MACRO LEVELScope of the Crime Problem (UCR data)11,250,000 index crimes 2007 (3,370/100,000)murder rate of 6/100,000 is 5x the average rate for other 15 industrialized nationsScope of the Crime problem (NCVS)22.9 million victimizationsviolent crime rate nearly 5x that of the UCRproperty rate more than 4x that of the UCRCrime “Clock” (UCR)violent crime every 22 secondsmurder every 30 minutes- violentrape every 6 minutesrobbery every minuteburglary every 15 seconds- non violenttheft every 5 secondsMore Accurate Crime Clockevening and nighttime hours have more crimeweekends also have higher ratesSummer months and DecemberHistorical TrendsComparisons to 13th century England reveal rates that were 10 to 20 times as great as they are todayCrime rose markedly in 60s and 70sCrime fell dramatically beginning in 1991Development of police forceTechnological improvementsCrime TypesMuch more property crime than violentWhite collar crime is overlookedRegional DisparitiesSouthern states: 37% of population/41% of rapes, 45% of assaults (UCR)Northeastern states: 18% of population/ 15% of violent, 12% of property crime (UCR)NCVS indicates that the west has the most crimeUrban Phenomenon:Metropolitan areas have significantly higher crime rates than rural areasGangs, different ethnic groups together, more povertyMost violent crime, with the exception of rape, occur in public places (NCVS)Sex/GenderCrime is a male driven phenomenonArrests of women have increased from 1973-2007Age-Crime CurvePeaks 16-24Psychology element, older think more about consequencesDrinking increasesRace and CrimeAfrican Americans comprise 15% of the population, 39% of arrests for violent crime and approx 50% of homicidesCriminology is beginning to look beyond black/white differences and look at HispanicsSelf-report data undermine confidence in arrest reportsSocial Class and CrimeEarly link well established using official recordsSelf-report data challenges some of this evidenceEnduring connection between poverty and crimeVictimizationPoor more likely than affluent to be victimsUrban centers have higher ratesAfrican Americans/Hispanic/White—greatest to least in personal victimizationMales more victimized than femalesTeens have highest ratesPatternsQuestionsWhy is the US so violent?Why are there regional differences?What accounts for the rural/city differences?Why are there gender differences?What of the age differential?Can any theory account for all of these differences?Crime Patterns← MACRO LEVEL ←← Scope of the Crime Problem (UCR data)← 11,250,000 index crimes 2007 (3,370/100,000)← murder rate of 6/100,000 is 5x the average rate for other 15 industrialized nations← Scope of the Crime problem (NCVS)← 22.9 million victimizations← violent crime rate nearly 5x that of the UCR← property rate more than 4x that of the UCR← Crime “Clock” (UCR)← violent crime every 22 seconds← murder every 30 minutes- violent← rape every 6 minutes← robbery every minute← burglary every 15 seconds- non violent← theft every 5 seconds← More Accurate Crime Clock← evening and nighttime hours have more crime← weekends also have higher rates← Summer months and December← Historical Trends← Comparisons to 13th century England reveal rates that were 10 to 20 times as great as they are today← Crime rose markedly in 60s and 70s← Crime fell dramatically beginning in 1991← Development of police force← Technological improvements← Crime Types← Much more property crime than violent ← White collar crime is overlooked← Regional Disparities← Southern states: 37% of population/41% of rapes, 45% of assaults (UCR)← Northeastern states: 18% of population/ 15% of violent, 12% of property crime (UCR)← NCVS indicates that the west has the most crime← Urban Phenomenon:← Metropolitan areas have significantly higher crime rates than rural areas← Gangs, different ethnic groups together, more poverty← Most violent crime, with the exception of rape, occur in public places (NCVS)← Sex/Gender← Crime is a male driven phenomenon← Arrests of women have increased from 1973-2007← Age-Crime Curve← Peaks 16-24← Psychology element, older think more about consequences← Drinking increases← Race and Crime← African Americans comprise 15% of the population, 39% of arrests for violent crime and approx 50% of homicides← Criminology is beginning to look beyond black/white differences and look at Hispanics← Self-report data undermine confidence in arrest reports← Social Class and Crime← Early link well established using official records← Self-report data challenges some of this evidence← Enduring connection between poverty and crime← Victimization← Poor more likely than affluent to be victims← Urban centers have higher rates← African Americans/Hispanic/White—greatest to least in personal victimization← Males more victimized than females← Teens have highest rates← PatternsQuestions← Why is the US so violent?← Why are there regional differences?← What accounts for the rural/city differences?← Why are there gender differences?← What of the age differential?← Can any theory account for all of these differences? ←←←←11/12/2012 21:25:00←11/12/2012 21:25:00←11/12/2012
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