L2 What is criminology? What is Crime

Question 1

prof’s dog’s name

Answer 1

tucker

Question 2

define criminology

Answer 2

the body of knowledge regarding crime as a social phenomenon

Question 3

3 elements of criminology

Answer 3

1. making laws
2. breaking laws
3. reaction to breaking of laws

Question 4

goal of criminology

Answer 4

scientific: to develop body of general and verified principles and knowledge regarding law, crime, and treatment

Question 5

6 things that criminologists study

Answer 5

1. definition of crime + criminals
2. origins and role of law
3. social distribution of crime
4. causation of crime
5. patterns of criminal behaviour
6. societal reactions to crime

Question 6

3 approaches to studying crime

Answer 6

1. quantitative approach
2. qualitiative approch
3. mixed-methods approach

Question 7

what is the quantitative approach to studying crime?

Answer 7

relating to the measurement of something - its quantity

Question 8

what is the qualitative approach to studying crime.

Answer 8

explores the reasons for human behaviour and the qualities of subjective experiences

Question 9

why study criminology?

Answer 9

• to better understand crime, criminal behaviour + society’s response to it.
• to reduce, we need to understand (well-intended laws supposed to reduce crime, dont - find out why; find out motivations to crime to create better solutions + penalties)
• crime affects us all (all have been victim’s at some point)

Question 10

spanking a child

• germany prosecutes
• canada allows if child is under 18
• what 4 differences does this tell us?

Answer 10

1. differences between society
2. differences in discipline
3. differences in rights for the child
4. difference in punishment based on what is valued in society

Question 11

media’s role in crime

Answer 11

• most ppl learn about crime thru media
• media misrepresents crime to attract viewers
• rule for media: “ if it bleeds, it leads” =sensationalizes crime + hypes crime even tho lowest crime rates in 30 years.
• fictional accounts of crime are distorted (don’t understand motive, or show true danger in the criminal act)
• as a result, criminologists steer clear of media because it misinterprets

Question 12

what is moral panic?

Answer 12

when a condition, episode, person or group of persons emerges to become defined as a threat to societal values and interests.

= demonizes group/thing as being harmful

Question 13

Media + moral panic

Answer 13

moral panic triggered by media stories.

- reinforced by reactive laws, public policy, misdirected public concern and threat to social order

Question 14

when does moral panic occur?

Answer 14

when perceptions of a problem differ from the reality of the problem

Question 15

Columbine high school massacre - what happened? - what resulted?

Answer 15

16 students and 1 teacher killed in mass shooting.

results:

• metal detectors in schools
• drop + cover drills
• 24 hour media coverage
• politicians and parents blame entertainment industry + want tough legislative changes

Question 16

michael moore’s documentary : bowling for columbine.

marilyn manson

Answer 16

deviantize a narrative for political purpose.

assoc columbine shooters with marilyn manson

creates moral panic

Question 17

school shootings in Context

Answer 17

chance of shooting happening was very small.

• most kids were safe in school
• hard to understand this perspective tho because it’s not as fantastic.
• adults close to child are responsible for 90% of child deaths.

Question 18

myths surrounding columbine shooters

Answer 18

• wrong media
• plenty of friends, did well in school, didn’t listen to marilyn manson, didn’t hate anyone, didn’t have mental break.
• planned to do this for a year + a half. wanted to blow up the school because they hated the world and wanted people to suffer.

Question 19

crime, historically speaking

Answer 19

harmful behaviour against others treated as a private matter

- wasn’t effective.

Question 20

gov’t involvement in harmful acts

Answer 20

certain harmful acts became defined as criminal

• harmful acts were against society as a whole
• gov’t codified behaviours and became responsible for enforcing and prosecuting those who commit harmful acts

Question 21

crime vs deviance

Answer 21

crime: act that violates criminal law and is punishable
deviance: departs from social norms and is not always subject to formal social sanction

Question 22

why is crime socially defined?

Answer 22

1. there are no universally condemned acts
2. there is nothing inherent in any act that makes it unlawful.

consider social context - depends on country, what troubles us.

Question 23

why is crime relative?

Answer 23

socially defined = rules can change.

distinction between criminal and noncriminal is ambiguous!!
- fundamentally incompatible with the notion that criminals are born to crime

Question 24

what 4 things does criminal law include?

Answer 24

• definitions of crimes
• specification of punishments
• general principles of criminal responsibility
• defenses to a charge

Question 25

3 purposes+ functions of criminal law

Answer 25

1. deterrence:
2. denunciation
3. retribution

Question 26

what is deterrence?

Answer 26

principle of punishment intended to discourage citizens (assumed to be rational) from offending or reoffending

• specific: discouraging specific person from committing crime (again)
• general: prevent general public from committing crime

Question 27

what is denunciation

Answer 27

formal expression that a crime is unacceptable

- by society for betterment of society

Question 28

what is retribution

Answer 28

punishment for transgressions

Question 29

where does canadian criminal law come from?

Answer 29

legislation - civil law.

judicial decision - common law

Question 30

2 most important pieces of canadian legislation

Answer 30

canadian criminal code

charter or R+F

Question 31

what is substantive law

Answer 31

defines criminal acts and the legal elements that must be present for a conviction
* in criminal code*

Question 32

what is procedural law

Answer 32

specifies the criminal procedures to be followed while prosecuting a case and the powers of justice system officials
* in criminal code*

Question 33

what is charter of rights + freedome?

Answer 33

bill entrenched in canadian constitution

• guarantees certain political rights to Canadian citizens + outlines canadian principles and values.
• can be used to protect people against criminal convictions

Question 34

other relevant federal criminal statutes

Answer 34

• youth criminal justice act
• controlled drugs + substances act
• customs and excise act

Question 35

2 basic components of a crime

Answer 35

actus reus : the guilty act

mens rea: the guilty mind

Question 36

what must occur in order to be convicted of a criminal offence

Answer 36

1. prosecution must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt that
   - a particular event/state of affairs was “caused” by the accused person’s conduct (actus reus)
   - that this conduct was simultaneously accompanied by a certain state of mind (mens rea)

Question 37

3 components of actus reus

Answer 37

1. conduct: voluntary act or omission constituting the central feature of the crime
2. surrounding or “material” circumstances
3. consequences of voluntary conduct

Question 38

explain conduct - issue?

Answer 38

if interest in participating, don’t try to prevent potentially harmful action.
regards control over action, could you (or reasonable person) have known you would’ve done this.

Question 39

the mens rea element of crime is?

Answer 39

the mental elements (state of mind) of the crime, other than voluntariness

• changes with the crime
• understand + intend consequence
• purpose is to reflect Canadian values. want those who are morally blame-worthy to be punished.

Question 40

2 components of mens rea

Answer 40

subjective: accused deliberately intended to bring about consequences prohibited by law.
objective: person should be convicted because a reasonable person would have appreciated that the conduct created a risk of harm + would have taken action to avoid this.