crime crime has many faces: the teenager who stole the test, the business person that cheated on his...
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CrimeCrime has many faces: the teenager who stole the test, the business person that cheated on his taxes, a father kidnapping his child, etc.Decisions as to what makes a crime is defined by legislaturesLegislatures make decisions on what they think will protect the public and make orderly conduct.
The goal of law is to regulate human conduct so that people can coexist.
Certain acts are prohibited to protect life and property, preserve individual freedom, maintain government, and uphold the morality of society.
Ideally, the goals of law are to protect human rights for all
Nature and Causes of Crime
Crime is a major problem in the United States In 1991, more than 14.8 million crimes were
reported, increasing 45% since 1974, with suspects arrested in these crimes 20% of the time
In 2001, nearly 24.2 million crimes were reported, of which about 24% were violent in nature
Crime victims are also victims of human rights violations
Many crimes go unreported
Following a trend that began in 1994, the rate of violent crime declined 10% between 2000 & 01- property crime fell 6% during the same period- lowest crime rate in US history since 1973
Appx. 50% of victims of crimes against themselves reported the crime to the police
Appx. 40% reported property crimes
Crime Rates
Higher in urban areas Lately, has grown the fastest in suburbs and rural
areasPeople 15-24 commit more violent than any other age
groupsMales committed almost four times more crimes than
femalesRecent years, crime rate has grown fastest with
women
In 2001,
68% of female victims knew their offenders 45% of males knew their offenders 35% of victims reported that the offender had
been using alcohol Violent crimes were more likely to occur during
the day, but rapes at night
The cost of crime
Everyone looses moneyLost or damaged livesFear and sufferingTotal cost of crime per year is
estimated at over $150 billion, costing the average family of 4 taxpayer $1,500 even if they are not victims
Causes of Crime
PovertyPermissive courtsUnemploymentLack of educationAbuse of alcohol and drugsInadequate police protection
Rising populationLack of parental guidance and
controlLost moralsIneffective correctional systemLittle chance of being caught and/ or
punishedInfluence of the medias
Is any one factor causing the crime rate?
Poverty
*1990 strong economy, low unemployment, low crime rate
*2001-02 weaker economy, rise in crime rates
*countries much poorer than US has less crime
Permissive courts *Us has some of the toughest criminal
laws and the highest incarceration rate of any Western Nation
*Recently, only South Africa and Russia have executed and imprisoned more people than the US
*compared with the number of crimes, only a small amount result in penalty
Inadequate police protection *increase in the number of officers does not
necessarily reduce overall crime rate *community policing could build closer
connections between the community and police
Influence of the mass media *glamorizes criminal activity
high school campus crime
In 2000, nearly 2 million incidents of violent and property crime occurred to students ages 12-18 while at school
*of these, 128,000 serious violent crimes (rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault)
2001
Appx 10% of male and 3% of female students in 9th-12th grade reported carrying a gun at least once during a 30 day period
1/3 of students reported that drugs were readily available to them, an increase of 20% from ’93
Nonfatal crimes declined ’92-01 Increase in the amount of bullies (grades 6-8)
College Campus Crime
Include violent assaults, hate, and property crimes
Many are alcohol related (students spend over $5 billion per year)
Incidence of crimes involving college students off campus is considerably higher
Some colleges may not fully report crimes out of concern for decline in applications
Statistics form 2,400+ colleges in 2000
*20 murders (down from 30 in ’92)
*1,858 forcible sex offenses (many go unreported)
• 1,933 robberies• 3,644 aggravated assaults• 26,543 burglaries• 5,792 motor vehicle thefts
Gangs and Crime
At one point, thought to be only in large cities
Truth: Active throughout the United States, even in small towns
Nearly all cities with populations of 200, 000+ report having gang problems
One reason for the widespread: lure of profits from the sale of drugs (many also buy, steal, and sell firearms)
A survey in 1991, indicated that gang violence is on the rise due to teenagers having availability to cars and weapons
In 2001, 20% of students, 12-18, reported street gangs were present at school
Estimated in 2001, there were over 3,000 jurisdictions that reported youth gang activity
6 out of every 10 homicides in Los Angeles in 2001 were gang related; 5 out of 10 in Chicago
What are gangs?
Groups that close their membership to others for a common purpose that includes violent criminal activity
Ages range from 8-50Also called posses or crewsFocus on drug trafficking, firearm sales,
auto theft, prostitution Some use group violence to defend
certain beliefs (can be racist/ sexist)
Associate themselves with one of several gang “nations”
Choose symbols, emblems, colors, phrases and clothing to identify themselves
Use graffiti to tag territory, intimidate rival gangs, or to install fear in neighborhood citizens
Joiners usually have to endure some initiation ritual or test (committing a crime, being beaten, female- having sex with multiple gang members)
Gangs usually concerned with the joiners ability to sell for profit
Early US Gangs
Found as early as the 19th century Primarily composed of adults Organized along ethnic lines Had names, rules, emblems, initiation rituals,
and distinctive dress Interested in protection of turf, reputation, and
heritage All did not engage in criminal activity
Who joins Gangs?
Majority are male In most cases, relatives and friends of the
member are also involved in the gangMost are poor with the basic needs not metMost are unsuccessful in schoolVery pessimistic about job and future
prospects Includes all races
Substance abusersFamily dysfunctionDomestic and community violencePoor self esteemLittle parental involvement
Why do people join gangs?
To receive attention and have a sense of belonging
Children of gang membersPeer pressure, possibly threatsTo be “protected” from other gangs and
policeMay be the only alternative to someone
who does not think they have a future
Youth Gangs
Increase in many cities in recent yearsUsually neighborhood gangs and not adult
drug organizationsGives youth a sense of stability and prideArgued that crime rises because youth do
things in groups that they would not normally do individually
Recent attacks on other races
How can the gang problem be solved?
Prevention Encourage gang members to become involved
in positive activities Provide greater opportunities for teenagers Increase awareness of the problem Organize prevention strategies to place gang
members in anti-gang programs Prosecute gang members for illegal activities
Guns and the Law
Most Americans who own firearms own them legally and use them lawfully
Used frequently in violent crimes Efforts to control firearms are controversial
-millions believe that their safety will be at risk if gun ownership is restricted
-others believe that easy availability of firearms to young people has added to crime problem
-others argue that it is not the guns, but the users, who cause violence
2nd Amendment to the US Constitution
The right to bear arms in conjunction with the state militia
Looked at by some as protection against gov’t attempts to ban or regulate firearms
Others argue that protects a state’s right to maintain a militia, but does not protect citizens against gov’t legislation
Has been interpreted by the US Supreme Court several times
-ruled the amendment guarantee’s a state’s right to a militia
-has not struck down federal, state, or local legislation that controls guns
Gun Control Act of 1968
Passed after the murders of Dr. King and Senator Robert Kennedy
Prohibits certain people (i.e. convicted felons, minors, illegal aliens) from buying or possessing weapons
Requires serial numbers on all guns Establishes a licensing –fee schedule for
firearms manufacturers, importers, and dealers
Prohibits mail-order sale of all firearms and ammunition
Prohibits the interstate sale handguns Set minimum ages: handguns- 21, long guns-
18 Set penalties for carrying and using a firearm in
crimes of violence or drug trafficking
Amended in `93 by enacting the Brady Act required the Attorney General to create a
national system to instantly check the backgrounds of people who wanted to purchase guns
Set five day waiting period before selling guns (declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in ’97)
In 2001, 8 million applications were processed in the US for guns- 151,000 rejected
States, including LA, have enacted their own legislation -training courses and/ or test concealed weapons laws became the trend in the
’90s(justifed as self-defense) -by 2002, 30 states had laws making it relatively easy
to get the permit -13 states make the process more difficult by requiring
a specific need (i.e. security officer) -6 states and DC do not allow concealed weapons -Vermont does not regulate in any way
Substance Abuse and Crime
Used to describe different chemicals that are abused by society (i.e. alcohol and drugs)
Has always plagued AmericaContributes to social problems- breakup
of the family, injury in the workplace, decreased productivity, auto accidents
Also leads to criminal activity
Alcohol
Most widely abused substance in the USOne reason, drinking is socially acceptedHas always been legal in the US with the
exception of Prohibition (1920-33)Not acceptable in all countries (i.e. Saudi
Arabia-criminal offense to drink)
Detrimental to society- contributes to:
-poor functioning of some families
-spousal and child abuse
-committing of other crimes while under the influence
Annual cost of alcohol abuse to the American society is estimated at nearly $150 billion
Alcohol abuse was a factor in 35% of violent crimes in the US in ’01
2/3 of victims who suffered violence by a significant other reported that alcohol was a factor
Drunk Driving
Driving while intoxicated (DWI) (in Louisiana) and Driving while under the Influence (DUI)
Refers to a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC)
-indicates the grams per deciliter of alcohol in the blood
-can be determined through breath, urine, or blood samples
Since alcohol is a mind-altering drug, reaction and thinking times are affected at varying degrees by the level of alcohol in the blood system
Impaired in Louisiana is .08 BACAll states and DC have DWI/DUI lawsNearly 1.5 million people were arrested in
’99 for DWI/DUI
In LA, in 1999, there were 445 alcohol related deaths
Variety of penalties:
-fine
-attendance at DWI school
-license suspended/ revoked
-jail sentence
Most states have implied consent laws where the driver agrees to submit to a BAC test in exchange for driving privileges
Young people, as the driver or passenger, is at the greatest risk of being injured or killed
-alcohol affects teens faster -less experienced drivers -40% of all highway deaths in ’01 involved
alcohol
Organizations to help:
Mothers against Drunk DrivingStudents Against Destructive DecisionsRemove Intoxicated DriversThe National Commission Against Drunk
DrivingThe national Coalition to Prevent Impaired
Driving
These organizations have resulted in greater public awareness
Arrests peaked in the early ’80’s but started to decline by the early’ 90s
Total arrests for DUI declined by 20% from ’91-00
Underage drinking continues to be a problem All states have a uniform 21 drinking age Arrests for under 18 who are caught driving
under the influence rose 14% from ’91-00
Drugs
Effects nearly everyone in American society
Illegal drug use costs society billions per year
Illegal-drug industry has led to dramatic increase in criminal activity (from murder to gov’t corruption)
Placed burden on the criminal justice system b/c so many people are arrested for possessing or selling
-50-75% of people arrested test positive for 1 or more drugs
Trends are difficult to determine
-varies from city to city (cocaine, weed, heroin, meth)
Reports show a particularly close relationship between increased use of crack and increased violence
Drug abuse arrests, prosecutions, and convictions rose during the early ’90s
Possession, distribution, or sale of certain drugs is a crime that may violate federal law, state, law, or both
Now carry harsher penalties for offenders than once did
Those who sell or posses large amounts with the intent to sell face mandatory jail sentences (even for first offenses)
Under federal law and some state laws, those found guilty of being major drug traffickers
Some state laws treat simple possession of small amounts of some drugs as felonies
In addition to federal laws, some states, including LA, allow for forfeiture of property that were used for or acquired with drugs- sale of property profits enforcement agencies
More than 40 states have recidivist laws
-passed primarily in the ‘90s
-require longer sentences for repeat offenders, even for minor offenses
-US Supreme Court ruled in ’03 that the CA Three Strikes law did not violate the 8th Amendment
Controlled Substances Act
Federal Drug LawClassifies drugs into 5 groups, depending
on medical use (if any), potential for abuse, and capability to create physical or psychological addiction
-penalties differ for each grouping
Legalization???
Has been consider by some politicians and American society due to the escalating drug use and related crimes
-point to the failure of the “war on drugs” and argue that as long as they are illegal there will be a market
-belief that the US could better control the sale and use of drugs if the laws changed from prohibition to regulation
Proponents suggest that the US treat drugs as health problem
-they call the US hypocrites to allow the use of tobacco and alcohol, which studies show are harmful to people’s health and cause more deaths than drugs
Others favor legalization of drugs that could be used for medical purposes
-several states have passed ballot initiatives in favor of removing state criminal penalties for marijuana possession b/c of its potential medial use
-the US Supreme Court ruled that federal drug laws do not contain any medical use exception
Opposition to any sort of legalization
-belief that legalization and making them easier to get would lead to greater use, cause more deaths, and increase other problems
-feel that criminal laws deter drug use and thus reducing penalties would portray a message of acceptance
-”the addicting of America: which would endanger American society
Victims of Crime
Crime affects everybody, but victims suffer the most.Anyone can be a victim (the rich, poor, young, old)Annually, 24 million Americans aged 12 and over become victims of crime.
Teenagersmost frequent targets of crime In 2001, people 12-24 were the highest
violent crime victim groupAmong person 12-15, 55 of every 1,000
were victims of violent crimevictimized by violent crimes (rape,
robbery, and assault) at twice the rate of adults and ten times the rate of the elderly
Others
Except for rape and sexual assault, males are more frequently the victims of violent crime
The poor, unemployed, separated or divorced are more likely to become crime victims
In 2000, 49% of all murder victims were African-American, even thought they only make up 12% of the total population
Statistically, minorities are victimized more than whites
African American are three to five times more likely than whites to be murder victims
The small business owner, the retailer, is the one that is often victimized
Aid for the Victim
Most states have assistance programs -provide victims with counseling, medical
care, other services and benefitsMost states have victim compensation
laws -pay medical bills, lost salary, funeral
costs and death benefitsVictim impact statements
Sometimes, the court will order restitutionVictim advocacy groups
-help victims through trauma and protect their rights
-usually deal with specific crimes (rape, spouse and child abuse, drunk driving)
Example: MADD
If you become a victim of crime
2 views on what to do if you think that you are about to become a victim
1. You should not fight back
-if property is involved, give up the property without objection to reduce the risk of injury or death
2. Resist the assailant -be prepared to risk injury -know your limitations -if the assailant has a weapon,
assume that it would be used
General rules to follow in either situation:
-Create an audience (scream, whistle)
-sit down so you can’t be knocked down
-call the police ASAP
*the longer you wait, the more likely the criminal will get away with the crime
Crime Prevention
Report suspicious activity immediately to police Keep door and windows locked (use dead bolts) Beware of high crime areas (dark, deserted
streets, parking lots, garages, bus stops) Use the “buddy system” If nighttime or in high risk area, never alone
Don’t flash money in publicTake steps to prepare your home while
you are on vacation (mail, newspaper, etc.)
If you are a female living alone, use only your first initial in the phone book and mailbox
If you think someone has broken into your home, DO NOT ENTER
Do not answer the door to someone you do not know
How to report a crime
Stay calmCall the police ASAP (always report a crime-
someone else may be their next victim)Tell the police your name, location, and what
happened If someone is hurt, ask dispatch for an
ambulance
If possible, while waiting for the police, write down what the suspect looked like, what type and color of car and direction of travel
Getting Help for Survivors of Crime
Programs to help survivors have been established by all levels of government, as well as, private organizations
Support ranges from counseling and support groups to advocacy initiatives to funds established to lend financial assistance to families of victims
National Center for Victims of Crime
Nongovernmental organization Provides local services, crisis
intervention, and practical info related to navigating through the criminal justice system
Also provides counseling services www.ncvc.org