SPEA-J - Public And Environmental Affairs SPEA-J 202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Motor Vehicle Theft, Uniform Crime Reports, Arson
25 Aug 2016
School
Professor
Document Summary
Researchers must decide on offenses, units of analysis, and purpose before specifying measures of crime. Crime cannot occur w/o an offender, therefore, an offender is a possible unit of analysis. Crime also requires a victim, a 2nd possible uoa. Measuring crime has @ least 1 of 3 general purposes: monitoring, agency accountability, Monitoring is much like how we measure consumer prices, stock market activity, birthrates, and population. We measure a variety of social, economic, demographic, & public health indicators to keep track of social & economic conditions. Agency accountability: gov. agencies are obliged to keep records that document their actions & areas of responsibility. Fbi compiles figures based on data submitted by individual states or local law enforcement agencies. Doesn"t count all crimes reported to police. Part 1 offenses are counted if they are reported and recorded by police. Includes criminal homicide, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson.
