The criminal justice process
1. Legislative Phase -- (2)
2. Crime Scene phase -- (4)
3. Pretrial phase – (5)
4. Trial Phase -- (1)
5. Sentencing hearing -- (2)
6. Sentence served -- (3)
Crime definition
The prevailing public belief
The four sources of information on crime
Official:
Unofficial:
UCR data incomplete
Four weaknesses of NIBRS data
Violent crimes
(Murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault)
Criminal Homicide -- Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter: the willful (nonnegligent) killing of one human being by another. (Deaths caused by negligence and justifiable homicide are excluded).
Forcible Rape -- The Forcible unlawful carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Included are rapes by force and attempts or assaults to rape. Statutory offenses (no force used and victim under age of consent) are excluded.
Robbery -- The taking or attempting to take anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence or by putting the victim in fear.
Aggravated Assault -- An unlawful attack by one person on another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury. Usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by means likely to produce death or great bodily harm. Simple assaults are excluded.
Serious property crimes
(Burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, arson)
Burglary -- Breaking or Entering: The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft. Attempted forcible entry is included.
Larceny -- Theft (Except Motor Vehicle Theft): The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Attempted larcenies are included. Embezzlement, con games, forgery, worthless checks, etc., are excluded.
Motor Vehicle Theft -- The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. A motor vehicle is self-propelled and runs on the surface and not on rails. Specifically excluded from this category are motorboats, construction equipment, airplanes, and farming equipment.
Arson -- Any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.
Shortcomings of NCVS
Second strongest predictor of criminality
Crime-rate calculation
Crimes “cleared”
Three ways:
The fourth way
Two examples