1. Nature and Extent of Crime SOC 112 Part 3

2. Introduction 1. Shocking crimes occurring - school / workplace shootings - hate crimes (minorities / gays) - serial killers (Ridgeway / pig farmer) - terrorist attacks a. Ask why? - most violent industrialized country - most violent industrialized country - accept crime - accept crime - age / race / gender / sex orientation - age / race / gender / sex orientation

3. Introduction, cont. b. Study of crime / criminology - complex / fascinating venture - complex / fascinating venture (1) Understand basic concepts (1) Understand basic concepts - crime / criminals / criminal law / criminology - crime / criminals / criminal law / criminology (2) Crime increasing since 9/11 (2) Crime increasing since 9/11 - read news / see on tv - read news / see on tv - others / means little to us - others / means little to us - senseless / unexplainable - senseless / unexplainable

4. Introduction, cont. c. Growing trend: workplace / school - Patrick Sherrill: “going postal” - Patrick Sherrill: “going postal” - Columbine High School - Columbine High School d. Explore phenomenon - why do people kill? - why do people kill? - focus on social sciences - focus on social sciences - interaction with criminal law - interaction with criminal law (1) Criminal law (1) Criminal law

5. Introduction, cont. - legal mechanism - legal mechanism - society reacts to crime - society reacts to crime (2) Through law (2) Through law - attempt to prevent crime - attempt to prevent crime e. Understand crime - determine what is criminal - determine what is criminal 2. Crime

6. Crime, cont. - different definitions - “An intentional act or omission that violates criminal statutory law.” violates criminal statutory law.” a. Historical meaning - not defined - not defined - private matters - private matters - wronged took action / kin - wronged took action / kin (1) Family structure changed

7. History, cont. - societies more complex - societies more complex - people more mobile - people more mobile (2) Concept of crime developed - against the king - against the king - revenge = private citizen - revenge = private citizen (3) King of Babylon (1900 BC) - “Code of Hammurabi” - “Code of Hammurabi” - first known written laws - first known written laws

8. History, cont. - existing rules / customs - existing rules / customs - religious habits / beliefs - religious habits / beliefs - “eye for an eye” - “eye for an eye” - both adults / youth - both adults / youth b. King represented state - - wrongs reported to king - wrongs reported to king - wronged subject / wronged king - wronged subject / wronged king - “crimes against the state” - “crimes against the state”

9. Crime: Past and Present 3. Impression: more serious today - fabric of society unraveling a. Modern industrial societies - excluding US - excluding US - significantly safer today - significantly safer today - declined steadily since 13 th century - declined steadily since 13 th century - medieval / early modern Europe - medieval / early modern Europe - 10 to 20 times higher - 10 to 20 times higher b. Urbanization / industrialization

10. Crime, cont. - associated with declining levels - associated with declining levels - US: more violent - US: more violent - raised on violence - raised on violence - laws / law enforcement: little help - laws / law enforcement: little help c. Prohibition - homicides increased - homicides increased - organized crime - organized crime - CJS heavily involved - CJS heavily involved - remained constant during 1930s - remained constant during 1930s

11. Crime, cont. d. After WWII - upward trend - upward trend - continued into 1980s - continued into 1980s - but less than 19 th century - but less than 19 th century (1) Why? (1) Why? - different laws / police / society - different laws / police / society (2) Condoned the killing of: (2) Condoned the killing of: - Native / African Americans - Native / African Americans

12. Crime, cont. 4. An act defined by law - understand: nature / purpose of law - every area of human interaction a. Used to: - protect ownership - protect ownership - define private / public property - define private / public property - regulate business - regulate business - raise revenues - raise revenues - protect institutions - protect institutions

13. Crime, cont. - regulate: marriage / divorce / adoption - regulate: marriage / divorce / adoption - preserve order (criminal law) - preserve order (criminal law) b. Designed to protect: - legal / social / political systems - legal / social / political systems 5. Two systems of social control: - formal and informal a. Informal

14. Crime, cont. (1) Folkways (1) Folkways - patterns of acting - patterns of acting - arise from unconscious - arise from unconscious - fail to hold door open - fail to hold door open - mild ridicule / ostracism - mild ridicule / ostracism (2) Customs (2) Customs - more accepted behavior - more accepted behavior - violated / greater opposition - violated / greater opposition - talking in theater - talking in theater - more stringent warning - more stringent warning

15. Crime, cont. (3) Mores (3) Mores - group’s social norms - group’s social norms - moral standards - moral standards - considered essential / welfare - considered essential / welfare and preservation and preservation - unemployed / drinking - unemployed / drinking - sanctioned severely - sanctioned severely b. Formal - law: both civil / criminal - law: both civil / criminal

16. Crime, cont. (1) System of control (1) System of control (2) More specific (2) More specific - defines wrongful acts - defines wrongful acts (3) More rational procedures (3) More rational procedures - legislative body / courts - legislative body / courts - formal enforcement - formal enforcement 6. Purpose of criminal law

17. Purpose, cont. - all behavior considered aberrant - all behavior considered aberrant - what should be covered? - what should be covered? a. How extensive? - same gender sex / prostitution / - same gender sex / prostitution / gambling / drug / alcohol / suicide gambling / drug / alcohol / suicide - “victimless crimes” - “victimless crimes” - society the victim? - society the victim? - religious or moral? - religious or moral? b. How do we determine?

18. Purpose, cont. (1) Mala in se (1) Mala in se - wrong within themselves - wrong within themselves - murder / robbery / rape / etc. - murder / robbery / rape / etc. (3) Mala prohibita (3) Mala prohibita - wrong because we say they are - wrong because we say they are - public drinking / loitering / etc. - public drinking / loitering / etc. QUESTIONS: * do our laws control morality? * protect people against themselves? * protect people against themselves?