CRIM 101 Lecture : RESEARCHING CRIMINAL EVENTS
20 Oct 2011
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Several approaches: direct observation in natural settings, experimental observations, police reports, victimization surveys, self-report surveys. The ucr and the gss: official crime rates usually based on the uniform crime report (ucr, criminologists also look at the general social survey (gss) Direct observation: not necessarily the most efficient manner to research crime, criminal events occur with relative infrequency, criminals spend a lot of their time doing same things as non-criminals. The secret lives of criminals: criminal behavior tends to be secretive in nature, criminals go out of their way to avoid observation or detection. The dark figure of recording, act ii: wide variations in reporting practices across the country, professionalism and degree of organization of particular police department may be a factor. The crime funnel: describes attrition rate as reported crimes make their way through the justice, for most crimes known to the police nobody gets arrested, arrest usually does not lead to a trial or a guilty plea.
