midterm Flashcards
what are lay definitions?
inclusion vs exclusion - where criminal behaviour is based on common belief and values, excluding behaviours that ware not seen as very harmful
definitions made by agents of the criminal justice system?
laws that are created by law enforcement, judges, based on legal statutes and precedents
sociological definition of crime
focuses on behaviours that violate social norms and subject to social control, societal reactions and labelling
legal definition of crime
acts that are forbidden by law and punishable by the state, federal or provincial legislation
difference between conflict and consensus definitions of crime
consensus: crime arises from commonly agreed-upon norms and values
conflict: ruling class to protect its interests, laws serve the powerful
politicality in characteristics of criminal law
refers to laws being legislated by state, mala in se and mala prohibita
mala in se
acts are bad in themselves, like murder
mala prohibita
acts are bad because they are prohibited, like speeding
specificity in criminal law
the distinction between substantive law (what counts as crime + punishment) and procedural law (rules for providing guilt)
uniformity in criminal law
criminal law is applied equally, without bias
penal sanctions in criminal law
severity of punishment, which reflects the seriousness of the crime
criminal law?
involves prosecution by state for acts forbidden by law, and usually ends in imprisonment
civil law?
disputes between individuals or organizations, usually ends with compensation to one party
crime vs deviance
crime - act that violates criminal law
deviance - behaviour that violates social norms but not illegal
john hagan’s classifications of crime/deviance
- consensus crimes - acts widely agreed as wrong
- conflict crimes - acts criminalized to protect the interests of the powerful
- social deviations - behaviours that violate norms but not crimes
- social diversions - minor norm violations, often tolerated
elements of criminal law
actus reus - the act of committing a crime
mens rea - intent or guilty mind behind crime
types of criminal acts
commission - actively committing a crime
omission - failing to act when there is a legal duty to do so (not filing taxes)
classical and positivist criminology
classical: free will, rationality, legal structure
positivist: scientific methods, biological, psychological factors of criminal behaviour
cesare beccaria
founder of classical criminology, fair and proportional punishments, codified laws, presumption of innocence until proven guilty
lomobroso’s typologies of criminal
atavists, insane, criminaloid, habitual, passionate
atavist
criminals with animal like traits
insane
criminals with mental disorders
criminaloid
occasional criminals influences by social factors
habitual
criminals who use crime as their way of life
passionate
criminals who commit crimes in a fit of emotions
sheldon’s body types
endomorphic, ectomorphic, mesomorphic
sheldon’s body types and traits
endo - soft and round; socialable and relaxed
ecto - thin and fragile; introverted and restrained
meso - muscular and strong; aggressive and adventurous
burgess’ model of urban development
divides cities into zones
1. central downtown
2. slum area (transition)
3. working-class homes
4. middle-class homes
5. commuter suburbs
social disorganization
refers to communities with low economic status, ethnic diversity, high mobility, and disrupted families – higher crime rates
sutherland’s theory of differential association
criminal behaviour learned through interactions with others who transmit criminal values, techniques, and motived
sellin’s culture conflict theory
crime happens when norms from one culture conflict with those of the larger society, especially in multi-ethnic societies
merton’s theory of anomie
there is a discrepancy between societal goals, and the means to achieve them, forces one to commit a crime
social control theory
hirschi argues that strong social bonds, prevent crime
labelling theory
suggests that individuals become criminals because they are labeled as such by society or those around them, leading to secondary deviance
general theory of crime (goffredson and hirschi)
emphasizes self-control, with low self-control leading to impulsive and risky actions
crime funnel (samuel walker)
illustrates how not all crimes are detected, reported, recorded, leading to a dark figure of unreported crime
the crime severity index (csi)
assigns weight based on their severity, providing standardized measure of crime trends over time
concrete fear vs formless fear
concrete - fear of specific crimes (robbery)
formless - general sense of vulnerability or unease about crime
determinants of reporting crime (skogan)
- seriousness of crime
- insurance requirements
- obligations/efficacy
- attitudes toward police
- culpability
- demographics
- victim-offender relationship
- third parties
- self-help
revised ucr survey
improved the way crime data is collected and reported in Canada, focusing on more detailed incident-based reporting rather than summary stats
2019 gss victimization survey
found 77% of Canadians felt safe, issues like sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault were reported. crimes go unreported due to apathy, fear of retaliation, or lack of trust in police
community policing
stragety where police closely work with community members to solve problems related to crime, fear of crime, and neighbourhood conditions. emphasizes partnership, problem-solving, decentralization of power
types of offenders in b&e
novice: young, inexperienced, opportunistic
journeyman: seasoned, seeks, vulnerable locations
professional: highly skilled, organized, rational
Felson’s Rational Choice Perspective, 3 considerations
surveilability: are there people around to witness
occupancy: are there signs that the property is occupied
accessibility: can the offender easily enter and exit the location
misconceptions about community policing
not just a public relations tool
it is not a one-size-fits-all strategy
does not give extra-judicial powers to the community
not appropriate for all criminal scenarios
not the ultimate solution to all problems
challenges of community policing
resistance to change within police leadership
police education still focuses on reactive policing (arrests)
lack of public trust in police
resource allocation issues (balancing community policing and other needs)
effective socialization in preventing crime
effective socialization occurs when parents:
1. have strong attachments to their children
2. provide close supervision
3. actively punish rule-breaking behaviour
ineffective child rearing
leads to low self-control, making them more likely to engage in impulsive criminal behaviour
recidivism rate in canada
approximately 40%, meaning offenders are
what is the Canadian Centre for Justice Studies (ccjs)
a government agency that collects, analyzes and publishes data on crime and justice in Canada, including the UCR survey
crude crime rate
calculated as number of crime recorded by police in a year/ total population multiplied by 100k, basic measure of crime but not crime severity
key findings in 2019 gss
78% of Canadians felt safe
sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault were common violent crimes
many crimes go unreported
core principles of community policing
partnership: collaboration between police and community members
problem-solving: addressing root causes of crime, not just symptoms
decentralization: shifting power from centralized police structures to local communities
key players in community policing
community interest groups: citizens, schools, nonprofits
private security
police and peace officers
elected officials: federal provincial municipal
merits of community policing
community inclusion: part of the conversation
increased police transparency and accountability
improved community satisfaction and trust in police
neighbourhood-specific strategies
advancement of social justice
what is b&e
act of forcibly entering a private or commercial dwelling, vehicle, or trailer with intend to commit another crime (theft etc). an indictable offence with potential life sentence if committed in a private dwelling
what is telescoping
when individuals report crimes as happening more recently than they did, often due to traumatic nature of the event
what is defensible space
urban design concept that aims to reduce crime by creating environments where residents can naturally monitor and control their surroundings, like play areas, lighting
