Exam #1

Core argument being made about how to reform criminal justice approach

-data + instincts = better results -bring data analytics and statistical analysis to the US criminal justice system

Common simple explanations for societal level crime problems

-decaying morals -evil, self-absorbed people -poverty -urban unrest -lenient courts and spineless legislatures -immigrants -lawless youth

Limitations of official CJ data and international victimization surveys for cross-national crime comparisons

-documenting issues (known) -definitional issues (classify) -reporting issues (disseminate) -methodological compliance across and within participating countries -smaller samples -concerns over crime estimates

Penetration of functions and roles (signs on structural imbalance)

-economic ideals take over/replace -competition in schools, business model of administration -breadwinner mentality in women or judgement of family status -bottom-line policy making, business leaders in government

Role of drug markets in increasing local crime levels

-generates violence (violent crime) b/c of disputes between buyers or sellers or between competing sellers -generate property crime and robbery b/c of drug users turning to crime to provide the $ to buy drugs

Macro-criminology

-how culture and social structure shapes wider crime rates -"pushed" towards something -"big picture" approach

Micro-criminology

-how traits and characteristics shape criminal actors -"pulled" to something -focus placed on individual-level propensities

Relationship between national and local (city-level) crime trends

-local crime trends don't always follow national ones -trends in local crime rates are impacted by local factors -offense specific changes can vary greatly

Long-term historical trends in crime

-modern industrial countries are generally safer than their rural predecessors -europe's levels of violence dropped steadily from the 13th century thru the mid 20th century (10-20x more crime in the early years) -there is less violence in modern America than in the wild west or colonial times -at times, U.S. and Europe has seen violent & property crimes increase in post WWII era

What type(s) of crime are best studied using the UCR?

-murder -victimless crime -crimes against organizations

Devaluation of functions and roles (signs on structural imbalance)

-not important as economy -a degree is a means to an end -homeowner vs. homemaker -refusal to vote vs. refusal to work

Objective and subjective guesstimates emerge (ways in which the media and social pundits misrepresent crime data to the public)

-objective = home invasion from robbery location -subjective = non-profits pn ATL human trafficking from Craigslist

Recent trends in violent crime according to the UCR and NCVS

-peaked in early 1980s and 1990s, then level in first decade of 21st with sharp decline (20%) then increase (10%) in past decade -down 50+% from 1993 to 2014 in victimization & police data

Recent trends in property crime according to the UCR and NCVS

-peaked in late 1970s and dropped steadily until this decade -down ~60% from 1993 to 2019

Tolerance issues related to crime data

-reporting theft in a new vs. old home -proactive drug policing in "the bluff" vs. hands-off approach on GA Tech 1 mile away

Economy's core social roles

-resource generation -adaptation

Incarceration (national leading indicators of crime)

-% 18-30 year olds who are incapacitated -scale and length of stay limits

Framing of the problem matters for perceptions (ways in which the media and social pundits misrepresent crime data to the public)

-1 in 8 is more compelling than 13%

Trends in large city-level robbery rates 2004-2006

-25%-+43% of national average

Gallup poll findings on US public's views on how to best reduce crime in America

-41% say justice system is "not tough enough," while 21% say it's "too tough" -63% favor addressing social and economic problems to lower the crime rate -34% support putting more $ and effort into strengthening law enforcement -American CJ harshness is dwindling

Changes in US public punitiveness or assessment of criminal justice approach over time

-48% of 2004/2005 ICVS respondents prefer community service vs. 38% who call for imprisonment -Americans call for the longest prison terms -U.S. faces below average burglary risk relative to other countries -U.S. punitiveness was rubbing. off on other countries

Key ICVS findings regarding public opinion on how to sanction repeat criminals

-48% of 2004/2005 ICVS respondents prefer community service vs. 38% who call for imprisonment -community service = #1 option in 21 of 24 industrialized countries -every year prior to 2004/2005 prison was #1 choice in U.S.

How overall crime victimization rates in the US and NYC compare to other industrial nations

-American robbery rate of 86.2/100k in 2018 (#6 of 30 in the industrialized world) -NYC rate was 203.7/100K (middle of the pack for capital cities, just below the average)

Countries with the lowest homicide rates

-Canada -UK -France -Germany -Japan

Structural explanation for why the US has much more crime than Japan

-Japan puts family as an institution before economy -Japan focuses more on community sanctions and relies less on prisons

Data collection and recording matters (ways in which the media and social pundits misrepresent crime data to the public)

-coroner/ME call or felon killed by private citizen v murder -unconfirmed crime reports become "unfounded" cases

Countries with the highest homicide rates

-South America -South Africa -Colombia -Mexico -Russian Federation -United States (historically high among developed countries)

Unique aspects of US gun availability and laws relative to industrial nation peers

-U.S. has more guns and are willing to use them -more firearms offenses, armed robberies, gun homicides

How America compared to other countries in setting the pace of the international crime drop

-U.S. historically high among developed countries -U.S. has generally served as the leading indicator on trends

Patterns in US criminal justice spending over time

-U.S. is at the top on criminal justice personnel figures -U.S. tops criminal justice spending figures -$242B total in 2017 -CJS spending in the U.S. never goes down even w/ reform efforts

Demographic trends (national leading indicators of crime)

-age cohorts (% in peak crime years 15-30) -race-ethnic composition -abortion legalization (reduction in at-risk youth)

Polity's core social roles

-collective goals -resource mobilization

Accommodation of functions and roles (signs on structural imbalance)

-competition for resources = cuts -school day and school year revolve around work schedules (budgets) -family routines take backseat to work routines (maternity leave) -campaign finance laws, politicians must stimulate economy

Institutional Anomie Theory

-suggests that high crime rates in America can be attributed to the commitment to the goal of material success

Economy (national leading indicators of crime)

-unemployment and wage levels -consumer confidence index -immigration patterns

Best practices when making cross-national crime comparisons

-use a narrow crime and/or geographic lens -periods analyzed are long enough

Which of the following is a crime wave? a. Crack cocaine replaced the powder form for 1980s b. 1 violent crime every 26 seconds

1 violent crime every 26 seconds

Talcott Parson's 4 primary roles served by social institutions

1) adapt to the physical environment 2) store and mobilize resources to achieve goals 3) integrate collectives around shared values 4) define and maintain allegiance to norms

Rank the types of violent crime

1) aggravated assault (most prevalent) 2) robbery 3) rape 4) murder/non-negligent manslaughter (most rare)

Emile Durkheim's 3 sociological principles on why crime is normal & necessary

1) all societies are different and will have different "normal" levels of crime 2) crime rates can never be driven to 0 3) crime rates can be too low for the good of society

Blumstein & Rosenfeld's proposed national leading indicators of crime

1) demographic trends 2) incarceration 3) economy

4 stable social institutions that drive American society

1) family 2) polity 3) education 4) economic institution (dominant one)

Rank the types of property crime

1) larceny/theft (most prevalent) 2) burglary 3) motor theft (most rare)

4 key components of the American Dream cultural ethos

1) materialism = fetish over $ 2) achievement = "be all you can be" 3) individualism = personal freedoms and responsibility 4) universalism = everyone must participate

Blumstein & Rosenfeld's proposed local leading indicators of crime

1) policing 2) firearms 3) drug markets 4) gangs and other crime groups 5) socialization and social service levels

The 4 viable crime data sources

1) self-report surveys 2) observational data 3) official CJ statistics (ex: Uniform Crime Report - UCR) 4) victimization reports (ex: National Crime Victimization Survey - NCVS)

Referring to Blumstein and Rosenfeld's report on the factors underlying U.S. crime trends, what year is identified as marking the end of the great crime drop? a. 2005 b. 1980 c. 1993 d. 2000

2000

Referring to the John Gramlich web article on crime in the U.S., which of the following statements best describes the trends in crime rates since the early 1990's? a. Violent crime rates have increased dramatically while property crime rates have declined dramatically b. Violent crime rates have declined dramatically while property crime rates have increased dramatically c. Both violent and property crime rates have declined dramatically d. Both violent and property crime rates have increased dramatically

Both violent and property crime rates have declined dramatically

Referring to Blumstein and Rosenfeld's article on the factors contributing to U.S. crime trends, which of the following concepts is discussed as being central to our understanding of the relationship between gangs and crime? a. Age composition b. Code of the streets c. Crime hot spots d. Freakonomics

Code of the streets

Referring to Blumstein and Rosenfeld's article on the factors contributing to U.S. crime trends, which of the following is a promising good leading indicator of the relationship between the economy and crime? a. The U.S. trade deficit b. 30-year fixed mortgage rates c. The price of oil d. Consumer sentiment levels

Consumer sentiment levels

Referring to the Tseloni et al. article on the recent decline in international crime rates, which of the following is NOT one of the three crime rate measures captured by the International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS)? a. Crime concentration b. Crime incidence c. Crime oscillation d. Crime prevalence

Crime oscillation

Referring to the Shaw et. al. article on global crime trends, which of the following is one of the main hazards to consider when making cross-national crime comparison? a. Different countries report their crimes information in different languages b. Different countries have shown different levels in crime reporting c. Most developed nations choose not to participate in national crime surveys d. Many responding developed nations do not have formal criminal justice systems

Different countries have shown different levels in crime reporting

Referring to Blumstein and Rosenfeld's article on the factors contributing to U.S. crime trends, which of the following factors was identified as relevant to understanding local or city level variation in crime trends? a. Court resources b. Firearm availability c. Male/female composition d. Political party composition

Firearm availability

a. Referring to the Shaw et. al. article on global crime trends, what type of crime is believed to enjoy the most reliable official data and thus is most often used by researchers when making criss-national comparisons of crime? a. Homicide b. Robbery c. Larceny/theft d. Burglary

Homicide

Referring to the Tseloni et al. article on the recent decline in international crime rates, what data source do the authors use to identify the main international trends and patterns in crime? a. National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) b. United Nations Survey of Crime Trends (UNSCT) c. International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS) d. Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

International Crime Victimization Survey (ICVS)

Referring to the John Gramlich web article on crime in the U.S., which of the following types of property crime exhibits the highest rate of occurrence? a. Arson b. Larceny/theft c. Burglary d. Motor vehicle theft

Larceny/theft

Referring to the John Gramlich web article on crime in the U.S., which of the following statements best reflects the pattern how crimes are reported to police? a. Most violent and property crimes are not reported to the police b. Most violent and property crimes are reported to the police c. Most violent crimes are reported to the police while most property crimes are not reported to the police d. Most violent crimes are not reported to the police while most property crimes are reported to the police

Most violent and property crimes are not reported to the police

Referring to the John Gramlich web article on crime in the U.S., which of the following types of violent crime exhibits the lowest rate of occurrence? a. Murder/non-negligent manslaughter b. Robbery c. Aggravated assault d. Rape

Murder/non-negligent manslaughter

Referring to the John Gramlich web article on crime in the U.S., which of the following is one of the government agencies identified as a primary source of government crime statistics? a. The Bureau of Narcotics (BON) b. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) c. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) d. The Department of Defense (DOD)

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

Referring to the Shaw et. al. article on global crime trends, what is the primary data source upon which the authors base their discussion? a. The United Nations Survey of Crime Trends (UNSCT) b. The Global Victimization Survey (GVS) c. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) d. The Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

The United Nations Survey of Crime Trends (UNSCT)

Referring to Blumstein and Rosenfeld's article on the factors contributing to U.S. crime trends, which of the following is listed among the demographic factor that serve as a good leading indicator of crime? a. Incarceration rates b. Economic indicators c. Abortion rates d. The age composition of the population

The age composition of the population

Referring to the Tseloni et al. article on the recent decline in international crime rates, which of the following statements best captures the authors general conclusion about the international crime trends? a. Only some crime types experienced declines in their international rates after 1995 while others experienced dramatic increases b. There was a general universal decline in International crime rates after 1995 c. There was no consistent changes n International crime rates after 1995 d. There was a general universal increase in International crime rates after 1995

There was a general universal decline in International crime rates after 1995

Referring to the Shaw et. al. article on global crime trends, what is the main purpose for publishing the United Nations Survey on Crime Trends? a. To provide an accounting of crimes processed by various components of the criminal justice system in responding countries b. To help raise money for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime c. To compare levels of crime across countries d. To measure the exact amount of crime that exists in the world

To provide an accounting of crimes processed by various components of the criminal justice system in responding countries

Historical trends in US incarceration rates

U.S. #1 on incarceration rate in 2020 (655/100k) but trending downward in a meaningful way since peak (1000/100K) in 2008

Unique aspects of the US homicide problem relative to industrial nation peers

U.S. has unique age, race, gender murder trends

Relationship between criminal justice and social welfare spending in the US

U.S. is hot on criminal justice spending but low on social welfare spending

Which of the following is a crime trend? a. UCR robbery rate dropped 5% per year 2008-2014 b. Road rage incidents increased 50% 1990-1997

UCR robbery rate dropped 5% per year 2008-2014

Referring to the Shaw et. al. article on global crime trends, which of the following developed countries is the only one to report homicide rates that exceed the world average? a. United Kingdom b. United States c. France d. Japan

United States

Referring to the Tseloni et al. article on the recent decline in international crime rates, what country do the authors cite as being the trend setter or the first to show a major fall in its crime? a. Canada b. Italy c. United States d. Germany

United States

Common media frame on causes for American crime problem

a product of ineffective justice system

Common liberal frame on causes for American crime problem

a product of poor social conditions

Common conservative frame on causes for American crime problem

a sick outcome of pathologies or evil committed by immoral or greedy people

Policing (local leading indicators of crime)

amount and type of police efforts (hot spots, intelligence-led policing)

What does National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) measure?

citizens' recollections about crimes committed against selves and members of the household

Crime trend

sustained and meaningful

Crime wave

decontextualized or insignificant

Historical homicide trends in US and Europe

gradually and steadily decreased

Successful policing innovations to reduce local levels of crime

hot-spot policing

Pattern of the recent international crime drop relative to the US crime drop

international crime drop "similar" to one in U.S.

Dominant theme of the American Dream cultural ethos

materialism = fetish over $

Why the American public's perceptions of crime?

media

Firearms (local leading indicators of crime)

number of "shots fired" or "crime guns" in the area

Challenges of systematically studying white-collar crime

only small-scale studies

What does Uniform Crime Report (UCR) measure?

police workload

Drug markets (local leading indicators of crime)

predatory/retaliatory and code of the streets

American public's perceptions and what the data shows

recent criminal victimization doesn't account for perceived change in annual crime levels

Socialization and social service levels (local leading indicators of crime)

service infrastructure to stem lack of supervision

Family, religion, education's core social roles

values and norms