CrimeCrime has many faces: the teenager who stole the test, the business person that cheated on his taxes, a father kidnapping his child, etc.Decisions as to what makes a crime is defined by legislaturesLegislatures make decisions on what they think will protect the public and make orderly conduct.

The goal of law is to regulate human conduct so that people can coexist.

Certain acts are prohibited to protect life and property, preserve individual freedom, maintain government, and uphold the morality of society.

Ideally, the goals of law are to protect human rights for all

Nature and Causes of Crime

Crime is a major problem in the United States In 1991, more than 14.8 million crimes were

reported, increasing 45% since 1974, with suspects arrested in these crimes 20% of the time

In 2001, nearly 24.2 million crimes were reported, of which about 24% were violent in nature

Crime victims are also victims of human rights violations

Many crimes go unreported

Following a trend that began in 1994, the rate of violent crime declined 10% between 2000 & 01- property crime fell 6% during the same period- lowest crime rate in US history since 1973

Appx. 50% of victims of crimes against themselves reported the crime to the police

Appx. 40% reported property crimes

Crime Rates

Higher in urban areas Lately, has grown the fastest in suburbs and rural

areasPeople 15-24 commit more violent than any other age

groupsMales committed almost four times more crimes than

femalesRecent years, crime rate has grown fastest with

women

In 2001,

68% of female victims knew their offenders 45% of males knew their offenders 35% of victims reported that the offender had

been using alcohol Violent crimes were more likely to occur during

the day, but rapes at night

The cost of crime

Everyone looses moneyLost or damaged livesFear and sufferingTotal cost of crime per year is

estimated at over $150 billion, costing the average family of 4 taxpayer $1,500 even if they are not victims

Causes of Crime

PovertyPermissive courtsUnemploymentLack of educationAbuse of alcohol and drugsInadequate police protection

Rising populationLack of parental guidance and

controlLost moralsIneffective correctional systemLittle chance of being caught and/ or

punishedInfluence of the medias

Is any one factor causing the crime rate?

Poverty

*1990 strong economy, low unemployment, low crime rate

*2001-02 weaker economy, rise in crime rates

*countries much poorer than US has less crime

Permissive courts *Us has some of the toughest criminal

laws and the highest incarceration rate of any Western Nation

*Recently, only South Africa and Russia have executed and imprisoned more people than the US

*compared with the number of crimes, only a small amount result in penalty

Inadequate police protection *increase in the number of officers does not

necessarily reduce overall crime rate *community policing could build closer

connections between the community and police

Influence of the mass media *glamorizes criminal activity

high school campus crime

In 2000, nearly 2 million incidents of violent and property crime occurred to students ages 12-18 while at school

*of these, 128,000 serious violent crimes (rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault)

2001

Appx 10% of male and 3% of female students in 9th-12th grade reported carrying a gun at least once during a 30 day period

1/3 of students reported that drugs were readily available to them, an increase of 20% from ’93

Nonfatal crimes declined ’92-01 Increase in the amount of bullies (grades 6-8)

College Campus Crime

Include violent assaults, hate, and property crimes

Many are alcohol related (students spend over $5 billion per year)

Incidence of crimes involving college students off campus is considerably higher

Some colleges may not fully report crimes out of concern for decline in applications

Statistics form 2,400+ colleges in 2000

*20 murders (down from 30 in ’92)

*1,858 forcible sex offenses (many go unreported)

• 1,933 robberies• 3,644 aggravated assaults• 26,543 burglaries• 5,792 motor vehicle thefts

Gangs and Crime

At one point, thought to be only in large cities

Truth: Active throughout the United States, even in small towns

Nearly all cities with populations of 200, 000+ report having gang problems

One reason for the widespread: lure of profits from the sale of drugs (many also buy, steal, and sell firearms)

A survey in 1991, indicated that gang violence is on the rise due to teenagers having availability to cars and weapons

In 2001, 20% of students, 12-18, reported street gangs were present at school

Estimated in 2001, there were over 3,000 jurisdictions that reported youth gang activity

6 out of every 10 homicides in Los Angeles in 2001 were gang related; 5 out of 10 in Chicago

What are gangs?

Groups that close their membership to others for a common purpose that includes violent criminal activity

Ages range from 8-50Also called posses or crewsFocus on drug trafficking, firearm sales,

auto theft, prostitution Some use group violence to defend

certain beliefs (can be racist/ sexist)

Associate themselves with one of several gang “nations”

Choose symbols, emblems, colors, phrases and clothing to identify themselves

Use graffiti to tag territory, intimidate rival gangs, or to install fear in neighborhood citizens

Joiners usually have to endure some initiation ritual or test (committing a crime, being beaten, female- having sex with multiple gang members)

Gangs usually concerned with the joiners ability to sell for profit

Early US Gangs

Found as early as the 19th century Primarily composed of adults Organized along ethnic lines Had names, rules, emblems, initiation rituals,

and distinctive dress Interested in protection of turf, reputation, and

heritage All did not engage in criminal activity

Who joins Gangs?

Majority are male In most cases, relatives and friends of the

member are also involved in the gangMost are poor with the basic needs not metMost are unsuccessful in schoolVery pessimistic about job and future

prospects Includes all races

Substance abusersFamily dysfunctionDomestic and community violencePoor self esteemLittle parental involvement

Why do people join gangs?

To receive attention and have a sense of belonging

Children of gang membersPeer pressure, possibly threatsTo be “protected” from other gangs and

policeMay be the only alternative to someone

who does not think they have a future

Youth Gangs

Increase in many cities in recent yearsUsually neighborhood gangs and not adult

drug organizationsGives youth a sense of stability and prideArgued that crime rises because youth do

things in groups that they would not normally do individually

Recent attacks on other races

How can the gang problem be solved?

Prevention Encourage gang members to become involved

in positive activities Provide greater opportunities for teenagers Increase awareness of the problem Organize prevention strategies to place gang

members in anti-gang programs Prosecute gang members for illegal activities

Guns and the Law

Most Americans who own firearms own them legally and use them lawfully

Used frequently in violent crimes Efforts to control firearms are controversial

-millions believe that their safety will be at risk if gun ownership is restricted

-others believe that easy availability of firearms to young people has added to crime problem

-others argue that it is not the guns, but the users, who cause violence

2nd Amendment to the US Constitution

The right to bear arms in conjunction with the state militia

Looked at by some as protection against gov’t attempts to ban or regulate firearms

Others argue that protects a state’s right to maintain a militia, but does not protect citizens against gov’t legislation

Has been interpreted by the US Supreme Court several times

-ruled the amendment guarantee’s a state’s right to a militia

-has not struck down federal, state, or local legislation that controls guns

Gun Control Act of 1968

Passed after the murders of Dr. King and Senator Robert Kennedy

Prohibits certain people (i.e. convicted felons, minors, illegal aliens) from buying or possessing weapons

Requires serial numbers on all guns Establishes a licensing –fee schedule for

firearms manufacturers, importers, and dealers

Prohibits mail-order sale of all firearms and ammunition

Prohibits the interstate sale handguns Set minimum ages: handguns- 21, long guns-

18 Set penalties for carrying and using a firearm in

crimes of violence or drug trafficking

Amended in `93 by enacting the Brady Act required the Attorney General to create a

national system to instantly check the backgrounds of people who wanted to purchase guns

Set five day waiting period before selling guns (declared unconstitutional by the US Supreme Court in ’97)

In 2001, 8 million applications were processed in the US for guns- 151,000 rejected

States, including LA, have enacted their own legislation -training courses and/ or test concealed weapons laws became the trend in the

’90s(justifed as self-defense) -by 2002, 30 states had laws making it relatively easy

to get the permit -13 states make the process more difficult by requiring

a specific need (i.e. security officer) -6 states and DC do not allow concealed weapons -Vermont does not regulate in any way

Substance Abuse and Crime

Used to describe different chemicals that are abused by society (i.e. alcohol and drugs)

Has always plagued AmericaContributes to social problems- breakup

of the family, injury in the workplace, decreased productivity, auto accidents

Also leads to criminal activity

Alcohol

Most widely abused substance in the USOne reason, drinking is socially acceptedHas always been legal in the US with the

exception of Prohibition (1920-33)Not acceptable in all countries (i.e. Saudi

Arabia-criminal offense to drink)

Detrimental to society- contributes to:

-poor functioning of some families

-spousal and child abuse

-committing of other crimes while under the influence

Annual cost of alcohol abuse to the American society is estimated at nearly $150 billion

Alcohol abuse was a factor in 35% of violent crimes in the US in ’01

2/3 of victims who suffered violence by a significant other reported that alcohol was a factor

Drunk Driving

Driving while intoxicated (DWI) (in Louisiana) and Driving while under the Influence (DUI)

Refers to a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC)

-indicates the grams per deciliter of alcohol in the blood

-can be determined through breath, urine, or blood samples

Since alcohol is a mind-altering drug, reaction and thinking times are affected at varying degrees by the level of alcohol in the blood system

Impaired in Louisiana is .08 BACAll states and DC have DWI/DUI lawsNearly 1.5 million people were arrested in

’99 for DWI/DUI

In LA, in 1999, there were 445 alcohol related deaths

Variety of penalties:

-fine

-attendance at DWI school

-license suspended/ revoked

-jail sentence

Most states have implied consent laws where the driver agrees to submit to a BAC test in exchange for driving privileges

Young people, as the driver or passenger, is at the greatest risk of being injured or killed

-alcohol affects teens faster -less experienced drivers -40% of all highway deaths in ’01 involved

alcohol

Organizations to help:

Mothers against Drunk DrivingStudents Against Destructive DecisionsRemove Intoxicated DriversThe National Commission Against Drunk

DrivingThe national Coalition to Prevent Impaired

Driving

These organizations have resulted in greater public awareness

Arrests peaked in the early ’80’s but started to decline by the early’ 90s

Total arrests for DUI declined by 20% from ’91-00

Underage drinking continues to be a problem All states have a uniform 21 drinking age Arrests for under 18 who are caught driving

under the influence rose 14% from ’91-00

Drugs

Effects nearly everyone in American society

Illegal drug use costs society billions per year

Illegal-drug industry has led to dramatic increase in criminal activity (from murder to gov’t corruption)

Placed burden on the criminal justice system b/c so many people are arrested for possessing or selling

-50-75% of people arrested test positive for 1 or more drugs

Trends are difficult to determine

-varies from city to city (cocaine, weed, heroin, meth)

Reports show a particularly close relationship between increased use of crack and increased violence

Drug abuse arrests, prosecutions, and convictions rose during the early ’90s

Possession, distribution, or sale of certain drugs is a crime that may violate federal law, state, law, or both

Now carry harsher penalties for offenders than once did

Those who sell or posses large amounts with the intent to sell face mandatory jail sentences (even for first offenses)

Under federal law and some state laws, those found guilty of being major drug traffickers

Some state laws treat simple possession of small amounts of some drugs as felonies

In addition to federal laws, some states, including LA, allow for forfeiture of property that were used for or acquired with drugs- sale of property profits enforcement agencies

More than 40 states have recidivist laws

-passed primarily in the ‘90s

-require longer sentences for repeat offenders, even for minor offenses

-US Supreme Court ruled in ’03 that the CA Three Strikes law did not violate the 8th Amendment

Controlled Substances Act

Federal Drug LawClassifies drugs into 5 groups, depending

on medical use (if any), potential for abuse, and capability to create physical or psychological addiction

-penalties differ for each grouping

Legalization???

Has been consider by some politicians and American society due to the escalating drug use and related crimes

-point to the failure of the “war on drugs” and argue that as long as they are illegal there will be a market

-belief that the US could better control the sale and use of drugs if the laws changed from prohibition to regulation

Proponents suggest that the US treat drugs as health problem

-they call the US hypocrites to allow the use of tobacco and alcohol, which studies show are harmful to people’s health and cause more deaths than drugs

Others favor legalization of drugs that could be used for medical purposes

-several states have passed ballot initiatives in favor of removing state criminal penalties for marijuana possession b/c of its potential medial use

-the US Supreme Court ruled that federal drug laws do not contain any medical use exception

Opposition to any sort of legalization

-belief that legalization and making them easier to get would lead to greater use, cause more deaths, and increase other problems

-feel that criminal laws deter drug use and thus reducing penalties would portray a message of acceptance

-”the addicting of America: which would endanger American society

Victims of Crime

Crime affects everybody, but victims suffer the most.Anyone can be a victim (the rich, poor, young, old)Annually, 24 million Americans aged 12 and over become victims of crime.

Teenagersmost frequent targets of crime In 2001, people 12-24 were the highest

violent crime victim groupAmong person 12-15, 55 of every 1,000

were victims of violent crimevictimized by violent crimes (rape,

robbery, and assault) at twice the rate of adults and ten times the rate of the elderly

Others

Except for rape and sexual assault, males are more frequently the victims of violent crime

The poor, unemployed, separated or divorced are more likely to become crime victims

In 2000, 49% of all murder victims were African-American, even thought they only make up 12% of the total population

Statistically, minorities are victimized more than whites

African American are three to five times more likely than whites to be murder victims

The small business owner, the retailer, is the one that is often victimized

Aid for the Victim

Most states have assistance programs -provide victims with counseling, medical

care, other services and benefitsMost states have victim compensation

laws -pay medical bills, lost salary, funeral

costs and death benefitsVictim impact statements

Sometimes, the court will order restitutionVictim advocacy groups

-help victims through trauma and protect their rights

-usually deal with specific crimes (rape, spouse and child abuse, drunk driving)

Example: MADD

If you become a victim of crime

2 views on what to do if you think that you are about to become a victim

1. You should not fight back

-if property is involved, give up the property without objection to reduce the risk of injury or death

2. Resist the assailant -be prepared to risk injury -know your limitations -if the assailant has a weapon,

assume that it would be used

General rules to follow in either situation:

-Create an audience (scream, whistle)

-sit down so you can’t be knocked down

-call the police ASAP

*the longer you wait, the more likely the criminal will get away with the crime

Crime Prevention

Report suspicious activity immediately to police Keep door and windows locked (use dead bolts) Beware of high crime areas (dark, deserted

streets, parking lots, garages, bus stops) Use the “buddy system” If nighttime or in high risk area, never alone

Don’t flash money in publicTake steps to prepare your home while

you are on vacation (mail, newspaper, etc.)

If you are a female living alone, use only your first initial in the phone book and mailbox

If you think someone has broken into your home, DO NOT ENTER

Do not answer the door to someone you do not know

How to report a crime

Stay calmCall the police ASAP (always report a crime-

someone else may be their next victim)Tell the police your name, location, and what

happened If someone is hurt, ask dispatch for an

ambulance

If possible, while waiting for the police, write down what the suspect looked like, what type and color of car and direction of travel

Getting Help for Survivors of Crime

Programs to help survivors have been established by all levels of government, as well as, private organizations

Support ranges from counseling and support groups to advocacy initiatives to funds established to lend financial assistance to families of victims

National Center for Victims of Crime

Nongovernmental organization Provides local services, crisis

intervention, and practical info related to navigating through the criminal justice system

Also provides counseling services www.ncvc.org

The Office for Victims of Crime

Federal program that was established by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984

Provides for policy and legislative initiatives, as well as, providing for services to victims and their families

www.ojp.uddoj.gov/ovc