Criminology 302 Week 2 Notes

Why do Agnew and Brezina argue that arrest rates should be examined when investigating trends in delinquency?

Arrest rates have the advantage of controlling for changes in size of the juvenile population. If there is an increase in the number of juveniles, then the number of juvenile arrests will likely increase because there are more juveniles to be arrested. This will occur even if the typical juvenile is no more or less delinquent than before.

In what ways are victimization data different from arrest and self-report data, what types of questions do they allow criminologists to study?

Have you been a victim of a crime? Whether you reported the crime to the police? If they know or saw their attacker?

What did DiIulio predict about what would happen to juvenile violence in the 1990s and 2000s and how correct was he?

He predicted violence would reach unheard-of levels by the year 2000. He was completely wrong.

Victimization Data Advantages

Like self-report data victimization data provide information on both crimes that have come to the attention of police and crimes that have not. Also provide much information on the experiences and characteristics of crime victims.

What methods have researchers used to determine how truthful youth are in their self-reports of delinquency and what conclusions have these researchers drawn about the overall validity (accuracy) of self-report data?

Official record comparisons. Comparisons with peer, family, or school reports. Lie detector tests. Comparisons with drug tests. Comparisons between groups known to differ in their level of delinquency. Overall, they suggest that self-report data provide a moderately accurate estimate of the extent of delinquency.

How have criminologists explained the sharp increase in arrest rates for murder in the late 1980s and the early 1990s?

One reason was because of the spread of crack cocaine during the mid-to late 1980s. This led to many juveniles selling the narcotic and obtaining guns for protection. Another reason was the increase in gangs. A decline in manufacturing jobs and an increase in single parent households.

What general conclusions can we draw about the extent and nature of delinquency from self-report data?

Self-report surveys typically find that 90% or more of all juveniles have engaged in at least some forms of delinquency.

Why do victimization data provide such limited information about the characteristics of people who commit property crimes?

The information that victimization data provide about the extent of juvenile delinquency, therefore, us largely limited to violent crimes. So, victimization data show that violent crime among juveniles is far more extensive than arrest data indicate, although not as extensive as indicated by self-report data.

Describe the overall conclusions that we can draw from arrest data about the extent of delinquency and about what types of delinquency are most common.

There has been a dramatic decrease in serious delinquency in recent years. - Overall, the number arrest tends to be higher for minor crimes than for serious crimes. Basically, juveniles commit more status offenses then serious violent crimes.

Describe what Lamont means by saying that there was a day when "anyone's kid was everyone's kid."

Times when other children's parents would discipline you first instead of the authorities.

In what major ways are trends in delinquency over the past several decades similar regardless of whether you measure delinquency using arrest data?

When it comes to violent crimes arrest data show a larger increase in violence in the late 1980s. Also arrest data show a larger decline in violence beginning in the mid-1990s. - So, we would conclude that rates of serious violence increase dramatically in the late 1980s and early 1990s, declined sharply through the early 200s, and continued a general downward trend.

What types of data would you use to most accurately measure the extent of juvenile violence at any one point in time and why? Of juvenile property offenses at any one point in time and why? Of juvenile drug use at any one point in time and why? Of status offenses at any one point in time and why?

You would use arrest data because it has a very long history of juvenile data. You would also use arrests data for property offenses because arrest data keeps a long history of juvenile data. Same thing for drug use and status offenses because arrests data would show you all this information over time and at one point in time.

How many states, as of the writing of Bernstein's book, have provisions allowing the waiver of juveniles into the adult criminal system?

All of them.

UCR Advantages

Allows us to estimate the number of crimes committed by juveniles, the number of arrests that involve juveniles, the most serious offense these juveniles were arrested for, and whether juvenile arrests are increasing or decreasing. Represents approximately 95% of the U.S. population. Have been collected since 1930, so they provide long-term information on trends in crime. Provide moderately accurate measure of the extent of and trends in certain types of serious crime.

When it comes to property crime arrest data show a more dramatic decline in rates of property crime since the mid-1990s.

Arrest and self-report data disagree somewhat regarding trends in property crime. - Based on this we might tenantable conclude that there was an overall sharp decline in serious property crime from the mid-to late 1990s to 2014, and a relatively modest decline in minor property crime.

Given the strengths and weaknesses of the three major data sources, what types of research questions do you think are best answered with arrest data, what types of research questions do you think are best answered with self-report survey data, and what types of research questions do you think are best answered with victimization data? Describe the rationale for each of your responses.

Arrest data would answer the research questions of what common crimes are being committed rather that be violent acts or not. Because arrests data stores the information on how often certain crimes are being committed. Self-report survey data would answer the question of what kinds of people are repeatedly committing certain types of crimes. Because self-report data stores all the information about a person who has committed a crime. Finally, victimization data would allow us to predict people who could be potential victims of crime. Because victims must disclose all the information about their crime into data surveys.

How do we calculate arrest "rates" per 100,000 juveniles and why are arrest rates useful to calculate?

Arrest rates are useful because they give us an idea of the probability that juvenile will be arrested. We calculate arrests rates per 100,000 juveniles by calculating the estimated number of juvenile arrests then breaking them up into two parts the index and part II offenses. It's calculated based on ages 10 to 17 in the population of juveniles.

Why are estimates of the extent of delinquency based on self-report data so much larger than those based on arrest data?

Because most delinquent acts do not come the attention of the police or result in arrest. Self-report data indicate that most of these delinquent acts being committed by juveniles are status offenses and minor crimes. Most juvenile engages in delinquency. Serious crimes are not common but minor offenses are.

Why is it that the number of crimes "cleared" (solved) is not equal to the number of arrests?

Because sometimes multiple crimes might be cleared by a single arrest. Other times a single crime is cleared by the arrest of many people.

What are "clearances" and what do data about clearances tell us?

Clearance data is the number of crimes cleared by the arrest of juveniles. Clearance data allows us to estimate the number of Part I crimes committed by juveniles.

What does the term "net widening" mean in the context of juvenile justice?

Criminalizing a larger number of acts and locking up more kids.

Self Report Studies

Data from juvenile, with juveniles being asked about the offense they have committed.

Victimization Data

Data, with people being asked whether they have been victims of various crimes.

Describe the factors that criminologists have suggested could be responsible for the drop in serious crime that took place in the 1990s and describe any evidence that might lead us to question the validity of each explanation.

Decline in crack use and in the turf disputes among crack dealers. Improvements in the economy during the 1990s, Improvements in police practices. The increased use of prevention and rehabilitation programs . The higher rate at which juvenile offenders were incarcerated. The role of immigration.

What was DiIulio's view of incarcerating juveniles before 2001, how did his views about juvenile justice change from 2001 forward, and what do you think explains his change of heart?

Dilulio's view of incarcerating juveniles before 2001 was to lock up as many "super-predators" as humanly possible. But in 2001 he changed these views after establishing a religious relationship. His original views had been completely discredited. I think what changed his views essentially was witnessing and somewhat interacting with the juveniles themselves. Realizing that the hysteria he created was based off false evidence and interpretation.

Describe what is meant by "if it bleeds, it leads" journalism and how this term applies to news about juvenile justice in the 1990s.

Essentially asserting that of yellow journalism to exaggerate the extent to which this new generation of juveniles or "super-predators" were operating in American society.

Do you agree or disagree with Barry Krisberg's assertion (p. 73) that "Juvenile Justice policies have historically been built on a foundation of myths"? Why or why not?

I don't agree with Barry Krisberg's assertion simply because this has not always rung true from generation to generation. Juveniles in the 1950s were treated a lot differently then they were in the 2000s. Meaning juvenile delinquency at its basis and what it looked like was entirely different.

Summarize when juvenile violence, juvenile property crime, and juvenile drug use seem to have been increasing or decreasing over the past 3-4 decades.

Juvenile violence seems to have increased specifically within the 1980s. Juvenile property crime seems to have increased specifically within late the 1980s and mid-2000s. Juvenile drug use seems to have increased specifically within the 1980s but has seen a steady decline ever since.

What conclusions have criminologists drawn about how honest juveniles are in their self-reports of personal delinquency and what methods have criminologists used to draw these conclusions?

Many criminologists have suggested that juveniles are not honest within self-report surveys. So, they compare the results of the surveys with juveniles family history, drug tests, and other juvenile groups to determine how truthful juveniles are being in the survey.

How did the media coverage about juvenile crime in the 1990s affect the American philosophy about the purpose of juvenile justice.

Media coverage about juvenile crime in the 1990s prompted a hysteria in American philosophy that these super-predators were corrupting the innocence and vulnerability of childhood for all children. It made American society reemphasize the purpose of juvenile justice so that it could combat this generation of so called "super predators." Essentially this resulted in states across the country competing to hold kids accountable and begin treating them like adults.

UCR Disadvantages

Most delinquent acts don't become known to the police. Even when crimes become known to the police, the police don't catch the offender in most cases. The police don't arrest most of the suspected offenders they catch. Police data reported to the FBI are sometimes inaccurate. Reclassifying crimes. The FBI arrest data report only the most serious offense for which the person is arrested.

Why do arrest data vastly underestimate the extent of delinquency?

Most delinquent acts don't become known to the police. Even when crimes become known to the police, the police don't catch the offender in most cases. The police don't arrest most of the suspected offenders they catch. Police data reported to the FBI are sometimes inaccurate.

How does research attempt to deal with these problems?

New methods of administering self-report surveys have been developed, methods that appear to substantially reduce the amount of underreporting. Audio computer-assisted self-administered interview. Life event calendar. Employ better measures of delinquency. Obtain accurate counts of the number of delinquent acts committed. Focus on both minor and serious offenses. Try to eliminate trivial acts from their delinquency counts. Make a special effort to include serious offenders in their samples.

Unified Crime Report

Official "statistics from the police, juvenile court, correctional agencies. Most commonly used official statistics are arrest data from the police.

What are the major differences between Type I and Type II crimes in the FBI's Crime in the United States: The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)?

Part I or index, offenses are eight relatively serious violent and property crimes; criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part II offenses consists of 20 additional offenses as well as a category for "all other offenses."

Self-Report Studies Advantages

Provide a moderately accurate estimate of the extent of delinquency.

Describe the distinction between reliability and validity.

Reliability is the accuracy of level (amount). The validity is the accuracy of the trend.

Describe what research finds about how quickly delinquency declined during the 1990s in states that treated juveniles the harshest versus how quickly delinquency declined in the 1990s in states that treated juveniles less harshly.

Researchers found that between 1995 and 2004 the juvenile arrest rate for serious property and violent crimes fell a fully 45%, and that the juvenile homicide rate plummeted even further, decreasing by 70% over the same period. The states that didn't treat juveniles harshly saw the biggest drops in juvenile crime. While the state that did treat juveniles harshly saw a minor drop in juvenile crime.

What was the primary message of Bennett, DiIulio, and Walters's book, Body Count?

That the generation children and teenagers today does not fear authority or the consequences that come with committing acts that violate the law. The book created a new name for this generation of children called "super-predators."

Describe the procedures that are used to collect data in the National Crime Victimization Survey, including what types of data are collected.

The NCVS procedure are as follows. Surveys are distributed to the public that asks them a serious of questions concerning whether they have ever been victim of a crime. If they answer yes to this question the survey continues with a series of questions concerning the type of crime, they were a victim to. Whether or not they saw their assailant and a few characteristics that they would use to describe their experience with being a victim of a crime.

Describe the general procedures that are used to collect data in major self-report surveys, including what types of data are collected.

The Self-report surveys procedures are as follows. Criminologists distribute different types of self-report surveys to criminals and specifically juveniles to see what types of delinquency they have been engaging if any. There are different types of surveys they distribute such as the Monitoring the Future survey which focuses solely on drug use.

Describe the procedures that are used to collect data in the FBI's Uniform Crime Report, including what types of data are collected.

The UCR procedures are as follows. The FBI breaks down crime into two categories. Part I and Part II. Part I crimes are serious felonies such as rape, murder, and aggravated assault. While Part II crimes are more minor offenses such as simple assault or burglary. The FBI also collects reports on these crimes being committed and includes clearances in the data as well.

Describe what Agnew and Brezina mean by "the apprehension of offenders as the weak link in the juvenile justice process" and describe at least one example that they provide to illustrate their point.

The authors are referencing the general strain theory here. Which is a broader view of the causes of stress. According to Agnew there three main reasons for deviance-producing strain. The failure to achieve a goal. The existence of harmful impulses. The removal of positive impulses.

During what periods does it appear that each of these three types of crime was going down?

The rate of illicit drug use decreased during the 1980s and early 1990s, increased during the 1990s, decreased during the early 2000s, and increased again by a modest amount in recent years.

Drawing on all data sources, what general conclusions can we draw about trends in violence, property crime, and drug use among juveniles since the early 1980s?

The rate of property crime was generally stable during the early to mid-1980s, increased a modest amount during the late 1980s and 1990s, then declined by a modest amount during the 2000s.

Drawing on arrest data, describe the major trends in property and violent crime since the early 1980s.

The rate of property crime was reasonably stable from the early 1980s to 1994. It declined in the mid-1990s. Between 2006 and 2008 crime began to increase again by a modest amount. Starting in 2010 the downward trend continued reaching a historic low in 2014. The rate of violent crime arrests was reasonably stable from 1980 to 1988. Violent crime increased by more than 60 percent between 1988 and 1994. From 1994 it began declining through the early 2000s. Between 2004 and 2006 it increased once again. From 2006 to 2014 it decreased again. Reaching its lowest level in 2014 compared to the past 3 decades.

Specifically, during what periods does it appear that each of these three types of crime was going up.

The rate of violent crime was stable during much of the 1980s, increased during the late 1980s and generally remained high during much of the 1990s, then decreased slightly since 1998.

Describe the three pieces of practical advice that Agnew and Brezina provide concerning "three things to be aware of when others discuss the extent of and trends in delinquency."

The sensational case. - Be cautious in generalizing from one or a few crimes to crime. The reliance on one data source. - Keep the advantages and disadvantages of your data source in mind when referencing it. Percentage changes based on a small number of cases. - Be sure to look at the raw numbers involved when you hear others talk about what percentage crime increased or decreased.

How did that change in philosophy affect the use of juvenile detention during the late 1990s, when juvenile violence was dropping rapidly?

This opened the door for net-widening, and for each state to increase its penalties already established in juvenile court. Many states revised their juvenile codes as well. Essentially more minors were arrested and punished more harshly for increasingly minor offenses.

In what major ways are trends in delinquency over the past several decades similar regardless of whether you measure delinquency using self-report data?

Trends of less serious violence increased by a modest amount during the late 1980s and early 1990s and decreased by a modest amount since the late 1990s.

Self-Report Studies Disadvantages

Very few long-term nationwide self-reports survey of delinquency. Many self-report surveys underestimate the extent of serious delinquency. Many self-report surveys employ measures of delinquency that focus on minor offenses and employ vague response categories. Juveniles often report trivial acts on self-report surveys- acts that would probably not be considered delinquent by law enforcement officials. Most self-report surveys tend to under sample the most serious delinquents.

What types of problems affect the accuracy of self-report data?

Very few long-term nationwide self-reports survey of delinquency. Many self-report surveys underestimate the extent of serious delinquency. Many self-report surveys employ measures of delinquency that focus on minor offenses and employ vague response categories. Juveniles often report trivial acts on self-report surveys- acts that would probably not be considered delinquent by law enforcement officials. Most self-report surveys tend to under sample the most serious delinquents.

Victimization Data Disadvantages

Victimization data focus only on a few violent and property crimes committed against individuals ages 12 and older. Certain groups with high rates of criminal victimization are under sampled, such as homeless people, transients, and institutionalized persons. There is evidence that many crime victims do not report their victimizations to the interviewers. The victim often does not see the offender and so cannot estimate the offender's age.

What types of questions do they allow criminologists to study, and what are the major problems with victimization data that affect research using these data?

Victimization data focus only on a few violent and property crimes committed against individuals ages 12 and older. Certain groups with high rates of criminal victimization are under sampled, such as homeless people, transients, and institutionalized persons. There is evidence that many crime victims do not report their victimizations to the interviewers. The victim often does not see the offender and so cannot estimate the offender's age.

What types of data would you use to most accurately measure trends in juvenile violence across time and why? Of juvenile property offenses at any one point in time and why? Of juvenile drug use at any one point in time and why? Of status offenses at any one point in time and why?

You would use arrest data here as well for all of these because it best measures juvenile data's history.

What types of data would you use to most accurately gauge the social characteristics that are correlated with a higher risk of violence and why? With a higher risk of property crime and why? With a higher risk of drug use and why? With a higher risk of status offending and why?

You would victim data here because it captures offender's characteristics and social context which would allow you to see who is at a higher risk of violence. Same thing for property crime, drug use, and status offenses.

According to NCVS data, what groups are most versus least likely to be victimized?

Younger people have higher rates of victimization than older people for violent crimes. Males have higher rates of victimization than females for violent crimes, with the exception of serious intimate partner violence. African American are somewhat more likely than whites to be victims of violence. People with lower incomes.