Chapter 2 Criminology

www.cengage.com/cj/siegel

Larry J. Siegel

Valerie Bell • University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

Chapter TwoThe Nature and Extent of Crime

• Primary Sources of Crime Data– Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)

• Part I Crimes• Part II Crimes• Cleared Crimes• Validity of the UCR

The Nature & Extent of Crime

• Primary Sources of Crime Data– National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

• Improvement over UCR • 46 specific offenses• 22 crime patterns• Incident, victim, and offender information • 20 states have implemented • 12 states finalizing data collection


• Primary Sources of Crime Data– National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

• Annual survey of victims• Addresses “non-reporting” issue• Information regarding victims, offenders, and

crimes. • Validity of the NCVS• Future of the NCVS


• Primary Sources of Crime Data– Self-Report Surveys

• Given in groups• Anonymous• Additional questions about attitudes, values , and

behaviors. • Validity of Self-Reports• “Monitoring the Future” Survey


• Evaluating Crime Data– Strengths

• UCR– Offender data– Information on crimes surveys cannot measure

• NCVS– Unreported crimes– Victimization data

• Self-report surveys – Information on offenders


• Evaluating Crime Data– Weaknesses

• UCR– Does not include unreported crimes

• NCVS– Limited samples – Personal recollections– Does not include homicide, drug abuse crimes

• Self-report surveys– Rely on honesty of offenders



• Crime Patterns– The Ecology of Crime

• Day, Season, and Climate• Temperature• Regional Differences

– Use of Firearms


• Crime Patterns– Social Class, Socioeconomic Conditions and Crime

• Instrumental crimes • Expressive crimes

– Age and Crime


• Crime Patterns– Age and Crime

• Aging out of crime• Age and biology

– Neurotransmitters


• Crime Patterns– Gender and Crime

• Official statistics – Male to female arrests 4-1 overall

» 5-1 for serious violent crime» 8-1 for murder

• Self-report– Same pattern but smaller ratios

• Difference is decreasing


• Crime Patterns– Gender and Crime

• Trait differences• Socialization differences • Cognitive differences • Social/political differences


• Crime Patterns– Race and Crime

• Racism and discrimination • Economic and social disparity • Family dissolution


• Chronic Offenders/Criminal Careers– Delinquency in a Birth Cohort

• Wolfgang, Figlio, and Sellin


• Chronic Offenders/Criminal Careers– What Causes Chronicity?

• Early onset– Implications of the Chronic Offender Concept

• “three-strikes”• “truth-in-sentencing”

Technology

Chapter 2 Criminology