WEEK 1 understanding crime, deviance, harm and Quantifying crime Flashcards
Terms and Naming
what is deviance?
refers to the behavior or action that are separate from the norm and values or expected standard
what is the sociology of deviance in a discipline
it is the study of behaviors that differs from social norms values and expectation within specific context
societal dynamics and concerns
behavior is deemed either culturally accepted or unaccepted by social construction
what are the social harm
pollution, fire, drinking and carbon footprint
defining crime
crime that is not seeing is also a crime. Crime can also be interpreted differently as in Subjective- influence /personal opinion. it changes over time
the social harm
they can be caused by factors beyond crime and law
Crime being explained
socially constructed,
changes over time, legal perspective, hard to explain, no universal definition, cultural beliefs influence the definition, often contested, no constant, reacted against by punishment
who are the deviants in our society
Social Power: Shapes norms and identifies deviance.
Norms: Guide acceptable behavior, learned socially.
Deviance-making: Labeling behaviors as deviant, often by those in power.
Deviance Unmaking: Challenging norms, sparking societal change.
Religious Beliefs: Influence perceptions of deviance.
Quote: Highlights the necessity of deviating from norms for progress.
Historical Evolution of Crime Measurement:
France (1825):
Began systematic collection of national judicial statistics on prosecutions and convictions.
United States:
Early crime statistics based on state judicial data on prosecutions, convictions, and prisoners.
Great Britain (1857):
Introduced systematic collection of police data, including known offenses.
Classical Criminology/Chicago School:
Influenced structured crime measurement, shaping theories and methodologies.
South African Context
1913: Formation of South African Police after Union formation.
20th Century: Policing marked by racism.
1980s: Policing focused on political stability.
Resource Allocation: Favored white areas.
Homeland Police: Poorly managed.
Pre-1994: Low crime reporting priority, especially in non-white areas.
Population Estimates: Politically charged and unreliable.
Developing vs. Developed: Unique policing challenges compared to developed nations.
Crime Statistics Sources:
Official Records: Law enforcement data.
Victim Surveys: Capture unreported crimes.
Self-Report Studies: Individuals disclose criminal activities.
Academic Research: Analyze crime trends.
Challenges:
Defining Crime: Ambiguity in defining crimes.
Multiple Offenses: Difficulty in counting serial crimes.
Serial Offenses: Debate over counting multiple offenses against the same victim.
Inconsistent Recording: Discrepancies in data collection.
Classification Limitations: Categories may not cover all crimes.
NCSTT: Tasked with improving data accuracy and consistency. (National Crime Statistics Task Force)
Crime Statistics Sources:
Data Collection and Organization:
Compile crime data for decision-making.
Analysis Framework:
Systematically analyze and produce crime statistics.
Classification Improvement:
Purify current crime classification in SAPS.
International Standards Alignment:
Align with ICCS for consistency. International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes
Two types of
Crime Statistics Sources
official and unofficial
Official crime stats
Statistics South Africa: National crime data.
Police Statistics: Law enforcement records.
Court Statistics: Data on criminal cases.
Department of Correctional Services: Information on incarcerated individuals.
Appearance in Official Crime Statistics Requires
Knowledge of Event Occurrence
Recognition of Event as Potentially Criminal
Motivation to Report to Police
Capacity to Report Accurately to Police
Police Recognition or Verification of Possible Criminality
Police Motivation to Record
Police Capacity to Record Accurately
Correct Data Capture and Management
Proper Publication of Data
These factors vary based on the type of crime, location, and time period.
shortcoming of crime stats failure
Reporting Biases: Subject to underreporting or overreporting.
Police Discretion: Influence on reporting and recording practices.
Legislative, Technological, and Resource Changes: Impact on data collection methods.
Social and Economic Changes: Influence on crime reporting and detection.
Reasons for Dark Figure of Crime:
Underreporting
you think is small incidents
Fear of retaliation
Shame or embarrassment
Lack of trust in law enforcement (SAPS)
Vigilante justice society taking the matter in their own hands
Lack of legal awareness
Unofficial Crime Statistics Sources:
Victim Surveys
Self-Report Studies
Media Reports
Community Surveys
Biographies
Observations
Crime Statistics Sources:
Victim Surveys: Explore experiences and perceptions of crime.
Strengths:
Provide understanding of public perceptions and fear of crime.
Offer insight into underreporting of crime.
Help interpret official crime statistics.
Show extent of multiple victimization.
Capture both reported and unreported crimes.
Reduce biases associated with police reporting.
Include details about victims’ experiences and perceptions.
Crucial for crime prevention, policing, and justice policy formulation when used with official crime data.
Weaknesses of Victim Surveys (VoCs):
Reliance on victims’ recall accuracy.
Incomplete cover of certain crimes.
Sampling limitations.
poor for capturing personal crimes.
Poor recording of crimes against businesses, children, or involving drugs/firearms.
crime vs Harm
International Classification of Crime for Statistical Purposes:
Global standard for classifying crimes.
Makes crime statistics to be able to compare.
Helps analyze crime trends.
Aids in data collection and comparison.
Facilitates sharing of crime data.
Crime Harm Index:
Recognizes differences in crime impact.
Provides better safety measure.
Helps police allocate resources effectively.
Encourages evidence-based policing.
Justifies resource allocation based on community needs.
