Nature and Extent of Nature and Extent of CrimeCrime

SOC 112SOC 112

Part 3Part 3

IntroductionIntroduction1.1. Shocking crimes occurringShocking crimes occurring

- school / workplace shootings- school / workplace shootings

- hate crimes (minorities / gays)- hate crimes (minorities / gays)

- serial killers (Ridgeway / pig farmer)- serial killers (Ridgeway / pig farmer)

- terrorist attacks- terrorist attacks

a. Ask why?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

Introduction, cont.Introduction, cont.b. Study of crime / criminologyb. Study of crime / criminology - complex / fascinating venture- complex / fascinating venture

(1) Understand basic concepts(1) Understand basic concepts - crime / criminals / criminal - crime / criminals / criminal law / criminology 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

Introduction, cont.Introduction, cont.c. Growing trend: workplace / schoolc. Growing trend: workplace / school

- Patrick Sherrill: - Patrick Sherrill: “going postal”“going postal”

- Columbine High School- Columbine High School

d. Explore phenomenond. 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

Introduction, cont.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 crimee. Understand crime

- determine what is criminal - determine what is criminal

2.2. CrimeCrime

Crime, cont.Crime, cont.- different definitions- different definitions

- - “An intentional act or omission that “An intentional act or omission that

violates criminal statutory violates criminal statutory law.”law.”

a. Historical meaninga. Historical meaning

- not defined- not defined

- private matters- private matters

- wronged took action / kin- wronged took action / kin

(1) Family structure changed(1) Family structure changed

History, cont.History, cont. - societies more complex- societies more complex

- people more mobile- people more mobile

(2) Concept of crime developed(2) Concept of crime developed

- against the king- against the king

- revenge = private citizen- revenge = private citizen

(3) King of Babylon (1900 BC)(3) King of Babylon (1900 BC)

- “- “Code of HammurabiCode of Hammurabi””

- first known written laws - first known written laws

History, cont.History, cont. - existing rules / customs- existing rules / customs

- religious habits / beliefs- religious habits / beliefs

- “- “eye for an eyeeye for an eye””

- both adults / youth- both adults / youth

b. King represented stateb. King represented state

- -

- wrongs reported to king- wrongs reported to king

- wronged subject / wronged king- wronged subject / wronged king

- “- “crimes against the statecrimes against the state””

Crime: Past and PresentCrime: Past and Present3.3. Impression: more serious todayImpression: more serious today

- fabric of society unraveling - fabric of society unraveling

a. Modern industrial societiesa. Modern industrial societies - excluding US- excluding US - significantly safer today- significantly safer today - declined steadily since 13- declined steadily since 13thth century century - medieval / early modern Europe- medieval / early modern Europe - 10 to 20 times higher- 10 to 20 times higher

b. Urbanization / industrialization b. Urbanization / industrialization

Crime, cont.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. c. ProhibitionProhibition

- homicides increased- homicides increased

- organized crime- organized crime

- CJS heavily involved - CJS heavily involved

- remained constant during 1930s- remained constant during 1930s

Crime, cont.Crime, cont.d. d. After WWIIAfter WWII

- upward trend- upward trend

- continued into 1980s- continued into 1980s

- but less than 19- but less than 19thth century century

(1) Why?(1) Why?

- different laws / police / - different laws / police / societysociety

(2) Condoned the killing of:(2) Condoned the killing of:

- Native / African Americans- Native / African Americans

Crime, cont.Crime, cont.4.4. An act defined by lawAn act defined by law

- understand: nature / purpose of law- understand: nature / purpose of law

- every area of human interaction- every area of human interaction

a. Used to: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

Crime, cont.Crime, cont. - regulate: marriage / divorce / - regulate: marriage / divorce /

adoptionadoption - preserve order (criminal law)- preserve order (criminal law)

b. Designed to protect:b. Designed to protect: - legal / social / political systems- legal / social / political systems

5.5. Two systems of social control:Two systems of social control:- - formal and informalformal and informal

a. Informala. Informal

Crime, cont.Crime, cont. (1) (1) FolkwaysFolkways

- 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) (2) CustomsCustoms - more accepted behavior- more accepted behavior - violated / greater opposition- violated / greater opposition - talking in theater- talking in theater - more stringent warning- more stringent warning

Crime, cont.Crime, cont. (3) (3) MoresMores

- group’s social norms- group’s social norms

- moral standards- moral standards

- considered essential / welfare- considered essential / welfare

and preservationand preservation

- unemployed / drinking- unemployed / drinking

- sanctioned severely - sanctioned severely

b. b. FormalFormal

- law: both civil / criminal- law: both civil / criminal

Crime, cont.Crime, cont. (1) (1) System of controlSystem of control

(2) (2) More specificMore specific

- defines wrongful acts- defines wrongful acts

(3) (3) More rational proceduresMore rational procedures

- legislative body / courts- legislative body / courts

- formal enforcement- formal enforcement

6.6. Purpose of criminal lawPurpose of criminal law

Purpose, cont.Purpose, cont. - all behavior considered aberrant - all behavior considered aberrant - what should be covered?- what should be covered?

a. How extensive?a. How extensive? - same gender sex / prostitution / - same gender sex / prostitution /

gambling / drug / alcohol / suicidegambling / drug / alcohol / suicide - “victimless crimes”- “victimless crimes” - society the victim?- society the victim? - religious or moral?- religious or moral?

b. How do we determine?b. How do we determine?

Purpose, cont.Purpose, cont. (1) (1) Mala in seMala in se

- wrong within themselves- wrong within themselves - murder / robbery / rape / etc.- murder / robbery / rape / etc.

(3) (3) Mala prohibitaMala prohibita - wrong because we say they - wrong because we say they

areare - public drinking / loitering / etc.- public drinking / loitering / etc.

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS::* do our laws control morality?* do our laws control morality?

* protect people against themselves?* protect people against themselves?