Introduction to Criminology and Deviance

The number of crimes that go unreported or undetected.

A method for combining data from multiple sources to get a more accurate picture of crime. This involves using official statistics, victim surveys, and offender surveys to capture a comprehensive view of criminal activity.

This perspective assumes that most people agree on what is right and wrong, and that laws reflect this shared consensus.

This perspective emphasizes how social power influences the creation and enforcement of laws. It posits that the powerful groups in society use their influence to control the legal system and benefit themselves.

This refers to the system used by the FBI to collect crime data, replacing the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) in 2021. NIBRS captures more detailed information about each crime and does not employ the hierarchy rule.

The study of how laws are made and broken, considering the context and influences surrounding criminal behavior.

A subset of criminology, encompassing the institutions and processes involved in responding to crime. This includes law enforcement, courts, and corrections.

Any behavior that deviates from accepted norms or expectations within a society. Deviance can vary across time, place, and circumstance.

Actions that violate formally established rules and are punished by the state.

Acts considered inherently wrong, regardless of time, place, or cultural context. These crimes are often punished more harshly and have more stable laws.

Acts that are wrong because they are prohibited by society, often connected to public order issues. They are not inherently wrong, but are considered bad because of societal rules.

A standardized measure of crime reported to the police, categorized into violent and property offenses.

A survey used to measure victimization by asking people about their experiences with crime, providing a more comprehensive picture than UCR data.

The practice of concealing the origin of illegally obtained money to make it appear legitimate.

A broad term encompassing trade in illegal goods or services, including trafficking in drugs, weapons, and human beings.

The act of moving people across borders illegally for exploitation, usually for labor, sex, or domestic servitude.

The illegal trade of drugs, including their cultivation, production, distribution, and sale.

The cost of global organized crime is significant, with estimates ranging from billions to trillions of dollars annually. The impact includes financial losses, social disruption, and human suffering.

A criminal organization structured around a network of individuals, known as patrons and clients, who engage in criminal ventures for mutual benefit. It is characterized by fluidity, shifting relationships, and localized operations.

A type of criminal organization characterized by strong-arm tactics, extortion, and loan sharking. They operate in a hierarchical structure with limited division of labor and a focus on maintaining power through intimidation.

A theory explaining the emergence of organized crime that emphasizes the frustration experienced by individuals who are unable to achieve the American Dream through legitimate means. This leads to the formation of groups that engage in deviant behaviors as a means to achieve success.

A theory that explains how individuals engage in criminal behavior through interactions with others. It states that through these interactions, individuals learn definitions favorable to crime, techniques, and opportunities, leading to their involvement in organized crime.

Global organized crime tends to thrive in political regimes characterized by corruption, weak law enforcement, and instability. These conditions provide favorable environments for criminal networks to operate with impunity.

The concept that organized crime arises from a gap between societal goals (like wealth) and legitimate means to achieve them. This gap creates opportunities for criminal activities.

The Volstead Act was a law passed in 1919 to prohibit the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of alcohol. However, it unexpectedly led to a boom in organized crime, as groups began illegally producing and selling alcohol, becoming more violent and strategically organized.

Organized crime often involves a group's dominance over a specific market, using threats and violence to control competition and ensure their profits, such as selling illegal drugs or gambling.

A hierarchical structure in organized crime refers to a clear chain of command, with leaders, subordinates, and specific roles, like enforcers, money launderers, etc. This ensures control and coordination within the group.

The use or threat of violence is a key tool in organized crime. It's used to enforce rules, punish rivals, or secure their position.

Bribery, intimidation, or other actions to influence officials to turn a blind eye to their criminal activities, ensuring immunity from legal consequences.

The idea that organized crime exists on a spectrum, ranging from less structured and loosely organized groups like street gangs to highly organized and centralized syndicates like the Mafia.

The 'La Cosa Nostra' model proposes that the Italian Mafia is the most powerful and centralized criminal network in the US, with a rigid structure and nationwide reach. However, more modern theories suggest a more diverse and fragmented landscape of organized crime.

A theory that suggests that visible signs of crime and disorder, like graffiti or broken windows, can lead to more serious crime.

A type of crime that involves illegal acts aimed at maintaining order or controlling public behavior. Examples include prostitution, public intoxication, and loitering.

The practice of removing people with mental illness from institutions and placing them in the community, potentially without adequate support systems.

A law that aims to combat organized crime by targeting the criminal enterprise as a whole, including its leaders, members, and assets.

A high-profile type of prostitution where individuals are very selective about their clients and charge high fees.

Prostitution disguised as a legitimate business, often offering massages or spa services.

Street workers or hookers, who operate on public streets and are generally the lowest-paid and most vulnerable type of prostitute.