Discuss 3 main sources for crime data & flaw of each



Measuring Crime & Victimization -- Issues to Consider for Group Discussion:

Barkan Ch. 3 —Crime Measurement & Data

1. Discuss 3 main sources for crime data (what & how data gathered) & flaw of each

1. Uniform Crime Report (UCR) 2. National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) –

3. Self-Report Surveys --Also, What are explanations for crime rate drop in 1990s?

2. Patterns in Criminal Behavior

By Gender, Race / Ethnicity, Class, Age – What are the differences for groups in each category & explanations for those differences, esp. social structural and socialization?

Racial Bias in Criminal Justice system a possible factor?

What effect do Immigrants have on crime rates, and why?

3. What are main explanations for the patterns in the data— i.e., differences by Racial/Ethnic group, Gender, Class, Age?

4. What examples from Los Angeles gangs & neighborhoods do you see of Barkan’s patterns and explanations (Leap, Chs. 5, 8, & 9)?

5. Do examples from Philadelphia (Goffman Ch.3) fit or not with Barkan’s patterns & explanations? How might aggressive warrant enforcement affect police crime data?

Barkan Ch 4 –Crime Victimization

6. Crime Victimization -- How common (rate per year)? Who are most likely victims of crime --race/ethnicity, age, gender, & income/class, & college students?

7. What is Race/Ethnicity, Gender & Age of offenders, according to victims? How does this compare with UCR crime stats from Chapter 3 Barkan? Intra-racial or inter-racial crime more common?

8. What is the Victim-Offender Relationship typically (stranger / non-stranger) for violent crimes? Any gender differences? What is Intimate Violence … Any gender differences?

9. Explanations of Victimization A. Lifestyle & Routine Activities Theory & Victim Responsibility? B. Deviant Lifestyles C. “Hot Spots” – How does Social & Econ. Disadvantage fit?

10. Where does Los Angeles case (Leap Chs. 5, 8, & 9)) fit with Barkan’s patterns in data & explanations or not – e.g., Do the Housing Projects seem like a community, have informal social control & social integration? Who is trying to save kids from gang life and violence? What are successes and failures –esp. for “Big Mike” and Mario?

11. What Individual Traits are associated with victimization?

12. Costs of Victimization – Economic & Medical, Psychological & medical costs

13. Victims & Criminal Justice System – Problems & programs to assist victims? “Second victimization”?

14. How are friends and family members of those with warrants targeted by police? How common is this? What types of persuasion do police use on them, & what is a “rider”? How does this affect relationships between friends and family (Goffman, Ch. 3)? Might this be a type of victimization by CJ system (ala Barkan)?

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download