Running head: CHAPTER THREE 1

Defining and Measuring Crazy Juveniles

Frank Anthony Rodriguez

North Carolina Central University

CRJU 4650-01

Dr. Frank Rodriguez

January 29, 2016

CHAPTER TWO 2

One of the major aspects of studying crime and delinquent behavior is that there have to

be statistics and definitions so that researchers can determine if there is a specific relationship

between two variables. For example, do the statistics tell us that there is a higher concentration of

crime in urban areas? In addition, what are the violent crime (murder, rape, etc) statistics of

urban areas? All of these relationships can be found by analyzing crime data from numerous

governmental sources.

Regarding delinquency, there are two separate distinctions: the legal definition and the

behavioral definition. The legal definition refers to any juvenile that has directly come into

contact with the juvenile justice system and has been adjudicated by the courts (Cox, Allen,

Hanser, & Conrad, 2014, p. 19). The behavioral definition refers to any juvenile who behaves in

a way that constitutes illegal activity, but they have not been formally adjudicated by the courts

(Cox et al., 2014, p. 19). For example, if 16 year old Jerry often loiters outside the corner

supermarket and smokes, he would fall under the behavioral definition of a delinquent. If Jerry is

then busted for stealing and adjudicated as a delinquent for larceny, then Jerry would now fall

under the legal definition of delinquency.

There are three official measures of crime statistics: the Uniform Crime Report (UCR),

the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), and the National Crime Victimization

Survey (NCVS). The UCR is compiled by the FBI from official data from law enforcement

agencies across the country. In addition, the UCR is divided into two categories: Part I offenses

(serious offenses such as murder, rape, or kidnapping), and Part II offenses (usually

misdemeanors) (Taylor & Fritsch, 2011, p. 55). Part I offenses can also be further classified into

two separate indexes: the Violent Crime Index (murder, rape, or aggravated assault) and the

Property Crime Index (arson, burglary, and grand theft auto) (Taylor & Fritsh, 2011, p. 55-56).
CHAPTER TWO 3

One of the major limitations of the UCR is that the crimes reported are based on a hierarchy

rule: only the most serious crime is reported (Taylor & Fritsh, 2011, p. 61). For instance, if

someone is arrested for possession of stolen goods, and when the police search their vehicle, they

stumble upon a person in the trunk (a kidnapping), the UCR would only have data on the

kidnapping.

The NIBRS was developed in 1987 in order to supplement the information collected in

the UCR. Unlike the UCR, which only reported those crimes that were "cleared" (lead to an

arrest), the NIBRS reported all crimes that were reported to the police, regardless if it lead to an

arrest (Cox et al., 2014, p. 27). Even with the UCR and the NIBRS reporting the bulk of crime

that police officers come into contact with, there are still some crimes that are not reported.

Nevertheless, these crimes still occur and should be recorded.

The NCVS is an official crime statistic in which data is collected from roughly 49,000

households about their personal experiences with crime. By reporting these crimes with the

NCVS, the police gain a better understanding about the dark figure of crime: crime that occurs

but is not reported (Taylor & Fritsch, 2011, p. 63). Even though the NCVS has its perks, it also

has its drawbacks. Victims of certain crimes, such as rape, may still not report the crime. In rape

cases, women may not report their assault due to fear that the rapist may come back and repeat

the rape. In addition, victims of domestic violence may not report their assault because their

partner has control over them and has either instructed them not to, or they may fear for their

own safety or the safety of their children.

CHAPTER TWO 4

References

Cox, S.M; Allen, J.M; Hanser, R.D. & Conrad, J.J. (2014). Juvenile justice: A guide to theory,

policy, and practice. 8th ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Taylor, R.W. & Fritsh, E.J. (2011). Juvenile justice: Policies, programs, and practices. 3rd ed.

New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.