exam 1 Flashcards
(27 cards)
why study crime?
(everyday concern, exposure to danger, CDCs, macro level stressor, high crime neighborhood)
PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN
nature
pattern
general direction of trend, broad stats
scope
variability
specific fluctuations in the pattern, smaller demographics
data caveats
unit of analysis and data source can change
dallas
robbery and burglary
most neighborhoods are experiencing a 30%+ decline
cleveland
robbery and burglary
most neighborhoods are experiencing a 30%+ increase
race and crime
racial inequality is a predictor (violent crimes)
crime of law concentration
weisburd, 2015
concentration of crime is driven by small units (miceo places)
the higher you go, the more heterogenous crime is below
quantitative data
- quantified crime
- objectively counted facts
- unambiguously defined answers
quantitative examples
UCR
NCVS
self-reports
qualitative data
- no numbers
- constant reconstruction of social world
- understanding motivation behind actions
qualitative examples
- observation
- interviews
micro level of analysis
- observations about individuals
- compare demographic info about individuals
macro level of analysis
- observations about social and ecological distribution of crime
- social structures and social processes
- looking at aggregate info
UCR
official stat
- compiled by FBI
- based on police data
UCR strengths
- large database
- can compare across years
- has most serious crime
UCR weaknesses
- no federal crimes
- hierarchy rule
- reports are voluntary and vary in accuracy and - completeness
- not all police departments submit reports
- relies on reported crimes (only ~50%)
- reflects police activity, not crime
NCVS
official stat
household survey about victimization in the past 6 months ages 12+
NCVS strengths
- large database
- more crimes (reported, nonreported)
- more variables included
NCVS weaknesses
- over/underreporting (no factchecking)
- some crimes aren’t recorded (homicide, victimless crimes)
self reports
people ask to share illegal and delinquent activities
self-reports strengths
- anonymity = more sharing
- indicates crime is more prevalent than official stats say
self-reports weaknesses
- lies
- exaggeration
- forgetting
- institutionalized youth underrepresented
field observation and participant observations strengths
hands-on knowledge of inner working
