and supported by organized criminal groups operating across national boundaries
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Gun Crime Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act 1994
Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act 1994 Domestic Violence Offender Gun Ban 1996 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Firearms Act 2005
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Drug Crime White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) estimates annual illicit drug sales in the United States of around $65 billion. Drug law violations continue to increase.
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High-Technology and Computer Crime
Any crime perpetuated through the use of computer technology Information piracy and forgery Dissemination of offensive materials
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Terrorism A violent act or an act dangerous to human life in violation of the criminal laws of the U. S. or of any state, committed to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives
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