Upload
kerry-harmon
View
217
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
The Birth of Statistics
The Social Mechanics of Crime: Adolphe Quetelet
StatisticsCentral component of criminological theories
that seek to explain criminality
But what do statistics tell us?1.Norms
Standard Ordinary
2.Rates Indicators of trends Used to predict
Birth of Statistics (early 1800s): Social Context
Democratic State Emergence of Welfare State (taxation)
Industrial Revolution Model of factory/society Duty tied to rational production
Urbanization Dangerous Classes :
not controlled by ideology of industry or the social contract
Counts related to diseases – moral panics
Birth of Statistics (early 1800s): Social Context
Media Emerging literacy Moral Panics
Overreaction about particular groups
Science: Desire to control nature
Natural laws /social laws Personal freedom
limited by environment & constitution
StatisticsDesire of Government to control population Practices of enumeration
Previously for taxation Training /standards of conduct Church & military
State encroaches on social life Knowledge on citizens expands Welfare state (‘programs’ & tax payers)
Crime StatisticsCompte 1827 General record of all criminal offences in Paris Divided by types of justice system (civic or
criminal)
Records indicate:1. Number of previous offences2. If accused was acquitted or convicted3. Punishment (if convicted)4. Time of year of offence5. Age, sex, occupation and education of accused
Became more detailed over time, looking for Became more detailed over time, looking for correlatescorrelates
Records about ‘habits’ begin to circulate...Records about ‘habits’ begin to circulate...
Adolphe Quetelet 1796-1874
Key: methodological & conceptual contributions
Biography Avoided deterministic
arguments of later positivism Known for scientific rigor Math & Astronomy Academic (not concerned with
crime orig.)
Social Mechanics
Interest in applying natural laws to human actions:
Social facts: social laws governing societies
Laws identified through analysis of statistics Think about the criteria of
critical theory…..
Quetelet’s 3 Statistical Rules
1. Average ‘man’ = natural distribution
Bell curve (midpoint) Average person = centre of gravity
Physical characteristics of a population Moral statistics (suicide, marriage, etc)
KEY: Individual differences not as important as the SUM of individuals (Society)
Quetelet’s Statistical Rules
2. Law of large numbers Need a large sample
3. Law of Regularity Changes are rare Predictability
Moral StatisticsStatistics indicate social problems Crime, suicide, etc...
Social laws are more complex than natural law because of freewillbecause of freewill:: Not reducible to individuals Space for freedom to act Laws govern human behaviour Humans somewhat predictable (social
beings)
We study moral statistics today...We study moral statistics today...
Quetelet’s Analysis of Crime 1826-1829
Consistency of Crime Types of murders and
property offences Regularities in court
practicesPatterns exist!
Dark Figure of Crime Aware problems of statistics
Quetelet’s Analysis of Crime 1826-1829
Criminal Propensity Everyone has potential
to be ‘criminal’ *
Propensity, not determinism!
Propensity could be visualized Probability & chance IndividualityIndividuality was the
‘chance’ that impacted the ‘probability’ of criminality
Quetelet’s Analysis of Crime 1826-1829Individuality: Upbringing Ability to improve situation
Young males, poor uneducated without employment or in lowly employment would have a greater propensity to commit crimes.
Poverty and lack of education did not cause crime!
Extreme disparity (temptation & suffering) did....
Quetelet’s Analysis of Crime 1826-1829Society as the cause of crime: Society ‘prepares’ crime, the
guilty are the instruments by which it is executed
Social conditions Social conditions are more influential than individual willindividual will
Quetelet’s thesis supports: Social transformation Less focus on incarceration as
deterrence