Criminal Behaviour (General Characteristics) Flashcards
Is criminal behaviour considered a mental illness?
No, it is not categorised as a mental illness.
Is criminal behaviour included in the DSM or ICD?
No, it’s not included in either classification system.
Does criminal behaviour have set clinical characteristics?
No, it does not.
Is criminal behaviour considered a clinical or social issue?
It is considered more of a social issue.
What is Property Predatory Crime?
Crimes like robbery.
What is Property Fraudulent Crime?
Crimes like fraud.
What is Interpersonal Violence General?
Crimes like assault or murder.
What is Interpersonal Violence Sexual?
Crimes like rape or sexual abuse.
What is Transactional Vice?
Crimes like gambling or drug offenses.
What is Order Disruption?
Crimes like disorderly conduct or rioting.
What is Folk Crime?
Minor crimes like fishing without a licence or breaking load regulations.
Who collects official crime statistics in the UK?
The Office of National Statistics (ONS).
What are the two main crime categories used by the ONS?
Victim-based crimes and crimes against society.
What is a major limitation of crime statistics?
They only show reported crimes, not all crimes committed.
What did Walker et al. (2006) find about crime reporting in the UK?
Only 42% of crimes were reported to the police.
What did Catalano (2006) find about crime reporting in the US?
Only 40% of crimes were reported.
What is a victim survey?
A survey that asks a random sample of 50,000 households about their experiences with crime, including unreported crimes.
What is another way to collect data on crime besides victim surveys?
Surveying offenders themselves.
What is a limitation of offender surveys?
Sample bias – only caught criminals can be interviewed.
What does it mean to say crime is a social construct?
Crime definitions vary across cultures and time periods.
Are there any universal crimes?
Yes, crimes like rape and murder are generally considered universal.
Why can’t we always generalise crime definitions?
Because what is considered a crime can change based on culture and time.
Why can research on crime become outdated?
Because definitions and perceptions of crime evolve.
Why might context matter when defining crime?
Because some acts, although technically illegal, may be morally justified (e.g. civil disobedience).
How might criminal behaviour be seen as beneficial in some cases?
When it challenges unjust laws, like racial segregation in the US (e.g. Martin Luther King’s actions).
