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CCJS1059/5/12-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 concreteTHE 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 debateDEFINITION OF CRIMINOLOGYSystematic study of -Processes of making law-Breaking of law-Reaction to breaking of lawPolitics-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: WEAKWe 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 occurredHowever, 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-backsBUT 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)9/10/12RECAPCriminology: 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 unchanging1. Legal definition2. 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 SieveVOCAB: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-A photo-Longitudinal Data: Data collected at more than 1 point in time-A filmLEVELS 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 eliminatedTHE DARK FIGURE OF CRIME-Official Statistics-Self-reports-Victimization surveysEARLY 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” categoryCrime 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 crimeTWO DIFFERENT THEORIES1) Consensus 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-Example: murder2) Conflict Theory-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 groupsfinancially)5 PARADIMES (FRAMEWORK ON WHICH THEORY IS BASED)1) Rational Choice-People choose whether or not to engage in crime2) Positivism-Forces outside of our control that push us towards criminal behavior3) Interactionism-Argues that there’s no act that’s criminal in it of itself; our reaction to certainthings 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-offender4) Critical-Where do laws come from, how are they enforced?-How does it impact people in power and people not in power?5) Integration-The best explanation of crime is combined from combining (integrating) multiple theories 9/12/123 General Sources of Crime Statistics-Official Reports-Victim Surveys-Self-reportsUNIFORM CRIME REPORTS (UCR)- FBI CRIME IN THE US (Self-reports)-Started in


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UMD CCJS 105 - The “Science” of Criminology

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