1. The Nature and Extent of Crime

2. Crime Data
Surveys and official records are the primary source of crime date
Different techniques are used by criminologist to measure the nature and extent of criminal behavior in addition to personality, attitudes, and background of offenders

3. Primary Sources of Crime Data
Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)
National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
Survey research
National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
Self-report surveys

4. Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)
A large database compiled by the FBI of crimes reported and arrests made each year throughout the U.S.
Accuracy is somewhat suspect as research indicates less than half of all crime victims report incidents to police
FBI publishes reported offenses by city, county, metropolitan area, and geographical divisions of the U.S. for the most serious crimes (Part I crimes) see page 25
The UCR also includes data characteristics of the arrested indivduals (age, race, gender)

5. Compiling the UCR Complex methods
Agencies report number of Part I (Index) crimes
Reported by victims
Officer discovery
Other sources
If further investigation finds false claims, data is eliminated from count
Still reported to the FBI if no one is arrested
Cleared crimes reported
Arrest, charge, or turned over to courts for prosecution
Exceptional means (beyond police control – leaves country)

6. UCR Validity Less than half of crime victims report crimes
What are some reasons a victim might not report a crime?
Private matter
Not important
Their own fault
Don’t trust the police
Retaliation
Insurance
Agency error
Define crime loosely
Assault, but reported attempted rape
Methodology
If there are multiple crimes in one incident the most serious is the one recorded

7. National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)
A program that began in 1982 that requires local police agencies to provide a brief account of each incident and arrest, including incident, victim, and offender information
Has expanded crime categories
Includes federal crimes
Includes hate crimes
Once it is adopted across the nation
it should improve the accuracy of official crime data

8. Survey Research
A survey that asks people about their attitudes, beliefs, values, characteristics, and experiences with crime and victimization
Includes sampling the population

9. National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
The UCR cannot measure ALL crimes since many victims don’t report the crimes – as a result the fed. gov. sponsored NCVS
The federal government sponsors this comprehensive, nationwide survey of victims about their experiences with law violation
Victims seem to report only crimes that have considerable loss or injury
NCVS may also have methodology problems
Overreporting – lost wallet reported stolen
Underreporting – fear of embarrassment or trouble – or forgetting
Inability to record – inability to record personal criminal activity
Sampling errors – not a good representation
Inadequate question format – produce responses

10. Self-Report Surveys
A research approach that asks subjects to describe, in detail, their recent and lifetime participation in criminal activity
Most focus on juvenile delinquency and youth crimes
Critics say that people are not likely to openly admit illegal acts
Some people might exaggerate their activities

11. Evaluating Crime Data
Each source of crime data has strengths and weaknesses
All sources record similar trends regarding personal characteristics of serious offenders, and when and where the crime occurs
Sources are reliable indicators of changes and fluctuations in yearly crime rates

12. Trends in Violent Crime
Violent crimes include murder, rape, assault, and robbery
Between 1995 and 2005, violence in the U.S. decreased more than 20%
Between 2004 and 2005, murder, assault, and robbery increased, though are still much lower than in the past

13. Crime Rate Trends – Violent Crimes

14. Trends in Property Crime
Property crimes include larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson
Between 1995 and 2005, the total number of property crimes declined about 15%, and the property crime rate declined almost 25%

16. Trends in Victimization Data
Reported victimizations have declined significantly during the past 30 years
Between 1993 and 2004, both the violent crime victimization rate and the property crime victimization rate decreased approximately 50%

19. Explaining Crime Trends
Crime experts have identified a number of social, economic, personal, and demographic factors that influence crime rate trends:
age
economy/job
social malaise
abortion
guns
gangs
drug use
media
justice policy

20. Crime Patterns Most reported crimes occur during July and August
Large urban areas have the highest violence rates
Western and Southern states have higher crime rates than the Midwest and Northeast
Age is inversely related to criminality (one increases the other decreases)
Male crime rates are much higher than those of females

21. Regional Crime Rates

22. Chronic Offenders
Data shows that most offenders commit a single criminal act, and on arrest, discontinue their criminal involvement
A small group of offenders, called chronic offenders or career criminals, are responsible for a majority of all criminal offenses
Punishment is inversely related to chronic offending

23. In Class Activities
Would you answer honestly if you were involved in a national crime survey about your own behavior? Why or why not? Based on the class responses what do you think about the survey accuracy?
Explain gender differences in crime rates?
What social and environmental factors influence crime rates in your opinion?
Do you think a national emergency would increase or decrease crime rates?
Campus crime rates map.
Create a crime survey and go interview a sample population