OFFENDING

OFFENDING

1. Crime is the breach of a rule or law which a punishment is given by enforcement agencies such as the courts.

   • Defining Crime
     • PROBLEMS
       • Historical Context
         • Definitions of crime are time bound/era dependent. What is defined as crime now may not have been in the past.
       • Culture
         • Definitions of crime are culturally specific. What is a crime in one country may not be in another.
       • Age
         • Age is important in determining whether someone is a criminal or not because at a young age, they do not understand what they're doing is wrong.
       • Specific Cirmumstances
         • Often, mitigating circumstances are taken into account as what happens at the scene of the crime is important in deciding whether someone is a criminal.
   • Measuring Crime
     • Official Statitstics
       • The official crime rate is based on formal government statistics of crimes that are REPORTED to the police and RECORDED in the official figures. Typically, these are used to inform government policy, crime reduction\prevention initiatives, policing etc.
         • HOLLIN 1992: official statistics are UNRELIABLE and account for only about 25% of actual crime.
         • Criminologist refer to the DARK FIGURE OF CRIME which included all the offences that go UNREPORTED OR UNRECORDED by the police.
           • REASONS WHY CRIMES ARE NOT REPORTED
             • People don't think the crimes are important enough
             • Often, people don't think the police can do anything.
           • REASONS WHY CRIME ARE NOT RECORDED
             • There is often a lot of paperwork.
             • Police often see crimes as too trivial.
         • FARRINGTON AND DOWDS 1985
           • AIM: To investigate the apparent difference in crime figures between counties in the UK.
     • Victim Surveys
       • Involve asking people whether they have been a victim of crime over a specified period of time