L3 / CH4 Flashcards
Describe and explain two factors contribute to the complexity of measuring crime (p.65).
(1) the inherently theoretical nature of crime as a construct ; (2) the practical challenge of knowing where crime occurs, what to count, and how to count it
Describe and explain conception of Crime as Theoretical Construct (p. 66).
Crime is defined by societal norms and values, making it a social construct that varies across different theories, cultures and society.
List and briefly characterize four theoretical perspectives
Structuralist Perspective fall within the general scope of conflict theories, focusing on unequal distribution of power in society, and seeing crime as a reflection of those in power.
Positivist Perspective fall within the general scope of consensus theories, emphasizing on social bonds and collective beliefs, and assume Criminal Code is a reflection of a society’s collective social values
Constructionist Perspective: views crime as a result of social interactions with others
Integrationist Perspective: Combines elements from various theories, facilitating the inclusion of 1) philosophy and sociology of law, 2) the empirical study of crime, and its interpretation
Explain deconstruction of crime statistic (p. 71 and lecture).
When examining official crime statistics (via crime funnel), we should bear in mind that the majority of crimes are not reported to the police; if they are reported, they may not be recorded
What is the crime funnel, and what are its main stages (pp. 71–77)?
the crime funnel model shows the process of how crime becomes a part of the official statistic, and the total quantity of crime is much higher than the decreasing proportion that is detected, reported, processed and punished
- total crimes commited (reported or not)
- crimes recorded by police
- arrests made (lack of evidence)
- prosecutions initiated depending on the offence or eidence
- conviction secured (plea affecting charge)
- incarcerations (not all jail, some fine or probation)
Describe and analyse victimization surveys (p. 78–80).
Victimization surveys collect data from individuals about their crime experiences. however, some crimes do not involve victims to begin with. there are also issues with some population being difficult to interview, telescoping, memory fade, and willingness to disclose.
What is Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2 (UCR2)? How to use it?
collects and reports detailed data and statistics on criminal incidents, including victim, accused, and incident characteristics. It allows multiple offences from a criminal incident and includes a broad range of crime categories.
What is Crime Severity Index? Why it is important for measuring crime?
The Crime Severity Index (CSI) was developed to overcome limitations to crime rates generated by the UCR and UCR2. CSI weights crimes by severity, and takes frequency into account, providing a view of crime trends, and reflecting changes in both volume and seriousness of crime.
Why crime is compared to a moving target? Give some examples.
Crime is compared to a moving target because societal changes create new types of crimes and alter traditional ones. Examples include cybercrime like hacking and online fraud which are less visible and harder to track than face-to-face crimes.
