Chapter 2 The Crime Picture Criminal Justice Today Criminal Justice.

Chapter 2

The Crime Picture

Criminal Justice Today Criminal Justice

© 2013 by Pearson Higher Education, IncUpper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved

The Collection of Crime Data

FIGURE 2–1 The criminal justice funnel. Source: Derived from Tracey Kyckelhahn

and Thomas H. Cohen, Felony Defendants in Large Urban Counties,

2004 (Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2008).


Uniform Crime ReportsThe reports began in 1930.

Data are collected by F.B.I.

Approximately 16,000 police agencies provide data.

Only crimes known to the police are included.

Law enforcement agencies submit reports voluntarily.

Until 2006, the UCR presented data in a Crime Index (included only 7 major offenses).


UCR: Crime IndexThe Index was made up of a

summation of all Part I Offenses.

Part I Offenses

Violent Crime• murder, rape, robbery, assault

Property Crime• burglary, larceny, motor vehicle

theft, arson


NIBRS: The New UCRNational Incident Based

Reporting System• Incident driven, rather than

summary based • FBI started this program in

1988. • City, county, state, and

federal law enforcement agencies furnish detailed data on crime and arrest activities at the incident level.

• The NIBRS isn’t a separate report; it’s the new methodology underlying the modern-day UCR system


NIBRSThe new UCR/NIBRS is much

more detailed than the old UCR system, including data on:

• place of occurrence• weapon used• type and value of property damaged

or stolen• the personal characteristics of the

victim and offender• nature of victim-offender

relationship• case disposition

It also replaced the old Part I and Part II offenses with 22 general offenses


UCR/NIBRS

22 offenses include:• kidnapping• larceny• motor vehicle theft• pornography• prostitution • narcotics offenses• embezzlement• extortion• arson• assault• bribery

• burglary• counterfeiting• vandalism• gambling• homicide• fraud• weapons violations• robbery• forcible sex offenses• non-forcible sex offenses• receiving stolen property


UCR/NIBRS

Also collects data on:• bad checks• vagrancy• disorderly conduct• driving under the influence• drunkenness• non-violent family offenses• liquor law violations• “peeping Tom”activities• runaways• trespassing• general category of all “other” criminal law

violations


UCR/NIBRS: Crime Rates & Clearance Rates

Most UCR/NCVS information is reported as a rate of crime.

• Crime Rate = number of crimes/100,000 population

Rates allow for comparison across areas and times.

Clearances are based on arrests, not judicial dispositions.

• number of crimes solved• number of crimes committedClearance Rate =


Part I Offenses-most violent & seriousMurder- the unlawful killing of a human being by

another.

Includes:

o All willful and unlawful homicides

o Nonnegligent manslaughter

Excludes:

o Suicides

o Deaths caused by accidents or negligence

o Attempted murders


Data on MurderLeast likely Part I offense to occur High clearance rate Murders are more common during warmer

months and in southern statesMost victims and perpetrators are age 20–24 Weapon most often used: firearmsVictim and offender are often “acquaintances”


Murder: Multiple KillingsSpree—two or more people killed on more than one

occasion.

Mass—three or more people killed in a single event.

Serial—several victims killed in three or more separate events and over time.


Forcible Rape…the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and

against her will; unlawful sexual intercourse with a female by force & against her will

Includes: Assault or attempt to commit rape by force or threat of

force

Excludes: Assault if victim is male Statutory rape (without force) Same-sex rapes Other sex offenses


Forcible Rape: One of the most underreported violent crimes

Many victims do NOT report because they:• Think the police won’t be able to catch the suspect.• Believe that the police will be unsympathetic.• Want to avoid the embarrassment of publicity. • Fear reprisal by the rapist.• Fear additional “victimization” by court proceedings.• Want to keep family/friends from knowing.

Most rapes are committed by acquaintances of victim, as in the case of date rape.

Most rapists appear to be motivated by the need to feel powerful.

Use of the “date rape drug” Rohypnol is rising.


Aggravated Assault…unlawful inflicting of serious injury upon the

person of another.

Includes:• Attempted assaults, especially when a deadly weapon is

used or medical assistance is required for the victim• The possible use of a gun, knife, or other weapon that

could result in serious injury

Excludes:• Simple assaults (battery)- pushing/shoving, fistfights


Robbery…the unlawful taking or attempted taking of

property that is in the immediate possession of another by force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear.

• Requires face to face confrontation between perpetrator & victim

Excludes: • Pick pocketing (larceny/theft)• Purse snatching


Burglary…unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony

or theft.

Types of burglaries:• Forcible entry• Unlawful entry without force• Attempted forcible entry


Larceny–theft…unlawful taking or attempted taking,

carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession of another (excludes motor vehicles).

Includes (in declining order of frequency):• Theft from motor vehicles• Shoplifting• Theft from buildings


Larceny–theftIs the most frequently reported crime (yet still

greatly underreported).

Theft of motor vehicle parts and accessories• Bicycle thefts• Theft from coin-operated machines• Purse snatching • Pocket picking


Motor Vehicle Theft…the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.

A “motor vehicle” is a self-propelled vehicle that runs on land and not on rails.

Includes• automobiles• motorcycles• motor scooters • trucks• buses• snowmobiles

Excludes• trains• airplanes• bulldozers • most farm equipment• Ships/boats• spacecraft

Carjacking-the taking of a motor vehicle directly from the owner by force

• Legally, carjacking is a type of robbery- not motor vehicle theft.

• It accounts for just over 1% of all car thefts.


Arson…the burning or attempted burning of property,

with or without the intent to defraud.

…does not include fires of unknown or suspicious origins

Most common type of arson is the burning of structures, followed by the burning of vehicles

• Low clearance rate—18.7%• Average loss per offense—$17,289



2010 Crime Clock – Violent Crimes

One Murder every --- 34.5 minutes

One Forcible Rape every --- 6.0 minutes

One Robbery every --- 1.3 minutes

One Aggravated Assault every --- 39.1 seconds

2.1



20 Crime Clock – Property Crimes

One Burglary every --- 14.3 seconds

One Larceny-theft every --- 5.0 seconds

One Motor Vehicle Theft every --- 39.7 seconds

2.1


2.1

1Arson can be classified as either a property crime or a violent crime depending on whether personal injury or loss of life results from it’s commission. It is generally classified as a property crime, however. Arson statistics are incomplete for 2010.

Source: Adapted from Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States, 2010 (Washington DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2011).

Offense Number Rate per 100,000

Clearance Rate

Personal/Violent Crimes

Murder 16,272 5.4 63.6

Forcible Rape 89,000 29.3 40.4

Robbery 441,855 145.3 26.8

Aggravated Assault 834,885 274.6 54.9

Property Crimes

Burglary 2,222,196 730.8 12.5

Larceny-Theft 6,588,873 2167.0 19.9

Motor Vehicle Theft 956,846 314.7 12.0

Arson1 56,972 24.1 18.0U.S. Total 11,206,899 3,685.0

Major Crimes Known to the Police, 2010


Part II Offenses

Part II offenses are less serious than Part IOffenses and include many social order offenses, such as:• Simple assault• Driving under the influence• Prostitution• Vandalism• Receiving stolen property• Fraud• Embezzlement


NCVSNational Crime Victimization Survey • Based on victim self-reports

Designed to measure the “dark figure” of crime (crimes not reported to the police and remain unknown to officials)

Uses data collected by the Bureau of Justice Statistics

More than 43,000 households are surveyed twice per year

Measures “households” touched by crimes

Includes data on:• Rape• Robbery• Assault• Burglary• Personal and household larceny• Motor vehicle theft


NCVS Statistics RevealAbout 1/2 of all violent crime is reported: Slightly more than

1/3 of all property crime is reported.

15% of all U.S. households are affected by crime annually

Victims are more likely:• Men • Younger people• African American• City residents• Lower income (for violent victimization)

Household crime rates are highest for households: • Headed by African-Americans • Headed by younger people • With six or more members• Headed by renters• Located in central cities


2.2Offense UCR/NIBRS NCVS1

Personal/Violent Crimes

Homicide 16,272 —

Forcible Rape2 89,000 203,830

Robbery 441,855 551,830

Aggravated Assault 834,885 839,940

Property Crimes

Burglary3 2,222,196 3,188,620

Larceny 6,588,873 12,335,400

Motor Vehicle Theft 956,846 795,160

Arson4 56,972 —

Total of All Crimes Recorded

11,206,89921,312,4005

1NCVS data cover “Households touched by crime,” not absolute numbers of crime occurrences. More than one victimization may occur per household, but only the number of households in which victimizations occur enters the tabulations.

2NCVS statistics include both rape and sexual assault.

3NCVS statistics include only household burglary and attempts.

4Arson data are incomplete in the UCR/NIBRS and are not reported by the NCVS.

5IIncludes NCVS crimes not shown in the table, including 3.3 million simple assaults.

Source: Compiled from U.S. Department of Justice, Criminal Victimization, 2010 (Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2011); and Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States, 2010 (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2011).

Comparison of UCR/NIBRS and NCVS Data, 2010


2.1

Offense Category NumberSimple Assaults 1,298,342

Forgery and Counterfeiting 90,127

Fraud 234,199

Embezzlement 21,402

Stolen Property (e.g., Receiving) 111,319

Vandalism 285,012

Weapons (e.g., Carrying) 179,661

Prostitution and Related Offenses 75,004

Sex Offenses (e.g., Statutory Rape) 79,914

Drug-Law Violations 1,702,537

Gambling 9,811

Offenses Against the Family (e.g., Nonsupport) 118,419

Driving Under the Influence 1,483,396

Liquor-Law Violations 625,939

Public Drunkenness 611,069

Disorderly Conduct 685,985

Vagrancy 33,852

Curfew Violations/Loitering 133,063

Runaways 109,225

Part II Offenses

Source: Adapted from Federal Bureau of Investigation, Crime in the United States, 20010(Washington DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2011).

UCR/NIBRS Part II Offenses, 2010


Crime TypologyA classification of crimes along a particular

dimension, such as legal categories, offender motivation, victim behavior, or the characteristics of individual offenders.

Crime Against Women- Date rape, familial incest, spousal abuse, stalking

Stalking- as repeated harassing and threatening behavior by one individual against another which may be planned or carried out in secret—perpetrator must usually make a credible threat of violence against the victim or members of the victim’s immediate family

Cyberstalking- use of the Internet, e-mail, and other electronic communication technologies to stalk another person


Crime Typology (cont’d)

Crime Against the Elderly

• The elderly generally experience the lowest rate of victimization—both violent and property—of any age group.

more likely than younger victims to:• Be victims of property crime than of violent crime.

• Face offenders who are armed with guns.

• Be victimized by strangers.

• Be victimized in or near their homes during daylight hours.

• Report their victimization to the police.

• Be physically injured.

• Be less likely to try to protect themselves during victimization.



Hate Crime- a criminal offense committed against a person, property, or society that is motivated, in whole or in part, by the offender’s bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or ethnicity/national origin

• Most consist of intimidation, but they may also include vandalism, simple and aggravated assault, and murder.

• Most are motivated by racial bias.



Corporate & White-Collar Crime

Identification doctrine- Corporations can be treated as separate legal entities and convicted of violations of the criminal law

Corporate crime- violation of a criminal statute by a corporate entity or by its executives, employees, or agents acting on behalf of and for the benefit of the corporation, partnership, or other form of business entity.

White-collar crime- violation of the criminal law, committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his or her occupation



Organized Crime- unlawful activities of the members of a highly organized, disciplined association engaged in supplying illegal goods or services, including gambling, prostitution, loan-sharking, narcotics, and labor racketeering, and other unlawful activities

Transnational organized crime- occurs when these crimes are committed across national boundaries

Gun Crime-

o Approximately 1 million serious crimes involve use of a handgun.

o 10,000 murders in the United States using firearms annually.


Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (1994) Prior to purchasing a handgun, there will be

a• 5-day waiting period• Instant criminal background check

Licensed importers, manufacturers, and dealers are required to:

• Check photo ID• Submit purchaser’s application• Acquire a unique identification number authorizing the

purchase



Drug Crime

• Rate of drug related crime has more than doubled since 1975.

• Federal drug prosecutions increased from 11,854 in 1984 to nearly 30,000 in 2002.

• Studies link drug abuse to other serious crimes.

Cybercrime- Any crime perpetrated through the use of computer technology; also, any violation of a federal or state cybercrime statute.

Terrorism- Since the attacks of 9/11, the threat of attack on citizens & infrastructure(power, water, etc.) as whas become a focus of law enforcement

Chapter 2 The Crime Picture Criminal Justice Today Criminal Justice.

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