CCJS105 9 5 12 The Science of Criminology Is Criminology a science What makes a science How can you deny something that is science Clip from Anchorman Ron says women s brains are smaller That s a Science Seems pretty concrete THE POLOTICIZATION OF SCIENCE Science is commonly used to advance political claims racism sexism environmentalism fascism socialism Nearly every ism and ALL political groups attempt to claim the legitimacy of science Establishing facts is key to winning the debate DEFINITION OF CRIMINOLOGY Systematic study of Processes of making law Breaking of law Reaction to breaking of law Politics Theory Criminal Justice So is Criminology a Science Theory explains why something happens why x y Methods quantitative numbers and qualitative stories to prove it is WHAT ROLE DOES THE FIELD PLAY IN SHAPING POLICY Negligible people don t really listen to criminologists But how can we imagine major decisions on health policy without consultation of doctors insurance executives and health care administrators Similarly how can we imagine crime legislation without criminologists STATE OF CRIMINOLOGY S SCIENCE WEAK We lack predictive power In Chemistry you can predict what will happen when mixing elements Not in Crim Crime decline in 1991 Nobody predicted that crime would decline so people don t take criminologists seriously Even today there s no consensus as to why this occurred However criminologists were able to discredit several proposed solutions Boot Camps Death Penalty Three strikes legislation DARE evidence that DARE actually enhances your usage of drugs Scared Straight Gun buy backs BUT SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS REMAIN WHY Ideology a set of beliefs or values that ALL of us develop usually unconsciously about the way the world is or ought to be In a democracy we get to shape policy through voting This is informed by ideology Ideologies Conservative punitive and repressive Liberal forgiving and rehabilitative 9 10 12 RECAP Criminology systematic study of the making of laws the breaking of laws Has theories and pustules Has methodology Qualitative more enriched account narratives from criminals Quantitative patterns in observations Tough to predict trends in crime Crim lacks credibility because a lot of it is dependent on ideology PROBLEM IN CREATING A SCIENCE What is crime Definition isn t fixed or unchanging 1 Legal definition 2 Social harm problems loss of clarity victimless crimes PROBLEM WITH APPLYING KNOWLEDGE Should the field endorse policy solutions American Society of Criminology has issued a statement about capital punishment Is this an ideological or scientific stance Measuring Crime Catching the Wind with a Sieve VOCAB Independent IV and Dependent DV Variables IV causes of DV outcome what we are attempting to explain Better policing independent variable has decreased crime in NYC DOES MY ASSIGNING A PAPER PRODUCE THE NEEDLESS DEATH OF STUDENTS GRANDMOTHERS Correlation and causality Just because two items are consistently related doesn t imply a connection Example me always having an umbrella doesn t mean I control the weather Correlation equal causation Cross Sectional Data Data collected at only 1 point in time Longitudinal Data Data collected at more than 1 point in time A photo A film LEVELS OF ANALYSIS Macro societal nations states and cities Micro individual TO ESTABLISH CASUALTIY Correlation it is a necessary but insufficient condition Temporal ordering Need to be able to say This cause happened in time prior to this event Spuriousness must be eliminated THE DARK FIGURE OF CRIME Official Statistics Self reports Victimization surveys EARLY METHODOLOGIES FOR DETERMINING CRIME Newspaper accounts Media is interested in getting ratings stir up interest in reporting Can t be fully trusted inaccurate account Prison and Jail accounts There is a lot of detail between the crime and the prison accounts Many details go missing Discussion Section 9 10 12 Crime varies by place and time crime is RELATIVE So if there s no set thing then WHAT IS CRIME 1 Mala in se wrong and evil in it of itself inherently wrong Murder rape etc 2 Mala prohibita wrong because we government say it s wrong we prohibit it Illegal drug use tax evasion drinking and driving speeding Slavery used to be accepted but now can be placed under the Mala in se category Crime is a continuum from not so bad to pretty bad Criminology draws a line in the middle to allow things a 23 year old and a 16 year old having sex is creepy but is it just as creepy for a 20 year old and a 16 year old Intent is one of the main thing criminologists look at in deciding punishments for crimes Hitting someone with a car deliberately trying to kill them Hitting someone with a car when they walk across the street aimlessly Hitting someone with a car when they step in front purposely to harm themselves Your and the victims intent change how we view the crime TWO DIFFERENT THEORIES 1 Consensus Theory Example murder 2 Conflict Theory Emile Durkheim morality is central to social order laws are a reflection on a general agreement in society of what s right and wrong Karl Marx society is divided into multiple groups with competing ideas and values Groups with most power make and enforce the laws in order to maintain their power often at the expense of other groups Example taxes those in power pass laws that benefit people in their groups financially 5 PARADIMES FRAMEWORK ON WHICH THEORY IS BASED 1 Rational Choice People choose whether or not to engage in crime 2 Positivism 3 Interactionism Forces outside of our control that push us towards criminal behavior Argues that there s no act that s criminal in it of itself our reaction to certain things label a person as a deviant Nothing wrong with murder but since everyone gets upset when it happens murder is thought of as being bad Once you are labeled as a bad guy it leads you to become a re offender 4 Critical 5 Integration Where do laws come from how are they enforced How does it impact people in power and people not in power The best explanation of crime is combined from combining integrating multiple theories 9 12 12 3 General Sources of Crime Statistics Official Reports Victim Surveys Self reports UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS UCR FBI CRIME IN THE US Self reports Started in 1930 18 000 law enforcement agencies reporting representing 95 of population 8 crimes listed index crimes homicide rape robbery aggravated home invasion assault burglary theft MV theft arson Results calculated as a rate
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