Download Criminology: Understanding Crime, Deviance, and the Criminal Justice System - Prof. Gary W and more Study notes Criminology in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Criminology SOC 4333 Spring 2011 Dr. Gary Webb Department of Sociology Oklahoma State University The Nature and Extent of Crime in the U.S. • How much crime is there? It depends on who you ask The “dark figure” of crime Is there a “crime problem?” • Who are the criminals? Who’s not a criminal? Our image of criminals is shaped by our perception of crime--they’re on the streets and in the suites! • What are the costs of crime? How do we measure costs? It depends on the type of crime--elite crimes cost more than “street crimes” The greatest cost is fear and the erosion of community Explanations of Crime • What role do individual factors play in causing crime? Is it a matter of choice? Is it in the genes? Is it in the mind? Can we “treat” it? Wh l d i l f l i i i ?• at ro e o soc a actors p ay n caus ng cr me Are some communities “disorganized”? Is our society “criminogenic”? Do our responses to crime actually create more crime? Does the criminal law promote and protect particular interests? The Criminal Justice System • What are some current controversies in the system? • How do we explain the racial bias in the system? • What is the future of criminal justice in the U.S.? What is Criminology? • Scientific (multidisciplinary) approach to understanding crime, including: – (1) the development of criminal law and its use to define crime; – (2) the cause of law violations; and – (3) methods used to control criminal behavior • Methods include: large-scale surveys, interviews, observations, cohort studies, etc. • Criminology is not the same as criminal justice Historical Roots of Criminology • Classical criminology (late 18th Century) – Rationality of crime • Positivism (19th Century) – Inheritance of criminal traits • Sociology (late 19th and early 20th Centuries) – Crime and system disruptions (functionalism) – Law as a tool of the ruling class (conflict theory) – Consequences of criminal labels (symbolic interactionism) 2 Crime and Deviance: Aren’t They the Same? • Crime: any act that violates written criminal law • Deviance: behavior, lifestyles, or characteristics of people (or organizations) that violate social norms • Not every deviant act is criminal, and not every criminal act is deviant! Deviance: What Is It and Why Is It Important? • Deviance varies in terms of severity: <---folkways-------------mores------------taboos---> • Deviance is relative • Deviance can be functional • Deviance is controlled by sanctions Typology of Sanctions Informal Formal Positive DiplomasPraise Negative Parental discipline Prison How Much Crime Is There?: Three Major Measures • Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reports – Crimes reported to police – Misses the “dark figure;” only the most serious offense is recorded; potential political influence • Bureau of Justice Statistics’ National Crime Victimization Survey – Household surveys R li d t i i ti ’ i i l ti it– e es on respon en memory; m sses v c ms own cr m na ac v y • Self Report Surveys – Typically administered to youth – Assume respondent truthfulness Source: Uniform Crime Report So, How Much Crime Is There? • UCR (2007) – 11,251,818 crimes reported to police – 88% were property crimes • NCVS (2007) – 22,879,700 crimes reported by respondents to the survey 77% – 12% were violent crimes – were property crimes – 23% were violent crimes Sources: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bureau of Justice Statistics
