Measuring & Explaining Crime

Mr. Concannon Smith

Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

Each year, statisticians from the U.S. Department of Justice release the Unified Crime Report (UCR). First report issued in 1930 Attempts to measure the overall rate

of crime by organizing offenses known to the police

This report relies on the voluntary participation of local law enforcement agencies (think Holden PD)

The Data The data are based on these three

measurements:

1. The number of persons arrested for said crime

2. The number of crimes reported by victims, witnesses and police

3. The number of officers and support law enforcement officials

FBI Number Crunchers

Once the data are collected the FBI presents it in two ways:

1. As a rate per 100,000 people per year. For example: In 2011, the rate of

property crime was estimated at 2,908 per 100,000 inhabitants (for the year)

2. As a percentage change from the previous year or other time periods Example: between 2008 and 2009

violent crimes decreased by 6.1 percent.

Part I Offenses Most measured crimes

Murder

Forcible Rape

Robbery

Aggravated assault

Burglary- B&E

Larceny/Theft

Motor Vehicle Theft

Arson

Politicized Stats: Game of Lies

Explaining Crime Trends

Or desperately trying to…

Mr. Concannon Smith

Do Now What is a trend (statistically

speaking)?

What are some common trends we hear about related to crime?

Are they myth or fact?

Crime in Decline Between 1900-2000 the homicide rate in

the U.S. dropped by 39%

Robberies dropped by 44%

Burglary dropped by 41%

Auto theft by 37%

What was responsible? According to criminologists, many things

contributed to this “golden era” of declining crime rates

Reasons Provided for Recent Drop in Crime:

The economy was robust.

Police tactics (to be discussed later) became more efficient during this time period

Incarcerations were high due to passage of many zero tolerance laws on lesser crimes

Sadly, many involved in the crack-cocaine boom of the 1980s are dead (killed or otherwise), some are in prison, or no longer offending (as is often the case with rehabilitated drug offenders)

Legalized Abortion? Recent economic downturn helps this

theory…

Difficulty in Explaining Crime

The Crack Epidemic and the War of Drugs

Race and CrimeThe Crack/ Powder Cocaine Disparity

Problem

Criminology in Action

Mr. Concannon Smith

Criminology Criminology: the scientific study of crime

and the causes of criminal behavior

Criminologist: a specialist in the field of crime, the causes of crime, and certain criminal behaviors

We must be very careful when we start talking about causation.

Correlation is NOT Causation

Criminologists use correlative data to form theories

Important Distinction

Theory Explanation of

a happening or circumstance based on observation, experimentation, or reasoning

Hypothesis A possible

explanation for an observed occurrence that can be tested by further investigation

Theories about CrimeChoice Theories (Classical)

A person commits a crime because the choose to do so

Before committing the crime he/she weighs the benefits against the costs

End result of a series of rational choices Leads to deterrence

policies

Trait Theories

Biological or Psych traits incline them towards criminal activity

Hormonal responsibility Criminal activity in

males has been linked to high levels of testosterone (which controls secondary sex characteristics and triggers aggression)

Theories about CrimeSociological Theories

A person commits a crime because the choose to do so

Before committing the crime he/she weighs the benefits against the costs

End result of a series of rational choices Leads to deterrence

policies

Interactionist Theories

Biological or Psych traits incline them towards criminal activity

Hormonal responsibility Criminal activity in

males has been linked to high levels of testosterone (which controls secondary sex characteristics and triggers aggression)

Tomorrow: The Brain and Crime

Do Now Why would someone who

subscribes to Choice Theory believe that increasing the harshness of a penalty for a crime would likely lead to a reduction in that crime?

Why would a Trait Theorist disagree?

The Brain & CrimeMr. Concannon Smith

The Brain and Crime: Psych 101

The study of brain activity––neurophysiology––is a growing field in criminology.

Neurophysiology explained: Cells in the brain known as neurons communicate

with each other by releasing chemicals called neurotransmitters

NPY Criminologists have isolated three that are related to aggressive behavior

1. Serotonin

2. Norepinephrine

3. Dopamine

Serotonin: chemical that regulates moods, appetite, and memory Antidepressant medication changes these levels

Norepinephrine: regulates sleep-wake cycles and controls how we respond to anxiety fear, and stress Prescription sleep medication and general anxiety

medication alter these levels

Dopamine: regulates perceptions of pleasure and reward. Levels altered by many things from simply eating

to doing drugs (heroin is a good example)

Research has shown that low levels of serotonin and high levels of norepinephrine are correlated with aggressive behavior.

Research shows strong connection between violent behavior and damage to the frontal lobe

Among other things, the frontal lobe regulates out ability to behave properly in social situations

Tend to act more impulsively and violently (not generally but in reactive situations)

Do NowHow many of you have

seen a really drunk person?

How did they act?

Were they in a group setting?

Drugs & CrimeMr. Concannon Smith

Drugs and Crime Criminologists (Penn State) believe that

alcohol consumption has a causal effect on victimization

“frequent and heavy drinkers” are at great risk of being assaulted when they are drinking (no abnormal signs show while sober)

They hypothesize that consuming alcohol leads to aggressive and offensive behavior (especially in men) which in turn triggers violent reactions from others.

Drug use in America Today, about 20,000,000 Americans

regularly use illegal drugs such as marijuana and cocaine (6.5%)

Another 200,000,000 regularly use legal drugs like alcohol and nicotine

Criminologist Explanations of Drug Use

Why use drugs?

At first glance: because drugs give pleasure and provide a temporary escape for those with tension and anxiety

This fails to explain why some people use and others do not.

Social Disorganization Theory: rapid social change can cause disaffiliation with society causing antisocial drug use

Learning Theory: sees drug use as a learned behavior (habitual)

1. Learn the techniques

2. Learn to perceive pleasure

3. Learn to enjoy the social experience

Use vs. Abuse Drug Abuse: use that results in physical

or psychological harm for the user or a third party.

For most drugs only between 7 and 20 percent of all users suffer from compulsive abuse.

Addiction: the most extreme abusers are often physically dependent on a drug. To understand addiction, you must understand the

role of dopamine in the brain.

So much dopamine is triggered that the receptors are worn out over time so more dopamine is needed to obtain the same levels of pleasure

Drug Crime Relationship

More than 2/3 of jail inmates are either dependent on or abuse drugs

More then 1/3 were under the influence at time of offense

Drug use and our laws have been a primary factor in the enormous growth of the American correctional industry

Three models:

1. Psychopharmacological model: drugs made me do it

2. Economically impulsive: need drug money

3. Systemic model: by product of the interpersonal relationships in the drug subculture

Broken Window TheoryMr. Concannon Smith

Criminology from Theory to Practice

Criminology can play a crucial role in the criminal justice system

Research has established the idea of the chronic offender or career criminal

A small group of offenders (6 %) are responsible for a disproportionate number of violent crimes

Further research has supported this claim

Has allowed law enforcement agencies and district attorneys’ offices to devise specific strategies to apprehend and prosecute repeat offenders

Broken Windows Theory The broken windows theory is the norm-setting and

signaling effect of urban disorder and vandalism on additional crime. How it works:

1. In an urban environment, with few or no other people around, social norms and monitoring are not clearly known.

2. Individuals look for signals within the environment as indicators of social norms in the setting (assess risk for violating those norms; one of those signals is the area's general appearance)

3. An ordered and clean environment sends the signal that the area is monitored and that criminal behavior will not be tolerated.

4. Conversely, a disordered environment – one which is not maintained (broken windows, graffiti, excessive litter) – sends the signal that the area is not monitored and that one can engage in criminal behavior with little risk of detection.

Criminology and the Criminal Justice

System Some critics contend that criminology has not

done enough to make society safer

But many theories (e.g., broken windows theory) have helped to re-shape criminal justice strategies

Criminological theories have a part to play in helping the criminal justice system break the cycle of criminal activity

The Alcohol Tobacco & Firearms and

Explosives Visit Introduction

Department of JusticeMr. Concannon Smith

The ATF Concerned with the illegal sale, possession, and

use of firearms and the control of untaxed tobacco and liquor products Includes modified and illicit weapons production

Regulates all gun trade between the United States and foreign nations and collects taxes on all firearm importers, manufacturers, and dealers

Responsible for policing the illegal use and possession of explosives (and Arson cases)

Charged with enforcing federal gambling laws