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What is crime and how serious are different forms of it?Common Criteria for Assessing Crime SeriousnessCriminology as a ScienceIdeology Within CriminologyThe “Crime” In CriminologyParadigms in CriminologyPolicy and CriminologyThe Media and CrimeFundamental Issues in CriminologyChapter 3 Production of Crime StatisticsReview of Elementary Research MethodologyDescription if the UCRA New Look to the UCR: National Incident-Based Reporting SystemSelf-report StudiesVictimization StudiesChapter 4 Distribution of Crime p.109-120Temporal DistributionVolume of Crime: NCVSGeographical distributionTheories of Crime Pp. 149-151Chapter 5 Deterrence and Rational Choice Theories of CrimePreclassical Views of CrimeCriminology, historically speaking is a very young field of studyThe Classical School of CriminologyCesare Beccaria—Father of Classical criminologyJeremy Bentham—Utilitarianism and classical thoughtPenologyPolicingContemporary Deterrence TheoryConceptualization deterrenceSeverity:Speed:Contemporary concepts:General and specific deterrenceConceptualizing deterrence efficacy: IndividualsChapter 7 Social Structure Theories of CrimeStrain TheoryEmile Durkheim—Origins of social structure theoryMerton—Social structure and anomieRecent Developments in Strain TheoryRobert Agnew—General strain theorySocial Disorganization and Cultural transmissionTest 1: Brown Book Ch 1,3,4,5,7Chapter 1 Crime and Criminology Criminologist: “One who studies crime, criminals, and criminal behavior. One who attempts to determine the causes of crime.”What is crime and how serious are different forms of it?- Crime and wrongdoing will defined in terms of harm rendered - Our perceptions of wrongdoing will vary alone lines of gender, religion, race, social class and many other circumstances.o Moral assessments of behavior will shape our responseCommon Criteria for Assessing Crime Seriousness - Harm inflicted: What is the objective level of harm caused by the behavior?- Status of victim: Does the victim merit special protection by the law?- Moral judgments: What and whore moral judgments will influence the criminalization of behaviors and activation of the CJ process?- Offender characteristics: What is the role of the background and circumstances of offenders Consensus model: an important philosophical question is whether the criminal law reflects the interest of members of the society at large. - Does a consensus underlie our law’s definition of what behaviors are criminal or is out law a reflection of conflict whereby the state serves the interest o some at the expense of others?- Often criminologists become frustrated with a public policy path in the crime arena that is largely uniformed and subject to manipulation by politicians and the media.- The problem that we face is that a large chasm separates the scientific findings of criminologists and the stances taken by political leaders - Both gaining credibility and translating complex scientific findings to politically palatable policy statements remain quite a challenge for criminologyCriminology as a Science - “Crime” is a relative phenomenon, conveying different thoughts and meaning to different people.o Edwin Sutherland ‘s classical delineation of the tripartite boundaries of criminology as “the study of the processes of making laws, breaking laws and reacting towards the breaking of laws.  Studying reactions to law breaking is essentially what has emerged in recent decades as the realm of “criminal justice”  Criminology is increasingly influences by a sociological perspective thathas made immense contributions to criminology• Including biology, psychology, and economics- Two essential components of a science are its theoretical and it methodological branches.o Theory: represents an effort to ecpalin or make sense of the worls, thus revolving around the “why” of crime, criminalization, and similar concerns. o Methodology: refers to the techniques or methods that criminologists use as they attempt to determine the “whys” of crime. Theory and methods are integrally related in the scientific method of studying crimeIdeology Within Criminology - Ideology refers to a set of beliefs or values that all of us develop, usually unconsciously, about the way that the world is or ought to be. o Ideologies underlie religious, political, social and moral positions - Current debate reflects relatively clear ideological lines regarding crime issues.o Conservative and liberal views- For criminologists, the division is largely between various “control” and deterrence theorists on the one hand and social structure/support theorists exert control over offenders, while the structuralists/support theorist identify way to provide more adequate opportunities for those whose environments press them toward crime. o Different perspectives are seen within both parties Conservatives call for placing more people in prison for longer periods of time Liberals advocate enhancing social supports of those most at risk for delinquent or criminal behavior - Religious views compromise another important part of this ideological underpinning, permeating many public and policy views regarding crime. o Brian Johnson and Sung Joon Jang (2012) recently made an excellent argument that removing the ideological blinders preventing careful empirical scrutiny of crime and religion variable is overdue. - Ideology rigidity often undermines both the practice of justice administration and criminological analysis.o The changing definition of crime, or relativity of law, is largely driven by ideology. o Relativity and ideology are deeply intertwinedo Crime cannot be defined independent of an ideological framework, and consequently, any definition of crime favors some groups over others.The “Crime” In Criminology - Paul Tappan’s legalistic definition:o Crime is an intentional act in violation of the criminal law, committed withoutdefense or excuse and penalized by the state s a felony or misdemeanor. o All contemporary criminologists view this as an exceeding restrictive definition - Edwin H. Sutherland, dean of American criminology, introduced the concept of white-collar crime, which modified the legalistic definition:o The essential characteristics of crime is that is it behavior whish is prohibited by the State as an injury to the State and against whish the State may react, at least as a last resort, by punishment o Sutherland noted that, “an


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FSU CCJ 3011 - Test 1: Brown Book

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