Chapter 2

victimless crimes

involve consensual interactions or behaviors including vagrancy, disorderly conduct, and liquor law violations

The Hierarchy Rule

law enforcement agencies must determine which offense occurs highest in the violent crime/property crime hierarchy and record that offense

victimization surveys

a method for trying to ascertain the level of unreported crime. They ask victims of crime about their experiences

white collar crime

a non-violent criminal offense committed during the course of business for financial gain

deterioration of society

all news is local

arson

fires that are purposely set

National Incident-based Reporting System

gathers data on each criminal act even if several acts are committed within the same complex of behavior

offenses against the person

homicide, sexual assault, robbery, assault

self-report systems

individuals are asked to identify the types of offenses they have committed over the study period

street crime

interpersonal violence and property crime

measurement of crime

interpretation of behaviors by law enforcement

The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)

the most extensive and useful measure of crime available

crime rate

the number of Crime Index offenses divided by the population of an area, usually given as a rate of crimes per 100,000 people

omission

when someone fails to act when they should

commission

an act that one commits

patternlessness

anyone at any time; reality

offenses against property

burglary, arson, embezzlement, larceny/theft, and auto theft

corporate crime

committed by a corporation's officer's who pursue illegal activity in the corporation's name

offenses against the public order

drug use, disturbing the peace, drunkenness, prostitution

pointlessness

reality; most have purpose