1. Chapter Two The Nature and Extent of Crime

2. Primary Sources of Crime Data
Official Records: Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)
Part I Crimes
Part II Crimes
Cleared Crimes
Validity of the UCR
LO 1: Discuss the various forms of crime data.

3. 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
LO 1: Discuss the various forms of crime data.

4. Class Discussion/Activity
Read the section on UCR and NIBRS and be prepared to discuss with the class your answers to the following questions:
What are the shortcomings of the UCR?
Which advantages does NIBRS have compared to the UCR?

5. 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
LO 1: Discuss the various forms of crime data.

6. Primary Sources of Crime Data
Self-Report Surveys
Given in groups
Anonymous
Additional questions about attitudes, values , and behaviors.
Validity of Self-Reports
Honesty of self-reporting participants
“Monitoring the Future” Survey
Consistent
Longitudinal
Learning Objective 1. Be familiar with the various forms of crime data.

7. Primary Sources of Crime Data
Evaluating Crime Data
Strengths
UCR
Offender data
Crimes that surveys cannot measure
NCVS
Unreported crimes
Victimization data
Self-report surveys
Information on offenders
LO 3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

8. Primary Sources of Crime Data
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
LO 3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

9. Primary Sources of Crime Data
LO 3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

10. Class Discussion/Activity
Look at Table 2.1 in your textbook and analyze the information in the table. Answer the following questions related to Table 2.1:
Which types of delinquency are committed the most often?
Which type of delinquency has the highest probability of having been committed more than once?
Which type of delinquency is committed the least often?
Why do you think some types of delinquency are more likely to be committed repeatedly?

11. Crime Trends Contemporary Trends Trends in Victimization
Crime rates are declining from peak in 1991
Violent crimes and thefts have declined
Trends in Victimization
Decrease in victimization across all age groups
Significant decrease among teenagers
What the Future Holds
Increase in numbers of elementary school aged children
Could indicate a future increase in crime as children reach teenage and young adult age
LO 2: Analyze recent trends in the crime rate.

12. Crime Trends Explaining Trends in Crime Rates Age structure
Immigration
Economy/Jobs
Abortion
Gun availability
Gang membership
Drug use
Media
Aggressive law enforcement
Incarceration
Cultural change
LO 2: Analyze recent trends in the crime rate.
LO3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

13. Crime Patterns Gender and Crime Trait differences
Masculinity hypothesis
Socialization differences
Cognitive differences
Political/Social differences
Liberal feminist theory
LO 2: Analyze recent trends in the crime rate.
LO3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

14. Crime Patterns Race and Crime Institutional racism Structural racism
Racial threat theory
Racial profiling
Structural racism
LO3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

15. Crime Patterns Ecology of Crime Day, season and climate Temperature
More crimes are reported during summer months
Temperature
Weather effects may have an impact on violent crime rates
Regional differences
Large urban areas have higher rates of violence
LO3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

16. Crime Patterns LO 2: Analyze recent trends in the crime rate.
Source: Crime in the United States, 2011, the-u.s.-2010/crime-map (accessed January 2013).

17. Crime Patterns Use of Firearms
According to the NCVS firearms are typically involved in
20 percent of robberies
10 percent of assaults
5 percent of rapes
Two-thirds of murders
On-going debate about gun control
LO 2: Analyze recent trends in the crime rate.
LO3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

18. Crime Patterns Social Class, Socioeconomic Conditions, and Crime
Instrumental crimes
Expressive crimes
LO3: Be familiar with the factors that influence crime rates.

19. Crime Patterns Age and Crime Aging out of crime Age and biology
Neurotransmitters
LO 5: Know what is meant by the term aging out process.

20. Class Discussion/Activity
From your perspective as a student, why are teenagers more likely to commit crimes?
What is the aging-out effect?

21. Crime Patterns Race and Crime Institutional racism Structural racism
Racial threat theory
Racial profiling
Structural racism
LO 4: Identify the gender and racial patterns in crime.

22. Chronic Offenders/Criminal Careers
Delinquency in a Birth Cohort
Wolfgang, Figlio, and Sellin
Classic longitudinal study that tracked a cohort of boys over an 18 year period
LO 6: Be familiar with the concept of chronic offending and know its causes.

23. Chronic Offenders/Criminal Careers
What Causes Chronicity?
Early onset
Implications of the Chronic Offender Concept
“three-strikes”
“truth-in-sentencing”
LO 6: Be familiar with the concept of chronic offending and know its causes.