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 13th 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 1930s
 Crime, cont.
d. After WWII
- upward trend
- continued into 1980s
- but less than 19th 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?