Social Problems, 13eD. Stanley Eitzen

Maxine Baca Zinn

Kelly Eitzen Smith

Chapter 12Crime and Justice

Crime and Justice

CH

AP

TE

R 1

2

Learning Objectives

12.1 Explain the complicated nature of the

definition of crime and how crime rates vary

by sex, age, social class, and race.

12.2 Explain how the United States system of

justice is biased against certain groups in

society.

12.3 Discuss potential solutions to reduce crime in

the U.S.

12.1 - Crime in Society

• What Is crime?

• Crime Rates

• Demographic Characteristics of People Arrested for Crimes

• Categories of Crime

LO 12.1 - What Is Crime?

• Breaking the law

• Crime is defined by the powerful

– Definitions vary

LO 12.1 - Crime Rates

• Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

• National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

• Violent and property crimes

• Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter

LO 12.1

LO 12.1 - Demographic Characteristics of

People Arrested for Crime

• Sex

• Age

• Social class

• Race

Forty-eight states allow

the shackling of female

inmates while they are

giving birth.

LO 12.1

LO 12.1

LO 12.1 - Categories of Crime

• Traditional Street Crimes

• Crimes Against the Moral Order

• Organized Crime

• White-Collar Crime

• Corporate Crime

• Political Crime

Movies like The Godfather contribute to stereotypes

regarding Italians and organized crime.

LO 12.1

Wall Street financier

Bernard Madoff

conned investors

out of approximately

$65 billion.

LO 12.1

LO 12.1

Based on arrest statistics, who, among the

following, is most likely to be arrested for

committing a crime?

A. middle-aged white female

B. mid-level corporate executive

C. young Hispanic male

D. member of an organized crime

syndicate

LO 12.1

Based on arrest statistics, who, among the

following, is most likely to be arrested for

committing a crime?

A. middle-aged white female

B. mid-level corporate executive

C. young Hispanic male

D. member of an organized crime

syndicate

LO 12.1

The magnitude of corporate crimes far

surpasses the human and economic costs

from other types of crime.

A. True

B. False

LO 12.1

The magnitude of corporate crimes far

surpasses the human and economic costs

from other types of crime.

A. True

B. False

12.2 - Unjust System of Justice

• Laws

• Police

• Judicial Process

• U.S. Correctional System

LO 12.2 - Laws

• Discriminatory versus non-discriminatory

laws

– To make laws, you need power

LO 12.2 - Police

• Law enforcement starts with the police

• Police have great discretionary power

– Distinct way of observing the world

– Promotion of a particular worldview

– Socially isolated

Protestors march in New York City against racial profiling and

the New York Police Department's “Stop and Frisk” policy.

LO 12.2

LO 12.2 - Judicial Process

• Magistrate and the Setting of Bail

• Plea Bargaining

• Adversary System

• Trial by Jury

• Judicial Sentencing

Individuals from poor minority groups are typically not

judged by a jury of their own peers.

LO 12.2

LO 12.2 - U.S. Correctional System

• 7.1 million people in 2010

– Incarcerated, probation, parole

– 1 in 33 adults

• Why are so many people imprisoned?

• Prison-industrial complex

• Recidivism rate

LO 12.2

LO 12.2 - Explorer Activity: The Justice

System: Funding the Justice System

http://www.socialexplorer.com/pearson/plink.

aspx?dest=http%3a%2f%2fwww.socialexp

lorer.com%2fSpiceMap%2f%3fv%3d0f284

7d409244e22

Please log into MySocLab with your

username and password before accessing

this link.

LO 12.2

The __________ of the police and courts

leads to inequality in the U.S. system of

justice.

A. discretionary power

B. communication channels

C. resource allocation

D. administrative backlog

LO 12.2

The __________ of the police and courts

leads to inequality in the U.S. system of

justice.

A. discretionary power

B. communication channels

C. resource allocations

D. administrative backlog

LO 12.2

The United States has the highest

incarceration rate in the world.

A. True

B. False

LO 12.2

The United States has the highest

incarceration rate in the world.

A. True

B. False

12.3 - Stopping the Cradle to Prison

Pipeline• The pipeline is linked to racial inequality,

poverty, and education.

• High school dropouts are more likely to end up

incarcerated.

• The U.S. must invest in prevention, rather than

spending a disproportionate amount on

corrections and punishment.

LO 12.3 - Video: ABC Primetime:

Juvenile Corrections

http://abavtooldev.pearsoncmg.com/sbx_vid

eoplayer_v2/simpleviewer.php?projectID=M

SocL_ABC2008&clipID=Juvenile-

Corrections.flv&ui=2

LO 12.3

The United States must invest in

__________ rather than spend billions on

the imprisonment.

A. the prison-industrial complex

B. increasing recidivism

C. the prevention of crime

D. determinant sentencing

LO 12.3

The United States must invest in

__________ rather than spend billions on

the imprisonment.

A. the prison-industrial complex

B. increasing recidivism

C. the prevention of crime

D. determinant sentencing

LO 12.3

Almost 90 percent of inmates on death row

do not have a high school diploma.

A. True

B. False

LO 12.3

Almost 90 percent of inmates on death row

do not have a high school diploma.

A. True

B. False

LO 12.3

Question for Discussion

Discuss the relationship between the war on

drugs and the incarceration rates.