Intro to Criminal Justice – Flashcards
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3 part integrated definition of crime
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1) offense against society, prosecuted by public officials 2) Punishable under criminal law, as determined by "we the people" 3) Punishable by sanctions that bring about a loss of freedom
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behavior that is considered to go against the norms of society, but is not always considered illegal (ex. tattoos)
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deviance
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Most crime happens at what level?
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state
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a form of government in which a written constitution calls for a division of power between one centralized government and various regional forms of government. (This is why laws can vary between states but can't contradict the federal laws).
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federalism
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3 goals of the criminal justice system
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1) To control crime 2) To prevent/deter crime 3) To provide and maintain justice & public order
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What are the triple C's?
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1) Cops 2) Courts 3) Corrections
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who are the gatekeepers of the criminal justice system?
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cops
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actual steps from an investigating a crime and apprehension of a suspect to the correctional phase. This is the "engine" process of the system.
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Formal
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At every step, someone must use discretion. This is the grease of the system.
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Informal
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model of why not all cases are treated the same
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Wedding Cake Model
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the higher on the wedding cake the more _________(formal or informal) the system
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formal
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model that states the rich and powerful decide what is criminal
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conflict model
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model that states a majority of citizens in a particular society share the same values and beliefs and determine what is criminal
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consensus model
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model that focuses on rights/fairness to the accused, relies heavily on the formal process, courts should determine guilt, compared to an obstacle course
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due process model
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model that believes crime should be punished and repressed quickly and efficiently, compared to an assembly line, police determine guilt, relies on the informal system
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crime control model
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scientific study of why people commit crime & what causes people to commit crime
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criminology
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3 things criminologists study
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1) Theory 2) Methodology 3) Policy
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an account or explanation of some observable phenomenon or event
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theory
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another word for "school of thought" - this is a group of theories that attribute the same causal factors to one or more types of behavior
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paradigm
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A ___________ has been found between age, drug use, and poverty & crime.
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correlation
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crimes is the result of RATIONAL choices using a cost benefit analysis
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Classical School of Criminology/Choice Theories
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man who wrote "Essays on Crime and Punishment", said free will is the sole cause of crime, and crime must be stopped through specific and general deterrence
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Cesare Beccaria
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crime is caused by external factors beyond one's control
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Positivism
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"father of criminology", published findings about physical characteristics determining who is a criminal
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Cesare Lombroso
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weakness in the structure of society causes crime
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social structure theory
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crime is the result of a person's interaction with their environment
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social process theory
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crime occurs the most in communities where social institutions fail to exert control over the population and unfavorable conditions are pervasive
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Social disorganization theory/Concentric Zone theory
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crime is the result of frustration felt by the people who cannot meet their personal and financial goals through legitimate means.
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Strain theory
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term for a lack of social norms, normlessness, mismatch of norms
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Anomie
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crime is the result of conflict between people who are fighting for resources and power...capitalism means that the rich and powerful make the laws
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conflict theory
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society creates criminals by labeling them, this stigma causes the individual to be ostracized by their community, thus increasing the likelihood they will adopt their label
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labeling theory
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people learn criminal behavior. we associate with different groups of people, and therefore anyone along the way can teach us criminal behavior
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learning theory
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the study of the victim, why they were chosen, and their relationship to the offender
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victimology
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to reduce the likelihood of victimization
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target harden
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someone who commits crimes their entire life
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career criminal
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crime committed over a specified period of time (often people age out of crime)
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criminal career
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crime that is inherently and morally wrong in all civilized cultures
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Mala in Se
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human made laws that are not necessarily morally wrong
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Mala Prohibita
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What does UCR stand for?
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Uniform Crime Report
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In the UCR, do type I or type II crimes occur more frequently?
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Type II
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What does NIBRS stand for?
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National Incident-Based Reporting System
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these interviews give the victim a voice
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Victimization surveys
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no one under the age of ____ is counted in victimization surveys
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12
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qualitative reports asking people about their past delinquent/criminal behaviors.
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self-report studies
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the amount of undiscovered or unreported crime
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dark figures of crime
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true or false: bail is a constitutional right
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false
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true or false: no single theory can explain all crime
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true
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the most common out of all crimes
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larceny/theft
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the taking of personal property, money, or other asset by means of force or fear - an element or threat of violence is involved
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robbery
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the unlawful entry of a structure with the intent to commit a crime
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burglary
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known as "victim-less crimes" (ex. public drunkennes, prostitution, gambling, illicit drug use)
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public order crimes
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most common form of correction, person does not have to go to jail
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probation
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criminal may be released on _________ to finish the rest of their sentence in the community
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parole
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a person is incarcerated in a _____ for shorter sentences/less serious crimes
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jail
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a person is incarcerated in a ______ for longer sentences/more serious crimes
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prison
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_____% of all causes are plead out, meaning a person will plead guilty and take the deal
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95
