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CHAPTER 2: Schmalleger - Patterns of Crime
Patterns of crime are determined by looking at statistics.
CURRENTLY:
(FROM THE FBI):
Violent crime fell (2003- explain why this is latest data), with only a
slight uptick in murders
There were just under 1.4 million crimes of murder, manslaughter, rape,
robbery and aggravated assault in 2003, 3 percent fewer than 2002 and a
decline of more than 25 percent from 1994.
The 2003 figure translates to a rate of 475 violent crimes for every 100,000
Americans, a 3.9 percent decrease from the previous year, the FBI report
said. Aggravated assaults, which make up two- thirds of all violent crimes,
have dropped for 10 straight years.
Murder was the only violent crime that increased in 2003, with the 16,503
slayings reported by police to the FBI representing a 1.7 percent hike from
the year before. Nearly eight in 10 murder victims last year were male, and
90 percent were adults.
Property crimes such as burglary, theft and theft of motor vehicles dropped
slightly, with the overall total of 10.4 million crimes in 2003 representing
a decline of less than 1 percent.
(ASK: WHY?)
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OFFICIAL statistics
VICTIMIZATION surveys
SELF-REPORT surveys
All have problems (surveys: Reporting bias; Under-reporting)
REMEMBER: Stats are for STREET CRIMES: (arson, car theft,
larceny-theft, murder, rapes, burglary, robbery, aggravated
assaults).
REMEMBER: UCR data are for STREET CRIMES, which constitute
only about 2 pct of the total SOCIAL COSTS OF CRIMES
REMEMBER: DARK FIGURE OF CRIME
REMEMBER: It's TRENDS:
total crime indx viol crime prop crime
(rate per 100,000 people)
1960 1,887 161 1,726
1970 3,985 364 3,621
1980 5,950 596 5,353
1990 5,820 732 5,089
1993 5,483 746 4,747
2003 (see above)
REMEMBER: DATA DO NOT SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. They give a picture, and different
sources allow us to put together trends and a reasonably clear picture of
the problem.
1) They are NOT objectiive facts (ie, not "neutral" or "unbiased");
2) The data are defined by concepts/definitions;
3) They are subject to error;
A few factoids:
1) Our course, our book, and society focuses on STREET CRIME (ie, FBI index
crimes). Yet, street crime accounts for less than 20 percent of *all* crimes
(some accounts say about 1/3, but that's still low); VIOLENT CRIME accounts
for only about 13.6 percent of all index crime
NOTE: Only 37 percent of all crimes are reported (about 70 pct of auto thefts,
but only 25 pct of simple larcenies);
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MEASURING CRIME & OFFICIAL STATISTICS
"Official Statistics" are defined as the data kept by law
enforcement agencies on the occurance and solving of crimes.
They are used to assess how common crime is, how efficient police
are, and how resources might be used. They are also used heavily
by researchers and media to study, dramatize, or otherwise
discuss crime. They have, however, been criticized. "Official
Statistics," especially the "Uniform Crime Reports" (UCR) kept by
the FBI, will guide today's lecture.
I. Background discussion
A. Definitions
B. Historical information
1. Early use
2. Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA)
II. Problems with UCR Reliability
method of organizational reporting varies
occurence of some crimes may be given more weight than others
Reporting rate for some crimes may vary
Police reporting is discretionary
Different categories may be used in different departments
Social values and public opinion may not favor full
enforcement
"Follow-up" and "clearance" (ie, what happens after crime
reported) may shape how crimes are tallied
Some crimes not detected
Law enforcement agencies may wish to conceal some criminal
statistics
Politics (e.g., funding) may influence the reporting
III. Other problems with UCR
A. "Meaning" uncertain
B. People don't report crimes (12 reasons)
C. Crime rates may be political
IV. Problems with "official Statistics" in Research
V. Alternatives
A. Self-reports (Surveys)
B. Observation
C. Alternative Sources
1) Nat'l Crime Survey (NCS)
VI. Why don't people report crime?
1. Embarrassment
2. "It won't matter/why bother"
3. They don't realize a crime has been committed
4. They may also be "guilty" of something
5. Fear (retaliation, stigma); fear of police
6. Family/friends are involved
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