Nature and Extent of Crime SOC 112 Chapter

Nature and Extent of Crime SOC 112 Chapter 2

Introduction 1. Shocking crimes occurring - school / workplace shootings - hate crimes (minorities / gays) - serial killers (Ridgeway / pig farmer) - terrorist attacks a. Ask why? - most violent industrialized country - accept crime - age / race / gender / sex orientation

Introduction, cont. b. Study of crime / criminology - complex / fascinating venture (1) Understand basic concepts - crime / criminals / criminal law / criminology (2) Crime increasing since 9/11 - read news / see on tv - others / means little to us - senseless / unexplainable

Introduction, cont. c. Growing trend: workplace / school - Patrick Sherrill: “going postal” - Columbine High School d. Explore phenomenon - why do people kill? - focus on social sciences - interaction with criminal law (1) Criminal law

Introduction, cont. - legal mechanism - society reacts to crime (2) Through law - attempt to prevent crime e. Understand crime - determine what is criminal 2. Crime

Crime, cont. - different definitions - “An intentional act or omission that violates criminal statutory law. ” a. Historical meaning - not defined - private matters - wronged took action / kin (1) Family structure changed

History, cont. - societies more complex - people more mobile (2) Concept of crime developed - against the king - revenge = private citizen (3) King of Babylon (1900 BC) - “Code of Hammurabi” - first known written laws

History, cont. - existing rules / customs religious habits / beliefs “eye for an eye” both adults / youth b. King represented state - wrongs reported to king - wronged subject / wronged king - “crimes against the state”

Crime: Past and Present 3. Impression: more serious today - fabric of society unraveling a. Modern industrial societies - excluding US - significantly safer today - declined steadily since 13 th century - medieval / early modern Europe - 10 to 20 times higher b. Urbanization / industrialization

Crime, cont. - associated with declining levels US: more violent raised on violence laws / law enforcement: little help c. Prohibition - homicides increased - organized crime - CJS heavily involved - remained constant during 1930 s

Crime, cont. d. After WWII - upward trend - continued into 1980 s - but less than 19 th century (1) Why? - different laws / police / society (2) Condoned the killing of: - Native / African Americans

Crime, cont. 4. An act defined by law - understand: nature / purpose of law - every area of human interaction a. Used to: - protect ownership - define private / public property - regulate business - raise revenues - protect institutions

Crime, cont. - regulate: marriage / divorce / adoption - preserve order (criminal law) b. Designed to protect: - legal / social / political systems 5. Two systems of social control: - formal and informal a. Informal

Crime, cont. (1) Folkways - patterns of acting - arise from unconscious - fail to hold door open - mild ridicule / ostracism (2) Customs - more accepted behavior - violated / greater opposition - talking in theater - more stringent warning

Crime, cont. (3) Mores - group’s social norms - moral standards - considered essential / welfare and preservation - unemployed / drinking - sanctioned severely b. Formal - law: both civil / criminal

Crime, cont. (1) System of control (2) More specific - defines wrongful acts (3) More rational procedures - legislative body / courts - formal enforcement 6. Purpose of criminal law

Purpose, cont. - all behavior considered aberrant - what should be covered? a. How extensive? - same gender sex / prostitution / gambling / drug / alcohol / suicide - “victimless crimes” - society the victim? - religious or moral? b. How do we determine?

Purpose, cont. (1) Mala in se - wrong within themselves - murder / robbery / rape / etc. (3) Mala prohibita - wrong because we say they are - public drinking / loitering / etc. QUESTIONS: * do our laws control morality? * protect people against themselves?