module 1 - crime in canada & canadian corrections Flashcards
what are the factors used to define crime? (5)
- individual’s motivation
- opportunity
- politics
- social convention
- context
what does a legal definition refer to?
acts prohibited by the state and punishable under the law
what does a moral definition refer to?
the violation of norms of religion and morality that are punishable by supreme beings
what does a social definition refer to?
the violation of certain norms and customs that are punishable by the community
what does a psychological definition refer to?
acts that are rewarding to the perpetrator but harmful to others
what does criminal behaviour refer to?
intentional behaviour that violates a criminal code; intentional in that it did not occur accidentally or without justification of excuse
how many crimes are reported annually in Canada? what type of crime is most prevalent?
approximately 2.6 million crimes, with property crimes being the most common
which offenders fall under provincial jurisdiction?
offenders who receive sentences of less than two years or who receive community sentences such as fines, community service work, or probation
which offenders are the federal government responsible for?
offenders who receive prison sentences of two years or more
what is criminal psychology interested in?
intra-individual differences (variation in criminal conduct between individuals) in behaviour
what does the personal, interpersonal and community reinforcement model (PIC-R) posit?
criminal behaviour reflects the “immediate situation” - factors combine to influence a decision to engage in criminal behaviour. This decision is further influences by attitudes, supportive of crime, a history of criminal behaviour, a balance of the costs and rewards of crime, and the presence of support for crime
what does the PIC-R highlight?
the contributions of community, interpersonal factors, personal factors, and consequences and how they relate to criminal behaviour
how much has the rate of violent crimes decreased since 2000?
decreased by 20.4%
which types of crime are more commonly committed by adults?
- administration of justice charges
- impaired driving
- weapon charges
which types of crime are more commonly committed by youth?
- break and enter
- robbery
- sexual assault
what does the police reported crime severity index (PRCSI) track?
tracks changes in the severity of police-reported crime from year to year by taking into account the change in volume of a particular crime and the relative seriousness of that crime in comparison to other crimes
what is Canada’s incarceration rate?
118 per 100 000 population
what is parole?
a set of conditions to abide by in a community, served at the end of a prison sentence
what is probation?
a set of conditions to abide by in a community as an alternative to incarceration. usually offered for minor offences
what are the purposes of sentencing according to the criminal code? (6)
- respect for the law & maintenance of a just, peaceful, safe society
- denunciation of unlawful conduct
- removal of offenders from society
- rehabilitation of offenders
- reparation to victims
- promotion of responsibility in offenders
what is rehabilitation?
treatment of criminogenic needs and risk factors