Lecture 3 Flashcards
Describe and explain two factors contribute to the complexity of measuring crime (p.65).
Dark figure of crime: Many crimes go unreported due to fear, distrust, or lack of evidence.
Legal and social changes: Crime definitions change over time, affecting crime data (e.g., decriminalization of marijuana).
Describe and explain conception of Crime as Theoretical Construct (p. 66).
Crime is not just an objective fact but a concept shaped by laws, society, and historical context.
It depends on power, culture, and moral beliefs, meaning what is considered a crime varies across time and places.
List and briefly characterize four theoretical perspectives. (p. 66 – 71).
Legal perspective: Crime is what the law defines as illegal.
Political perspective: Crime is created by those in power to control society.
Sociological perspective: Crime is behaviour that violates social norms and harms society.
Psychological perspective: Crime is linked to individual traits, mental health, and learned behaviour.
Explain deconstruction of crime statistic. (p. 71 and lecture).
Crime data can be misleading due to reporting bias, law enforcement priorities, and political influences.
Statistics must be analyzed critically, considering what crimes are counted and how they are categorized.
Describe and analyse victimization surveys (p. 78 – 80).
surveys ask people if they have been victims of crime, even if not reported to the police.
They help reveal the “dark figure of crime” and provide insight into unreported offenses.
What is Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2 (UCR2)? How to use it?
Canadian system that collects detailed crime data, including victim and accused characteristics.
It helps track crime trends and supports law enforcement in crime prevention.
Why crime is compared to moving target? Give some examples.
Crime changes over time due to new laws, technology, and social norms.
Examples: Cybercrime is rising, while some drug offenses are decriminalized.
