Midterm #1 Flashcards
6 major areas of crime
- definition of crime & criminals
- the origns and role of law
- socail distribution of crime
- causation of crime
- patterns of criminal behaviour
- societal reactions to crime
definition of crime & criminals
which acts are defined as crime?
who should be defined as a criminal?
the origns and role of law
why are some acts defined as crimnal?
socail distribution of crime
charactriscs of criminals, trends, occurance of crime, types and rates of crim
causation of crime
why do some people commit crimes?
patterns of criminal behaviour
who are offenders? victims? under what circumstances are offences most likely to occur?
societal reactions to crime
process law violators through a criminal justice system that includes the police, courts, and the corrections system
norms
established rules of behaviour or standrs of conduct
consensus approach
- beleive that law represents the consenus of the people
- law reflects the vlaues shared by most memebers of society
conflcit approach
- beleive that laws are passed by memebrs of the ruling class to aintain their priveldged position
- keeping common people under control
criminal law
defineas the anture of various criminal offences (murder, manslaughter, thetft)
“true crime”
occurs when an individual egages in conduct that is not only prohibited but also constitutes a serious breach of community values
regulatory offences
far less serious offences in nature, no more than a fine or max 6m
common law
the body of judge-made law that has evolved in areas not coverred by legislation
two special types of norms that were identified by William Graham Sumner:
1) mores (right and wrong)
2) Folkways (Rights and Rude)
Mores
right and wrong
folkways
rights and rude
Crime:
Any form of human behaviour that is designated by law as criminal and subject to penal sanction
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A rule with consequences
Rule of Law:
- We accept that laws are rules of society and when transgressed will have repercussions
- Must be applied equally and fairly to all
Social Deviations
Alcoholism, sexual fetishes
Social Diversions
Body piercing, tattoos, cross-dressing
Interactionist approach
- Laws are constantly changing
- Laws result from interaction among individuals and groups
- Moral entrepreneurs try to get their values enacted in law
- Being labelled deviant may promote further deviance
- The focus is on the process of deviance and changing definitions
Mala in se
bad in and of themselves
consenus crimes
Mala prohibitum
bad because banned
conflict crimes
Functions of the Criminal Law
Providing social control
Discouraging revenge
Expressing public opinion and morality
Deterring criminal behaviour
Maintaining the social order
Crime funnel:
100% crimes committed
37% reported to police
14% crimes cleared
3% convictions obtained
Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)
desgined to procide uniform and comparable national stats