1. Law and Justice Chapter 7
Crime in America

2. Crime in America The Nature of Crimes Crime
Something one does or fails to do that is in violation of a law or behavior for which a government has set a penalty
Crime has long been a problem in the U.S.
Crime rates are influenced by your location and gender
Generally higher in urban areas vs. rural
Generally higher against women vs. men
Violent crimes happen most often during the day
But… two-thirds of rapes occur at night
Crime costs you money
Even if you aren’t the victim, the U.S. government spends over $150 billion a year fighting crime (your tax dollars)
Suggested causes of crime
Poverty – permissive courts – unemployment – lack of education – abuse of alcohol and drugs – inadequate police protection – rising population – lack of parental guidance – breakdown in morals – ineffective correctional system – little chance of being caught or punished – influence of TV

3. Crime in America Family Stability
perhaps the most telling reason behind crime
Stable families raise stable children – children with the guidance and support to make correct choices
Would tougher penalties curb the crime rate?
U.S. has some of the toughest criminal laws
U.S. has the highest incarceration rate of any industrialized nation
U.S. has the highest crime rate of any industrialized nation
Community Policing may be an answer
Neighborhoods who have more direct contact with police tend to be safer
Citizens have to be willing to help law enforcement
Crime on Campus
Both college and high school
In 2000 – students 12 – 18 years old experienced nearly 2 million incidents of violent and property crime
About 128,000 included rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault
Remember most crimes go UNREPORTED

4. Crime in America Crime on Campus (contd.) 2001 survey College campuses
10% of male H.S. students reported carrying a gun to school
3% of female students reported the same
33% of students reported that drugs were available to them at school
72% reported that they had participated in or seen someone being bullied
College campuses
In 2000, the following were “reported”
20 murders
1,858 forcible sex offenses
1,933 robberies
3,644 aggravated assaults
26,543 burglaries
5,792 motor vehicle thefts
Many crimes are not reported outside the campus for fear of lowered student applications

5. Crime in America National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD)
The NCCD has been studying criminal justice since 1907 and recommends the following for reducing crime
Build safer communities with special attention to safe schools, after school programs, community policing, and prevention of domestic violence and child abuse.
Reduce the costs and improve the fairness of the criminal justice system
Develop cost-effective alternatives to incarceration, reserving prison sentences for those who cannot be treated safely in the community
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.
It all sounds good, but how should it be implemented?

6. Crime in America Gangs and Crime History
At one time, violent gangs only operated in the largest cities of the U.S.
Gangs are now active in cities and towns of all sizes
Nearly all cities with populations higher than 200,000 report having gang problems
20% of all students aged reported that street gangs were present at school
One reason gangs have spread is the lure of profits from selling illegal drugs
Most experts believe that there are now several thousand youth gangs and several hundred thousand gang members

7. Crime in America What are gangs? For our discussion Gangs are not new
gangs are people who form groups closed to the general public, for certain common business or nonprofit purposes that may include violent criminal activity
Gangs are not new
In the 19th century gangs existed in many American neighborhoods
Usually adult members
Organized along ethnic lines
Had names, rules, and initiation rituals
Identified by emblems and distinctive ways of dressing
These early gangs were interested in protecting turf, reputation and cultural heritage
Not all of these gangs engaged in criminal activity
Neither do all gangs today
Some gangs perform community work and operate job-training and other funded programs
These are not the gangs that contribute to the crime problem

8. Crime in America Today’s gangs (the not so nice ones)
Members rage in age from young children to middle-aged adults
Operate with much more sophisticated organizational structures
Many focus on drug trafficking, firearm sales, auto theft, prostitution, and other criminal activity
Others use group-orientated violence to defend racist or sexist beliefs
Gangs often associate themselves with one of several major gang “nations”
Gangs identify themselves with symbols, emblems, colors, phrases, clothing and use graffiti to mark or ‘tag’ their territory
People who join usually have some sort of initiation
Committing a crime
Robbery, selling drugs, drive by shooting,
Being beaten
Or for females – having sex with multiple members of the gang
It is not uncommon to do another task like these to leave the gang

9. Crime in America Who joins gangs and why?
Gender
Most gang members are male, however female membership is rising
Poverty
School failure
Substance abuse
Family dysfunction
Domestic and community violence
Low self esteem
Peer pressure to do so
How can the gang problem be solved?
Experts say that you need to prevent young people from becoming involved

10. Crime in America
Communities that are successful against gangs take the following actions
Operate outreach and intervention programs that help gang members and potential members become involved in positive non-gang activities
Provide greater alternatives for young people including athletics, clubs, school tutoring and job training
Increase the awareness of the community and develop opportunities for young people
Organize prevention strategies in which law enforcement and the community identifies gang members and ‘wanna-bes” and places them in anti gang membership programs
Prosecute gang members for illegal activity
Organize neighborhood watch programs that remove graffiti and make it difficult for gangs to establish a presence or intimidate residents

11. Crime in America Guns and the Law The 2nd Amendment Protection
Most Americans who own firearms own them legally and use them lawfully
However, guns are often used in violent crimes
Efforts (or lack of efforts) by the government to control them is very controversial
The 2nd Amendment
Protection
Some groups look to the 2nd Amendment as a protector of their ‘right to bear arms’
Disagreements
Other groups claim that the 2nd Amendment protects a STATE’S RIGHT to maintain a militia or armed forces – not protect citizens against legislation
U.S. Supreme Court
Have ruled that the amendment guarantees a state’s right to maintain a militia
They have not used the 2nd Amendment to strike down any gun control law

12. Crime in America Gun Control Act of 1968
Primary gun control law in America today
Passed after the murders of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy
The law does the following
Prohibits convicted felons, minors, and illegal aliens from purchasing or possessing weapons
Requires serial numbers on all guns
establishes a licensing fee schedule for firearms manufacturers, importers and dealers
Prohibits mail order sale of firearms and ammunition
Prohibits the interstate sale of handguns
In 1993 Congress amended the act with the Brady Act
Required the Attorney General to make a national system to instantly check the background of individuals wanting to buy guns
Many states have their own laws
Training, test or other requirement before purchase

13. Crime in America Substance Abuse and Crime Alcohol
The term substance abuse came into use in recent years
Termed to mean excessive use of any mind or body altering chemical
Alcohol
Most widely abused substance in the U.S.
Why?
Because it is socially acceptable
Alcohol Abuse is detrimental to society
Contributes to the poor functioning of families
Contributes to spousal and child abuse
Annual cost to society is estimated at $150 billion yearly
Violent Crime
2001 Dept. of Justice study – alcohol involved in 35% of violent crime
66% of domestic violence victims reported alcohol was a factor

14. Crime in America DUI Penalties for DUI Implied Consent
Driving Under the Influence
Refers to the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC)
BAC indicates the grams per deciliter (g/dl) of alcohol in the blood
BAC can be determined by breath, urine, or blood
Although legal BAC levels vary by state a person is generally:
Considered impaired from 0.01g/dl to 0.09g/dl
Considered intoxicated at 0.10g/dl or greater
ND is 0.08g/dl
Penalties for DUI
Monetary fine
Enrollment in a DUI class
Community service
License suspended or revoked
Jail sentence
Implied Consent
Law that states when you accept a drivers license you have already consented to being given a BAC test

15. Crime in America DUI (contd.) But I feel fine…..
Maybe so, that is Alcohol’s job – to make you feel fine, but look at the science
You cannot alter your bodies ability to take alcohol out of your system, only time can
The amount of blood in your system is determined by your size, and is a percentage of your total weight.
So lets look at two average people
Female – 120 lbs
1 drink in 1 hour = 0.026g/dl
2 drinks in 1 hour = 0.064g/dl
3 drinks in 1 hour = 0.102g/dl
1 drink in 2 hours = 0.014g/dl
2 drinks in 2 hours = 0.052g/dl
3 drinks in 2 hours = 0.090g/dl
Male – 150 lbs
1 drink in 1 hour = 0.013g/dl
2 drinks in 1 hour = 0.039g/dl
3 drinks in 1 hour = 0.065g/dl
4 drinks in 1 hour = 0.091g/dl
1 drink in 2 hours = 0.001g/dl
2 drinks in 2 hours = 0.027g/dl
3 drinks in 2 hours = 0.053g/dl
4 drinks in 2 hours = 0.080g/dl
Women reach higher BACs faster because they have less water in their bodies and more adipose tissue (fat), which is not easily penetrated by alcohol. A man and a woman, with all other factors being equal, both drinking the same amount of alcohol, will have different BAC levels. Hers will be higher.

16. Crime in America
Drugs
Between 50 and 75% of all persons taken into criminal custody test positive for one or more drugs at the time of their arrest
Trends are difficult to determine
Some cities have outbreaks of crack cocaine, while others see a rise in the use of marijuana, heroin, or methamphetamines
Some studies show a substantial increase in violence where crack cocaine is a problem
Most illegal drugs are highly addictive and can disrupt the life of the user
The Federal Drug Law divides drugs into five groups depending on medical use (if any), potential for abuse, and capability to create physical or psychological addiction

17. Crime in America Schedule I drugs Schedule II drugs Schedule III drugs
Sentences for first-time, non-violent offenders convicted of trafficking in Schedule I drugs can easily turn into de facto life sentences when multiple sales are prosecuted in one proceeding. Sentences for violent offenders are much higher.
Cannabis, heroin, lysergic acid diethylamide, mescaline, peyote, Psilocybin
Schedule II drugs
These drugs are only available by prescription. Prescription is limited to 30 days worth of doses, exceptions are made for cancer patients, burn victims, etc. No refills are allowed.
Cocaine, methylphenidate, morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, phencycladine
Schedule III drugs
These drugs are available only by prescription. Prescriptions for Schedule III drugs may be refilled up to five times within a six month period
Anabolic steroids, ketamine, tylenol3
Schedule IV drugs
Control measures are similar to Schedule III. Prescriptions for Schedule IV drugs may be refilled up to five times within a six month period.
Sleep aids like Ambien, minor pain meds like Darvocet

18. Crime in America Victims of Crime Schedule V drugs Hypocritical?
Schedule V drugs are only available for a medical purpose.
Cough suppressants, nasal decongestants, other OTC drugs
Hypocritical?
Many people call the federal drug act a hypocrisy
Restricting drugs while allowing the sale of alcohol and tobacco
Both of which cause more deaths per year than all illegal drugs combined
Victims of Crime
Found everywhere
Young, old, male, female, rich, poor, all ethnic groups
24 million victims ages 12 and over per year
Help for Victims
From courts in the form of restitution
From advocacy groups like MADD, SADD,

19. Crime in America Preventing and Reporting Crime What can you do?
Report suspicious activity to the police. The police cannot help you if you don’t call them
Always lock doors and windows.
Cancel mail and newspapers when on vacation.
Be alert in high crime areas – deserted streets, parking lots
Use the buddy system
Do not flash money in public
Call the police if you witness a crime
Try to provide the police with as much info as possible
Write down details and a description of the suspect
Do your duty – testify if needed

20. Crime in America If you become a victim What to do?
You have two choices – Fight Back or Give In
If you fight back, be prepared to risk injury
If the assailant has a weapon expect them to use it
Know your limitations
Not everyone has the strength, size or knowledge to fight back effectively
Make a lot of noise
Criminals hate audiences
Call the police as soon as you can
Don’t give the criminal time to get away
Help for victims
Many government agencies have programs to assist survivors of violent crime
National Center for Victims of Crime –
Office for Victims of Crime –