Department of Criminal Justice California State University - Bakersfield CRJU 330 Race, Ethnicity and Criminal Justice Dr. Abu-Lughod, Reem Ali Crime Control in America: Nothing Succeeds Like Failure

Intro: n Who is taking responsibility when crime rates go up/down n We’ve tried different things in America, three strikes and you’re out, capital punishment, get tough on crime policy, etc… n Bill Clinton: Americans should not worry about threats from abroad, fear is within our country

n Decline in crime: Clinton took credit in putting more police officers on the streets, regulating the sales of handguns n Is that true? n Truth: violent crime is highest in America compared with other industrialized countries. More money is being spent on prisons than education.

n Also since September 11 th we are more fearful of international threat…hence the creation of Homeland Security n Even though we were incarcerating more people in the 1980s, crime was still on the rise. More juveniles were recruited into the drug trade because of less punitive punishments and leniency n More drugs may mean more stability for those dealing with drugs because they have it under control

n Many contributed decline to community policing n Excuses: that we are too lenient. Urbanization and therefore more crime. But so are other costs of urbanization and modernity. Some blame it on juveniles. Population of young people in 2000 was about what it was in 1960, yet crime rates were higher in 2000.

KNOWN SOURCES OF CRIME n 1) Poverty: unemployed and underemployed. They have no capital to start a business or move on. n Poverty can create need to commit violence and wealth creates more greed. Creating a larger gap between the rich and poor.

n Difference Principle by Rawl A Theory of Justice: economic inequalities are unjust unless they work to maximize the share of the worst-off group in society, say, by providing incentives that increase production overall.

n In Justice and Fairness Rawls compares two societies 1) property owning democracy (capitalist society governed by difference principle and other principles that guarantee equal liberty, fair equality of opportunity) and 2) welfare state capitalism (capitalist society where equality is guaranteed in the law but little is done to achieve it in society).

2) PRISON: creates more prisoners than it cures. Some are non-violent offenders that have been incarcerated. Become tougher according to Robert Johnson and Hans Toch in The Pains of Imprisonment F Prison rape. Recruitment from behind prison bars. Stigma and bad record from those released from prisons especially minorities because incarcerated at higher rates. Michael Tonry Malign Neglect

3) GUNS: Bush in 2001 kids in America more likely to die from a gunshot F 1993 BRADY BILL signed by Bill Clinton imposes 5 day waiting period and try to get police to make a “reasonable effort” to conduct background checks. Went into effect But how many bought from unregulated sources, and how many officers made a reasonable effort.

4) DRUGS: drug abuse and addiction problem. Relationship between drugs and crime: 1. Pharmacological/psychological consequences (PCP) 2. Economic/compulsive crimes 3. Systemic crimes: a way of doing business

u WHAT WORKS TO REDUCE CRIME: u According to Currie: 4 priorities seem especially critical: 1. Preventing child abuse and neglect 2. Enhancing children’s intellectual and social development 3. Providing support and guidance to vulnerable adolescents 4. Working with juveniles