Social Experience in Criminology

Social Experience and Criminology

• Criminologists, like all individuals, are influenced by their social experiences, which shape their research interests.
• Paradigm: A fundamental model or scheme that guides thinking and research in a particular field.
• Theory: A set of propositions or statements that attempt to explain a phenomenon, going beyond simple observation and opinion.
• Criminology: The scientific study of crime and criminal behavior, examining its causes, patterns, and prevention.
• Criminal Justice: The system of law enforcement, courts, and corrections designed to address crime and protect society.
• Criminologists investigate the nature, causes, extent, and control of crime.
• Subfields include:
  • Sociology of Crime
  • Victimology
  • Criminal Justice
  • Penology
  • Forensic Science
  • Juvenile Delinquency
• Classical School: Emerged in the 18th century, emphasizing free will, rationality, and the social contract.
  • Individuals are responsible for their actions, and punishment should deter crime.
  • Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham prominent classical theorists.
    • Focus on proportionality (punishment should fit the crime).
• Positivism: Emphasizes scientific methods to understand and explain crime.
• Early positivistic explanations focused on biological determinism, attributing criminal behavior to innate characteristics.
• Sociological Criminology: Explores the social and environmental factors that contribute to crime.
• Durkheim's key contributions:
  • Crime is inevitable in a society, serving as a function for social change and reaffirms social norms.
• Chicago School: Focuses on urban social disorganization and its role in generating crime.
• Major Criminological Paradigms:
  • Consensus Paradigm: Presumes general agreement on the social values underpinning the law.
  • Conflict Paradigm: Assumes power differentials and conflicts of interest drive lawmaking and crime.
  • Integrated Paradigm: Combines aspects of both consensus and conflict paradigms, acknowledging the role of social consensus and power dynamics.

Criminological Research

• Quantitative Research: Relies on numerical data and statistical analysis to evaluate crime trends and patterns.
• Qualitative Research: Employs interviews, observations, and case studies to uncover in-depth understanding of criminal behavior and experiences.
• Philadelphia Cohort Study: Long-term study of a group of males, demonstrating the existence of "chronic offenders."
• Ethical Considerations: Researchers must balance scientific inquiry with ethical considerations to protect participants' rights and privacy.
• Data Sources:
  • Official crime statistics: FBI's Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) and National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
  • Self-report surveys: Questionnaires asking individuals about their criminal behavior.
  • Qualitative data: Ethnographic studies, interviews, and observations.

Offenders and Victims

• Offenders:
  • Age: Young people more likely to commit crimes.
  • Gender: Men have significantly higher crime rates than women.
  • Race: Disproportionate representation of racial/ethnic minorities in the criminal justice system.
• Victims:
  • Gender: Women are more likely to be victimized by intimate partners.
  • Race: Blacks are more likely to be victimized than whites.
  • Class: Individuals with lower socioeconomic status may be more vulnerable to certain types of crime.
• The "aging out" or "desistance" phenomenon: Decline in crime rates with age, particularly for property offenses.
• Theories explaining gender disparities in crime:
  • Masculinity hypothesis: Social expectations of masculinity contribute to crime.
  • Chivalry hypothesis: Female offenders may be treated more leniently by the justice system (less likely to be arrested).
  • Socialization: Gender roles and expectations influence behavior patterns.
  • Liberal feminist perspective: emphasizes the impact of social and economic inequality on female crime.

Victimization

• Hans von Hentig: Pioneering victim researcher, emphasized the victim's role in the crime.
• Conservative and liberal perspectives:
  • Conservatives: Focus on the need for tougher crime control.
  • Liberals: Focus on social programs and victim support services.
• Financial costs of victimization:
  • Tangible direct losses: Property damage, medical expenses.
  • Indirect costs: Lost productivity, psychological trauma.
• Cycle of violence: One victimization may lead to another, contributing to a pattern of violence in a person's life.
• Theories of victimization:
  • Lifestyle theory: The likelihood of victimization is influenced by lifestyle and routine activities.
  • Routine activities theory: Crime is more likely when a motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of capable guardians coincide.
  • Victim precipitation: The victim's actions may contribute to the crime.
    • Active precipitation: Victim initiates or provokes an attack.
    • Passive precipitation: Victim is unintentionally or unknowingly vulnerable (e.g., wearing expensive jewelry).
• Factors increasing chronic victimization:
  • Prior victimization: Previous victims more likely to be victimized again.
  • Lifestyles: Certain risky behaviors increase the likelihood of victimization.
  • Neighborhood characteristics: High-crime neighborhoods have higher victimization rates.
• Expressive crimes: Motivated by emotions, venting frustration or rage.
• Instrumental crimes: Motivated by a specific goal (e.g., robbery, theft).