1. CRIME

2. CRIME STATISTICS Crime – any act labeled by those in authority, prohibited by law, and punishable by the government Limits on Formal Filing of Crime Reports 1.Officers decide if they need to file an official report, mostly done for serious cases 2.Individuals less likely to file if family or friends are involved 3.More likely to file when injured party is part of a high social class 4.The attitude of the individual making the complain

3. CharacteristicsPercentage Total SEX Male78% Female33% AGE Under 1818.5% 18-2428.8% 25-3423.4% 35-4419.5% 45-547.4% 55+2.4%

4. TYPES OF CRIMES 1.Violent Crime Murder (33 min), rape (5 min, 48 sec), robbery (1 min, 18 sec), aggravated assault (35 sec) 2.Crime Against Property Burglary, larceny, vehicle theft, arson (more common than violent crime) – about every 3 seconds in the United States 3.Victimless Crime Prostitution, gambling, drug use, vagrancy Harm no one but the person committing the crime, there is no “victim” 4.White-Collar Crime - White CollarWhite Collar Offenses committed by individuals of high social status Misrepresentation, fraud, tax evasion, embezzlement, price fixing, insider trading 5.Organized Crime Crime Syndicate – a large-scale organization of professional criminals (gangs, mafia) Gambling, loan sharking, hijacking merchandise, drug trafficking

5. WHY SO SERIOUS? SeriousMurder, Rape, Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny, Motor Vehicle Theft, Arson Less SeriousForgery, Fraud, Stolen Property, Vandalism, Prostitution, Sex Offenses, Drug Abuse, Gambling, DUI, Drunkenness, Disorderly Conduct, Vagrancy, Curfew Laws

6. CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM Criminal Justice System – once a crime is committed it falls under the jurisdiction of the criminal justice system 1.Police Most immediate control over who is arrested for a criminal act Police Discretion – police hold the power to decide who is actually arrested for a crime. Factors are: 1.Seriousness of crime 2.Wishes of the victim 3.Attitude of the suspect 4.If bystanders are present 5.Racial Profiling – use of force on blacks over whites 2.Courts Once a person is arrested, responsibility shifts to the courts Determines guilt/innocence, assign punishment, or plea bargain Plea Bargain – plea guilty in exchange for lesser sentence

7. JUSTICE SYSTEM CONT… 3.Corrections The sanctions (jail, parole, probation) used to punish criminals FOUR FUNCTIONS 1.Retribution – act of revenge for the victim and society 2.Deterrence – Discourage offenders from committing future crimes 3.Rehabilitation – Prison used as a place to help reform criminals 4.Social Protection – limiting freedom of offenders, society prevents them from committing additional crimes, thus protecting society from these acts Recidivism – repeat criminal behavior (62% of released will be further charged with crime and 42% will return to prison)

8. KEY VOCABULARY Crime Violent Crime Crime Against Property Victimless Crime White-Collar Crime Organized Crime Crime Syndicate Criminal-Justice System Police Discretion Racial Profiling Plea Bargaining Corrections Retribution Deterrence Rehabilitation Social Protection Recidivism