In the United States both the rate of committed crimes, as well as the rate of incarcerated individuals is high; and only rising. Within the media, we see reports that the population is becoming more violent; the idea girls are becoming more violent is also a prevalent issue. Many of these reports are being created with information from the three main sources of crime data. These include the Uniformed Crime Data (UCR), the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) and the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). All of these sources provide different types of information on crime. It is important to understand how, as well as who is gathering data; so we are able to interpret data accurately. To put these sources into practice, we looked at an episode of Law and Order. In doing so, it became apparent that not one source accurately depicted the episode. Therefore, it’s difficult for a decrease in crime to happen within the United States without an accurate source of crime data.
The main source of crime data in the United States is contained within the Uniformed Crime Data Report (UCR). This report is collected on the field when any type of arrest is made. The data is then sent to the FBI for publication. The UCR only focuses on specific crimes, called Part One and Part Two offences. Part 1 offences, include aggravated assault, murder, rape, robbery, arson, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Because of this focus, when a report is created by the uniformed officer, only the most serious crime is reported, leaving out all other forms of crime which may have occurred. Another problem within the collection of data for the UCR is that only crimes that are actually known to the police are included. Stacy Mallicoat...
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...ne all the crimes which occurred would be documented. The best source for an accurate picture of the episode would be a NCVS survey. Within the survey, the victimization Amanda endured by her sister would be apparent. These crimes would include forgery as well as burglary. Also, a survey asking Kim the same questions would uncover the victimization she faced from her abusive boyfriend. The murder which occurred within the episode would be the only crime not reported.
In conclusion, while the NCVS survey most accurately depicts the victimization Amanda faced, it doesn’t give us a clear picture of everything. The UCR and the NIBRS are a great source for reported crime. As Mallicoat (2012) states “Each source of data has both strengths and weaknesses. Together they can provide a great wealth of information that is invaluable in understanding gender and crime” (p. 4)
The UCR is the Uniformed Crime Rate is a record of crime reported to law enforcement agencies, only crimes that are reported to law agencies are included.
The UCR is a cooperative effort for nation-wide law enforcement agencies to report on national crime statistics. According to the FBI's "Summary of the Uniform Crime Reporting Program," every month, "18,000 city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies voluntarily report data on crimes brought to their attention" (as cited in "Uniform Crime Reports"). The UCR first began in the 1920s and 30s. By 1930, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) was made responsible for compiling the data, though the FBI does not and has never collected the crime statistic data itself. The UCR divides crimes into two major categories called Part I offenses and Part II offenses. Part I reports data on "violent and property crimes" ("Uniform Crime Reports"). The list of crimes included under the violent crime classification is "aggravated assault, forcible rape, and robbery" ("Uniform Crime Reports"). The list of crimes classified under property crimes
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is information that is gathered by the U.S Census Bureau. Unlike UCR this information is not given by law enforcement officials, but by a household survey that is conducted about twice a year. When the survey is being commenced they place the crimes into two different categories; person crimes and property crimes. NCVS has four objectives when obtaining information; “(1) to develop detailed information about the victims and consequences of crime, (2) to estimate the number and types of crimes not reported to the police, (3) to provide uniform measures of selected typed of crimes, and (4) to permit comparisons over time and types of areas.” (NACJD)
UCR takes note of all crimes in the Criminal Code annually recorded by the ‘dark figure’ of policing, whereas GSS on Victimization only sources eight types of offences self-reported via phone interviews quinquennial for the past year. The loose ends of both surveys tie together to provide an accurate overall trend of crime rates in Canada. UCR and GSS on Victimization are equally important to the study of crime. They are able to compare crime rates by geographical regions, crime severity, and characteristics of victimization. Criminologists require this information obtained from the surveys to study the causes, effects, and social impact of crime and victimization, in order to determine how to predict, deter, and prohibit criminal activity. They provide a more robust measure of the extent and impact of criminal activity in Canadian society. Together they provide an accurate measurement of crime through police reports and self-reporting of broad social surveys, rather than alone since both are lacking in their own ways. As a difference in timing is a key characteristic in the differences in the polls. UCR is annually conducted, whereas GSS on Victimization is processed every five years for the forgoing 12
...ported to law enforcement, and also summarize the reasons victims give for not reporting a crime. The NCVS includes data of national incidents of rape, sexual assaults, robbery, assault, burglary, personal and household larceny, and motor vehicle thefts. The NCVS will not include data from crimes such as murders, kidnapping, and victimless crimes. In 1977 the NCVS dropped data that contained information from commercial robberies, and burglaries of businesses. Through this survey it will show the crimes that were completed or attempted but the survey only includes data for household members who are twelve years or older.
Travis, J., & Waul, M. (2002). Reflections on the crime decline: Lessons for the future. Proceedings from the Urban Institute Crime Decline Forum (pp. 1-38). Washington, D. C.: Urban Institute Justice Policy Center.
The UCR (Uniform Crime Report) measures the accompanying offenses: assault, murder, theft, strike, robbery, incendiarism, engine vehicle burglary, and robbery, while the NCVS measures only assault, theft, attack, thievery, engine vehicle burglary and robbery. It implies that the NCVS project bars such law violations as homicide and arson. The NCVS is a household overview, and the UCR depends upon intentional accommodation of information from each law authorization office the nation over.
Media portrayal of crime and criminal justice has become incredibly widespread in the last decade, with crime often considered both a source of news and entertainment. As a source of entertainment, crime and criminal justice have emerged as central themes across various sources of media. Most individuals do not have any direct experience with the criminal justice system, so their only source of information on this topic is the media. Particularly in television shows, portrayals of crime and criminal justice can be seen in everything from courtroom dramas to nightly news programs. Indeed, the popularity of crime shows has lead to some of television’s most enduring series, such as Law and Order and CSI. Because of this, fictional
In recent years, there has been a considerable amount of research conducted in order to better understand and profile both male and female serial killers. With this new research in the law enforcement system, more information about female serial killers and how they tend to differ from their male counterparts is more accessible. The differences between male and female serial killers vary in many different areas such as victim damage, victim torture, weapon/method, stalking versus luring behavior, crime scene organization, reasons for murders, substance abuse history, psychiatric diagnosis, and household composition (Keeney and Heide, 1994). These differences, along with information describing the social background of the perpetrator provide researchers and individuals in the law enforcement system with substantial signs that can be used to pre...
The Uniform Crime Report, which was developed in the 1930s, is commonly used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a record of crimes committed all across the United States. These crimes, which fall under two categories, Part I and Part II offenses, are reported by local police to the Federal Bureau of Investigation each year. Part I offenses are considered to be the more serious of crimes recognized by society. Such examples of this are homicide, forcible rape, robbery, arson, motor vehicle theft, etc. Part II offenses are those that are considered less serious, such as fraud, simple assault, drug abuse, gambling, stolen property, embezzlement, etc. Part I crimes can also be subdivided into what are known as violent crimes and property crimes. (Barkan, 2012). However, there are both some positive and negative aspects of this type of crime measurement. The following paper will explore the small amount of pros and numerous cons associated with the Uniform Crime Report.
One might turn on any evening news broadcast these days and be bombarded with images of war, violence and stories of unsuspecting citizens victimized in their own communities. Is crime on the increase or is it just media hype? There are countless television shows with plots dedicated to the depiction of criminal activities fouled by law enforcement agencies with the helping hand of the law. Newspaper headlines scream out daily in bold print and action photos of the latest tragedies. Should the public be fearful of what the television conveys to us, be cautious of whatever new crime wave is presented on the media? These questions may lead one to wonder if the depiction of crime in the mass media affects the public’s perception of safety and danger in society.
For decades now, including the years 1994 and 1995, the time of the O.J. Simpson murder trial, American law enforcement has used two major data sources to measure crime. First, there is the Uniform Crime Report or UCR. The UCR is compiled data from reported crimes, it is a very accurate system used for murder and those crimes that cannot go unnoticed. Next, we have The National Crime Victim Survey or NCVS which is a unanimous survey, better at accounting for the crimes that may not get reported, crimes such as rape or assault.
The “FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program is comprised of 4 offenses, murder and no negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault”(FBI, 2015). This includes any and all crime that involve force or threat of force. Theories are suggested to help us better understand the reasons behind violent crime. ADD theory. A normative conflict between subcultures has been traditionally considered a major cause of high crime rates in an area, (Blau & Blau 1982:p116) in addition to the labeling theory being used as a way to analyze the influence of social reaction to deviance. Though labeling theory does subject some groups to being treated equal. However, our law enforcement already does not treat all genders and races
The U.S. Department of Labor (2011) reported the national average of unemployment for 2008 was 5.8 percent. The rate dramatically increased in 2009 with an average of 9.3 percent and 9.6 percent for 2010. While unemployment rates have increased, the FBI’s preliminary reports for 2010 show that law enforcement agencies across the U.S. have reported a decrease of 6.2 percent in the number of violent crimes for the first 6 months of 2010 when compared to figures reported for the same time in 2009. The violent crime category includes rape, murder, robbery, and aggravated result. The number of property crimes also decreased 2.8 percent when compared to the same time last year. Property crimes include burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Arson decreased 14.6 percent when compared to the same time periods of 2009 (FBI, 2011).
It is the most visible component of crime that exists. When street crime takes place, men are at higher risk of violent street crime than women are. Numerous of people fear to walk the street, particularly at night due to what we conceive as ‘stranger danger’. Public areas bring us into contact with people that we do not know personally or have no relationship with. According to national police crime statistics, they discovered that roughly two-thirds of murders, burglaries and sexual assaults occur in residential locations. In addition, assault was recorded by the Victorian police crime statistics for 2013/14 to be the highest crime committed in the street at a total of 46,912 cases. During 2011/12 approximately 19% of women were assaulted at their work or place of study and 8% were assaulted on the streets. On top of that, 32% of women at their place of study or work were threatened with assault. However, without crime being reported is it difficult to distinguish between which is more dangerous, the streets or one’s own home. Victims and the public have showed neither increase nor decrease in reporting when crime occurred during the last decade. This has become a problem for the police due to that their data on crimes derives from reporting incidents of