© 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1 The Crime Picture Chapter 2.

© 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1

The Crime Picture

Chapter 2


Sources of Data

• Uniform Crime Report (UCR)• National Crime Victimization

Survey (NCVS)• Offender Self-Reports


Uniform Crime Reports• The reports began in 1930.• Data was collected by F.B.I.• Approximately 16,000 police

agencies provide data.• Reports of crimes known to the

police are included.• The reports are voluntarily

submitted by law enforcement.

• The UCR contains the Crime Index.


UCR: Crime Index

The Index is made up of Part I offenses. 1. violent crime

2. property crime


UCR: Violent Crimes

• murder• forcible rape• robbery• aggravated

assault


UCR: Property Crime

• burglary• larceny-theft• motor vehicle theft• arson


Actual and Projected Rates of Crime in the U.S., 1950-2010


UCR: Crime Index

crimes100,000 population

Crime Index =


The Rate of Crime in the United States (per 100,000 Inhabitants), 1960-2000


UCR: Problems

Victims may not report crimes to police because:

• belief that police cannot do anything

• fear of reprisal• embarrassment• no insurance• acceptance that

victimization is a way of life

• how police list crime on report

• “victimless” crimes usually not

reported


NCVS (National Crime Victimization Survey)

• It began in 1972 as a reaction to problems

with UCR.• NCVS relies on personal interpretations of

what crime has been committed.• Data is collected through survey. • 50,000+ homes are regularly surveyed

twice each year.• New homes are selected every 3 years.


UCR: Part I Crimes - 2000

Rate per 100,000 Number

murder 5.5 15,517 forcible rape 32 90,186 robbery 144.9 407,842 aggravated assault 323.6 910,744


Rate per 100,000 Number

burglary 728.4 2,049,946

larceny-theft 2,475.3 6,965,957

motor vehicle theft 414.2 1,165,559

arson 36.9 78,280

UCR: Part I Crimes - 2000


UCR: Clearance Rates

clearance rate - A measure that compares the number of crimes reported and/or discovered to the number of crimes solved by arrest or by other means i.e., death of suspect, finding out report of crime was falsified, etc.


Murder

The unlawful killing of a human being. A generic term which, in common usage, may include first- and second-degree murder, as well as manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, and other similar kinds of offenses.


Murder

• deaths caused by negligence

• suicide• accident• justifiable homicides

Excludes: Excludes:


Murder • July & August -

highest number of reports

• most common in southern states

• person age 20-24 most likely victim

• perpetrators most likely between

18-24 years-old


• highest clearance rate of Part I

offenses (typically over 65%)

• firearms most frequent weapon of

choice (65%)• knives second most

frequent (13%)

Murder


Murder • only 13% committed

by strangers

• 38% relationship to victim undetermined

• 50% committed by acquaintances

• 32% as a result of an “argument”


serial - The killing of two or more people, on more than one occasion, over an extended period of time.

Murder


mass - The killingof three or more people, in a single event, by an offender who typically does not seek concealment of the crime.

Murder


Forcible RapeThe carnal knowledge of a female,

forcibly and against her will.

Includes: assault or attempt to commit rape by force or threat of forceExcludes:• assault if victim is male• statutory rape (without force) • other sex offenses


One of the most underreported violent crimes.

Reasons for NOT reporting rapes:

• The lack of belief in ability of police to apprehend the suspect.

• The concern that the victim would receive unsympathetic treatment from the police.

• The desire to avoid the embarrassment of publicity.

Forcible Rape


One of the most underreported violent crimes.

• The fear of reprisal by the rapist.• The fear of additional “victimization”

by court proceedings.• The desire to keep family/friends

from knowing.

Forcible Rape

Reasons for NOT reporting rapes:


• Most rapes are committed by acquaintances of victim.

• Most rapists appear to be motivated by the need to feel powerful.

• July and August are months with highest number of reported rapes.

• December, January, and February are months with lowest number of reported rapes.

Forcible Rape


Date rape is unlawful forced sexual intercourse with a female against her will that occurs within the context of a dating relationship.

Forcible Rape


Marital rape isforcible sex between people who are legally married to each other.

Forcible Rape


Rape Shield Law

Most states have laws which protect women from being questioned about their sexual history, unless it is judged to have a direct bearing on the case.


Unlawful intentional causing of serious bodily injury with or without a deadly weapon. It also means the unlawful intentional attempting or threatening of serious bodily injury or death with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

• Attempted assaults fall under this category, though it is not necessary to have an injury result.

• The possible use of a gun, knife, or other weapon that could result in serious injury.

Includes:

Aggravated Assault


• 59% clearance rate (lower than for murder)

• summer months highest number reported

• February, November, and December lowest number reported

• 36% blunt object

• 27% hands and feet

• 19% guns

• 18% knives

Aggravated Assault


Clearance is relatively low because of the uncooperativeness of the victim.

• The victim knows assailant.• The assailant is either the husband or the

boyfriend.• The victim considers offense a “personal”

matter.• The victim believes he “got what he

deserved.”• The victim fears revenge if charges are

pursued.

Aggravated Assault


Burglary Unlawful entry of any fixed structure, vehicle, or vessel

used for regular residence, industry, or business, with or without force, with intent to commit a felony or larceny.

• forcible entry

• unlawful entry without force

• attempted forcible entry

Types of burglaries:


Burglary • 29.5% of all burglaries are unlawful

entries.• 63.7% are forcible entries.• 6.8% are attempted forcible entries.• 2.1 million burglaries reported in 2000.• Daytime burglaries are the most

common.• The clearance rate in 2000 was only

13.4%.


Robbery The unlawful taking or

attempted taking of property that is in the immediate possession of another by force or threat of force.


Excludes:

• threat to expose a victim -for instance as a

homosexual or embezzler

• force applied after the taking, as it does not constitute robbery

• purse snatching

Robbery


RobberyMost of those arrested are: • young males (90%)• under age 25 (63%)• members of minority groups (56%)

Robbery Rates in 2000 (per 100,000):•large cities – 440.2•rural areas – 15.5


Larceny-theft

The unlawful taking or attempted taking of property other than a motor vehicle from the possession of another – by stealth, without force, and without deceit – with intent to deprive the owner of the property permanently.


Includes (in declining order of frequency):

• theft from motor vehicles• shoplifting• theft of motor vehicle parts and

accessories• theft from buildings • bicycle thefts• pocket picking• purse snatching• theft from coin operated machines

Larceny-theft


The most common form of larceny in recent years has been the theft of motor vehicle accessories and contents (tires, wheels, stereos, hubcaps, radar detectors, tapes, compact discs, and cell phones) and thefts of farm animals (rustling). Theft of farm machinery is considered larceny.

Larceny-theft


• It is the most frequently reported major crime.

• Total value of property stolen is placed at $5.1 billion dollars.

Larceny-theft


The unlawful taking or attempted taking of a self-propelled road vehicle owned by another, with the intent to deprive him or her of it permanently or temporarily.

Motor Vehicle Theft


Includes:

• automobiles• motorcycles • motor scooters• trucks• buses• snowmobiles

Motor Vehicle Theft


Excludes:• trains• airplanes• bulldozers• most farm equipment• ships• boats• spacecraft

Motor Vehicle Theft


Types: • short-term transportation• long-term transportation• commission of another crime• profit

• highly organized professionals• amateur auto strippers who steal

for parts

Motor Vehicle Theft


• Legally, this is a type of robbery not a motor vehicle theft.

• It accounts for just over 1% of all car thefts.

• Victims and perpetrators tend to be young African-American males.

• About half of carjacking committed by gangs or groups.

• About 24% of victims sustain injuries.

Motor Vehicle Theftcarjacking - The taking of a motor vehicle directly from the owner by the use of force.carjacking - The taking of a motor vehicle directly from the owner by the use of force.


Car models that have been in production for a few years, without many design changes, stand the greatest risk of theft.

These models are the ones most often taken because their parts are most valued in the secondary market.

Motor Vehicle Theft


The intentional damaging or destruction or attempted damaging or destruction, by means of fire or explosion of the property of another without the consent of the owner, or of one’s own property or that of another, with intent to defraud.

Arson


It can include a dwelling, house, public building, motor vehicle, aircraft, or personal property of another.

Arson


Arson

• It was added to Part I Index offenses in 1979.

• Juveniles are arrested for a greater share of this crime than any other.


arson for profit -A professional arsonist who sets fires for a fee.

Arson


arson fraud -Involves business owner burning his property to escape financial problems or for insurance.

Arson


• Special Arson Reporting System -

1982

• designed to provide data

Arson


• includes place of occurrence• type of weapon (if any) used• type and value of property damaged

or stolen• personal characteristics of offender

and victim

National Incident Based Reporting SystemNational Incident Based Reporting System

Incident driven, rather than summary based:

NIBRS


NIBRS

• nature of the disposition of the complaint

• replaces the old Part I and Part II offenses with

22 general offenses


22 offenses include:22 offenses include:

• arson• assault• bribery• burglary• counterfeiting• vandalism

NIBRS

• narcotics offenses• embezzlement• extortion• fraud• weapons violations


• gambling• homicide• kidnapping• larceny• motor vehicle

theft• pornography

NIBRS22 offenses include:22 offenses include:

• prostitution• robbery• forcible sex

offenses• non-forcible sex

offenses• receiving stolen

property


• bad checks• vagrancy• disorderly conduct• driving under the

influence• drunkenness• non-violent family

offenses

Also collects data on:Also collects data on:

NIBRS

• liquor law violations• “peeping tom”

activity• runaways• trespassing• general category of

all “other” criminal

law violations


Hate Crimes

Criminal offenses in which the defendant’s conduct was motivated by hatred, bias, or prejudice, based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation of another individual or group of individuals.


Hate Crimes: 2000

• Police reported 8,152 hate crime incidents.

• The reports include 19 murders.• 16% of total incidents were

motivated by religious bias.• 54.8% were caused by racial bias.• 16% based on sexual orientation.• Most hate crimes fall into category

of “intimidation.”


White Supremacist Groups in the United States

Source: Klanwatch Project


NCVS

• It began operation in 1972.• The Survey is based on victim

self-reports.• It’s designed to measure the “dark

figure” of crime.• Data is collected by the Bureau of

Justice Statistics.• More than 50,000 households are

surveyed twice per year.

National Crime Victimization SurveyNational Crime Victimization Survey


all crime

Dark Figure of Crime

crimes knownto the police


NCVS

• robbery• assault• burglary• personal and household larceny• motor vehicle theft• rape

Includes data on:Includes data on:


• 25% of all households are touched by crime.

• About 1/2 of all violent crime is reported.

• City residents are twice as likely as rural residents to be a victim

of crime.• 2/5 of all household crimes are

reported to the police.• 1/4 of all personal theft reported

to police.

NCVS


• Men are more likely to be victims of crime than women.

• Younger people are more likely to be victims of crime than older

people.• African-Americans are more likely

than whites to be victims of crime.• Young males have the highest

rates of violent victimization.

NCVS


NCVS Household crime rates are

highest for households: Household crime rates are

highest for households:

• headed by younger people

• headed by African-Americans

• with six or more members

• headed by renters

• located in central cities


Problems:• There is potential for false or

exaggerated reports.• False reports may be generated by

overzealous interviewers.• Respondents may suffer from faulty

memories.• Respondents may misinterpret

events.

NCVS


Guns, Crime, and Gun Control

In a typical year, there are 10,000 murders in the United States using guns (handguns).


Pew Research Center Poll (1999)Pew Research Center Poll (1999)

2/3 of American people believe that increasing restrictions on guns will prevent crime.



The Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2001, reported 18% of state prison inmates were armed at time of commission of their crime.



Emerging TrendsEmerging Trends• gun control legislation

• domestic violence offender gun ban

• lawsuits against gun manufacturers



National Violence Against Women Survey (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998)

Women and Crime• 52% of women surveyed say they have

been physically assaulted as a child or as an adult.

• Approximately 1.9 million women are physically assaulted in the United

States each year.• 25% of women, compared to 8% of men

surveyed, said they had experienced partner violence in their lifetime.


• 18% of women have experienced a completed or attempted

rape at sometime in their life.• Women are significantly more likely

to be injured during an assault. • Violence against women is primarily

partner violence.

National Violence Against Women Survey (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 1998)

Women and Crime


• Women living in central cities are considerably more likely to be victimized than women residing in suburbs.

• Suburban women are more likely to be victimized than women in rural areas.

Women and Crime


Separated or divorced women are likely to be victims of violent crime:• 6x more than widows• 4.5x more than married women• 3x more than widowers and

married men

Women and Crime


Women and Crime• Low-income women experience highest

amount of violent crime.

• Victimization of women falls as family income rises.

• African-American women are victims of violent crime more frequently than women of other races.

• Hispanic women are victimized more frequently than white women.


• Women 20-24 years-old are most at risk for violent victimization.

• Women 16-19 years-old are second most likely to be victimized.

Women and Crime


Women Offenders

Women are reported to have committed:

• 35.9% of larceny- thefts• 39% of forgery and counterfeiting

offenses• 44.9% of fraud offenses• 50% of embezzlements

Women are reported to have committed:

• 35.9% of larceny- thefts• 39% of forgery and counterfeiting

offenses• 44.9% of fraud offenses• 50% of embezzlements


While women make up 51% of the population, they are arrested for 17.4% of violent crime and 29.9% of property crime.

Women Offenders


Economic Cost of CrimePersonal costs of crime:

$17.6 billion dollars per year


• Robberies - $500 million dollars per year

• Burglaries – $4 billion

dollars per year

• Larceny-Theft – $4 billion dollars per year

Economic Cost of Crime


Victimization

$105 billion dollars annually in property and productivity losses



Rape – the costliest crime:

• annual victim costs- $127 billion dollars

• higher cost than murder



In 2000, persons age 65 and over accounted for less than 1% of

all arrests.

Elderly and Crime

© 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1 The Crime Picture Chapter 2.

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Transcript of © 2003 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 1 The Crime Picture Chapter 2.