lecture 2 (crime in Canada) Flashcards
What organization collects crime statistics in Canada?
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS)
The CCJS reports on the number of offences and severity of crimes reported to the police.
What is the estimated total cost of all crime in Canada as of 2021?
Over 100 billion annually.
List the five types of crime identified in Canada.
- Crimes against the person
- Property crimes
- Crimes of the powerful
- Organized crime and gangs
- Antisocial behaviour
Define homicide according to Canadian law.
Directly or indirectly causing the death of a human being (s.222 CCC).
What distinguishes culpable from non-culpable homicide?
Culpable homicide is considered an offence; non-culpable is not.
What are the two degrees of murder?
- First degree: planned and deliberate act
- Second degree: deliberate but unplanned act
What is manslaughter?
Culpable homicide that was not intended to cause death.
What is infanticide?
When a mother kills her newborn child, with reduced punishment due to psychological issues post-childbirth.
Why are sexual assaults least likely to be reported to the police?
They often involve personal and social stigma.
What constitutes robbery?
Theft involving violence or threat of violence.
What is the most commonly reported violent crime in Canada?
Assault.
What is a break and enter?
Breaking into a residence or business with intent to steal.
What is the average frequency of break-ins in Canada?
One every three minutes.
What is identity theft?
Taking another person’s identity for monetary gain.
What are white-collar crimes?
Non-violent crimes committed for monetary gain, often involving acts of corruption.
What is the main criticism of the criminal justice approach to crimes of the powerful?
They are not taken seriously compared to street crimes.
What types of crimes do organized crime groups engage in?
- Weapons
- Counterfeit items
- Drugs
- Human trafficking
- Firearms
- Illegal sport wagering
What is antisocial behaviour?
Objectionable conduct that may not pose great risk but reduces quality of life.
What are the three measures of crime used in Canada?
- Police reported crimes (UCR)
- Crime severity index (CSI)
- Victimization surveys
What is the ‘dark figure of crime’?
The difference between the actual amount of crime and the amount reported to police.
What is the crime severity index (CSI)?
A measure of the volume and seriousness of crimes reported by police, applying weights to different types of crime.
What is a limitation of victimization surveys?
Only reported every 5 years and may not accurately capture the experiences of children and youth.
What was the traffic fatality rate in Canada in 2017?
1,841 traffic fatalities.
True or False: Rates of crime in some rural areas are lower than in large cities.
False.
