Violent Crime in America Exam 2 Study Guide This study guide is an outline of what will be covered in the second exam It in no way provides an indication of how successful your performance will be on the actual exam I am providing a study guide as a courtesy not a requirement to help direct your study efforts It is important to note that answering all of the questions on this study guide will not insure that your performance will be successful Additionally I will not include anything on the exam that was not covered in class The exam will cover chapters 5 homicides and assaults and 6 robbery from the textbook lecture notes videos and classroom discussion This exam will not merely consist of recall but the application of course concepts The exam will have between 25 and 60 questions multiple choice true false matching and or short answer 1 Dr Stewart has just completed a study of community gardens effect on violence What did he find with regard to aggravated assaults High rate areas of crime experienced a significant drop in violent crime when garden areas were introduced 2 Be familiar with the definitions of homicide and various forms and degrees of homicide What are the requirements for the various forms and degrees of homicide Homicide the willful non negligent killing of one human by another murder and killing have socially constructed definitions o Murder is universally wrong o Killing is not universally wrong because it may be justifiable 2 Requirements for murder o o 1 Actus Reus must prove the person committed the criminal act 2 Mens Rea must prove the person committed the act with criminal intent or a guilty mind Righteous Slaughter A way to vindicate themselves and feel better restore their honor is to kill people Felony Murder Death that occurs during or as a result of the commission of a felony 1st degree Justifiable Homicide Killing sanctioned by the law o Killing committed by law enforcement in line of duty o Killing by soldiers in combat o Killing by one in self defense 1st Degree Murder o Requirements 1 Premeditation 2 Malice aforethought intent Comprised on any one of the following three elements o o o 1 Intent to kill 2 Intent to inflict grievous bodily injury 3 Intent to act in a manner that creates a plain and strong likelihood that death or grievous harm will follow o Types 3 Felony Killing a law enforcement officer Killing a correctional officer Killing of any person by a prisoner serving a life sentence Assassination Felony murder 2nd Degree Murder o Requirements Malice Intent Absence aforethought 3 Be familiar with all of characteristics of homicide that were covered in class For example who kills whom What percent of homicides involve a firearm What percent of homicides are committed by men What percent are committed by women Where do men and women typically kill Victim offender relationship 9 4 of victims were killed by intimate partners 8 1 of victims were killed by another family member 12 3 were murdered by strangers 26 0 were slain by acquaintances Neighbor friend employee etc Homicides are intraracial 92 of black victims were murdered by black offenders 83 of white victims were murdered by white offenders o o o o o o Homicide Frequency o According to the UCR in 2013 there were 14 196 homicides in the US o This represents a decrease of 4 4 from 2012 o There were an estimated 4 5 murders per 100 000 inhabitants o Homicide clock 1 murder about every 37 minutes o Disproportionate amount of homicides in the South more in south In 2013 78 2 of known murder victims were male In the US about 90 of murderers are men 46 were white 52 were black o o 93 6 of the victims were slain by adult individuals 18 years of age or older o Violent crimes peak at 17 or 18 years of age Murder is related to social class o Murders are typically committed by people near the bottom of the SES latter Social disorganization Strain Rates of criminal homicide vary from country to country o Columbia Puerto Rico and Mexico lead the way Hard to get reliable crime statistics Columbia and Puerto Rico have a lot of tourists murdered o The US has the highest rate of criminal homicide of the industrialized nations Widespread availability of guns in the US o Firearms were used in 72 of homicides offenses o Of the identified firearms used handguns comprised 88 Time of murder Peak when its warm Late spring July and August o o During summer months people are more outside o Decreases when it gets cool o Slight peak at family get togethers during the holidays Days of the Week Friday Saturday Sunday Weekends Increase in intimate killings during the weekend Stranger homicides increase during the week Intimates increase on the weekends o o o Places of murders o Murders occur equally inside and outside the home o Most inside the home are spouses and are in the bedroom o Women mostly kill others in the kitchen 4 What is Mens rea Why is this necessary What is Actus rea Why is this necessary Two things necessary to prosecute someone for a murder o o 1 Actus Reus 2 Mens Rea Must prove the person committed the act with criminal intent or a guilty mind Must prove the person committed the criminal act 5 What did Jack Katz mean by righteous slaughter Righteous Slaughter A way to vindicate themselves and feel better restore their honor is to kill people 6 What do the terms premeditation and malice mean How are they used in regard to homicide Premeditation the action of planning something especially a crime beforehand Malice the intention or desire to do evil ill will 7 What is felony murder How are felony murders charged Felony Murder Death that occurs during or as a result of the commission of a felony Charged as 1st degree 8 Be able to apply and understand the definition of murder Be able to distinguish between a murder and a killing i e is the taking of a life always wrong 9 Be able to identify who kills whom Also be able to identify who is more likely to be a victim of murder Murder and Killing have socially constructed definitions o Murder is universally wrong o Killing is not universally wrong because it may be justified o Ex police killing vs Police murder Victim offender relationship 9 4 of victims were killed by intimate partners 8 1 of victims were killed by another family member 12 3 were murdered by strangers 26 0 were slain by acquaintances Neighbor friend employee etc o o o o The more intimate the relationship the greater likelihood that intimate partners will kill one another 10 What is the
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