1. Criminology and Measuring Crime
Chapter 2 & 3 In Your Textbook
John Massey
Criminal Justice

2. Criminology
Criminology – scientific study of crime and causes of criminal behavior
Why is it important to measure crime/gather statistics?
3 reasons:
1) know when crime is decreasing/increasing
2) know what types of crimes are becoming problems in certain areas
3) see who are prone to be victims/perpetuators
Variety of Ways to Measure Crime
(UCR, NIBRS, NCVS, Self-Reported Surveys)
UCR – Uniform Crime Report – 1930
Gather crimes that are reported to police
3 forms of measurement: number of people arrested, number of crimes reported by victims, witnesses or police, and number of officers

3. More on the UCR Rate per 100,000 people
Does not include crimes not reported
2001 – just under 12 million index crimes
Results/stats published every year
Part I – Index Crimes – more serious
Murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, etc.
Covered by media
Part II – misdemeanors and other felonies
Arrest data
Five times more likely than index crimes
Problems with the UCR
Citizens have to report it, chain of command

5. NIBRS & Victim Surveys National Incident Based Reporting System
Emerged because of criticisms of the UCR
22 offense categories, 46 specific crimes
Formed in 1989
Not used frequently
Results are similar to those found with the UCR
Victim Surveys
Researchers ask victims of crime directly
Mail/phone surveys
1966
Results indicate a higher victimization rate
Shows that a lot of crime may go unreported

6. NCVS & Self-Reported Surveys
National Crime Victimization Survey
1972 – people are interviewed twice a year
Measures both reported/underreported crime
Unaffected by police bias
Does not rely on victims directly reporting to the police
Some people may not answer truthfully
Self-Reported Surveys
Question offenders rather than victims
Ask about criminal activity
Some may not admit, some may overstate their involvement

8. Crime Trends and Patterns
Crime peaked in the 80’s, has since decreased.
Why is crime data important? (2 reasons)
Can give a general idea of crime patterns
Use the stats to determine geographic patterns of crime
What we know
Urban areas have higher rates of index crimes
States in the south and west have higher rates of index crimes
More crime in warmer summer months
Crime is concentrated in hotspots
Class and Crime
Highest rates = poorest, lowest income, urban neighborhoods
Unemployment – predictor of violent crime
Poverty – predictor of violent crime
POVERTY DOES NOT CAUSE CRIME – can be a contributing factor

9. Crime Trends and Patterns
Race and Crime
Strong correlation
African Americans – 13% of population, 38% of those arrested for violent crimes, 31% of those arrested for property crimes
Greater victimization rates
Age and Crime
Strongest statistical determinant of criminal behavior
41% of arrests for violent crime involve Americans 24 and under
Age 50 + = only 5.6% of violent crime arrests
Guns and Crime
Juvenile criminal behavior
Rise in gun ownership among gangs and its members
2001 – 63% of homicides involved firearm

10. Crime Trends and Patterns
Drugs and Alcohol and Crime
As many as 8 out of every 10 prisoners under the influence of one when committing their crimes or had history of abuse
Gender and Crime
Males
Murder 10 times more than females
Gender roles
Career Criminals
Chronic offenders
Marvin Wolfgang, 9945 males born in Philadelphia in 1945
Studied til 1963
6 percent had committed five or more offenses
“The Chronic 6 percent”

11. Causes of Crime Many proposed theories and explanations
Choice Theories
Rational choice
Commit the crime because you choose to do so
Rewards and punishments, gains and losses
Trait Theories
Lombroso, father of criminology
Criminals are throwbacks, not fully evolved (atavistic)
Crime is in the body and the brain
Sociological Theories
Crime is the result of social conditions in a person’s environment
People socially disadvantaged because of poverty
Social disorganization theory

12. Social Disorganization Theory
POVERTY ->
SOCIAL DISORGANIZATION (breakdown of social institutions) ->
BREAKDOWN OF SOCIAL CONTROL ->
EMERGENCE OF HIGH CRIME AREAS ->
CULTURAL TRANSMISSION ->
CAREER CRIMINALS
The cycle repeats…

14. Social Process Theories
Crime is the result of a person’s interaction with their environment
Learning Theory
Sutherland
Crime is a learned behavior
Conditioned teacher exposes student
Labeling Theory
If labeled criminal by authority, you will take the role seriously
Stigma, bragging rights
Social Conflict Theory
Power
Poverty, racism, sexism and destruction of environment are “true crimes”
Critical of capitalistic society