Violence and Crime in Canada PDF

**[Introduction ]** A teenage mother smothers her newborn child in an attempt to conceal the birth. A young male gang member is shot by a rival gang member in front of a neighbourhood community centre. A husband stabs his wife to death after she tells him she is leaving him because of a his...

**[Introduction ]** A teenage mother smothers her newborn child in an attempt to conceal the birth. A young male gang member is shot by a rival gang member in front of a neighbourhood community centre. A husband stabs his wife to death after she tells him she is leaving him because of a history of physical violence in the relationship. A gay man is attacked by two straight young men in a "gay-bashing" incident. A man is hit with a broken beer bottle in a bar fight with another person. **[Interpersonal Violence ]** Incidents described are examples of various forms of interpersonal violence Violence most commonly inflicted by one individual against another or by small group of individuals against another Question most people ask after hearing of these crimes is why? Typically no easy answer because human behaviour is complicated No single answer explains why people do what they do Evidence suggests no single factor causes violence Result of multiple factors that converge to play important and interactive roles **[Nature and Extent of Violent Crime ]** People are afraid of becoming crime victims, likelihood extremely low Media articles feature grisly accounts of mass murder, school shootings, terrorist bombings, child abuse, serial rape Police-reported crime rate in 2016 remained unchanged, 28% lower than pervious decade Most violent crimes decreased but increases reported in aggravated sexual assault (+6 percent), kidnapping (+4 percent), sexual violence against children (+ 30 percent) Overall likelihood of violent crime, according to official statistics, was 1,052 per 100,000 or a mere 1% Many people have personally experienced violence or have a friend that has been victimized 1/5 of Canadians aged 15+ reported being a victim of offences measured by 2014 GSS Only 1/3 of these incidents reported to police Riots and violent protests recently made headlines, hate crime is a common phrase, assassinations claimed the lives or political/religious leaders, terrorism has become household word Our perceptions and experiences influenced by what we read, see, and hear in media **[The Roots of Violence ]** What causes people to behave violently? Numerous competing explanations attempt to make sense of public incidents of violent behaviour Bizarre outbursts of mass violence exacerbate our worst fears Fear distorts the reality of living in modern society But fear, and the reality it is based on, is a relative thing Canada's homicide rate was 1.8 per 100,000 in 2007; England and Wales was 1.6; France was 1.6; Germany was 1.0 Homicide rate in El Salvador was 55 per 100,000; South Africa was 41, Russia was 17, U.S. was 5.7 **[Sources of Violence ]** Some known sources of violence: Personality Traits Ineffective Families - **Brutalization Process**- the first stage in a violent career, during which parents victimize children causing them to develop a belligerent angry demeanour Evolutionary Factors/Human Instincts - **Eros**- According to Freud this life instinct drives people to self-fulfillment and enjoyment - **Thanatos**- According to Freud, this death instinct drives people to violence and destruction. Cultural Values Regional Values Substance Abuse - **Psychopharmacological**- The effect of a mood-altering substance such as alcohol, PCP, or amphetamines, which can produce a violent change in behaviour. Firearm Availability **[Violent Crimes ]** Sexual Assault Homicide Assault Robbery **[Sexual Assault]** Last few years seen surge of interest in topic of sexual assault \#MeToo movement in social media has topicalized problem Sexual assault almost by definition a crime of (masculine) power Early civilization, rape was common; men staked a claim of ownership of women by forcibly abducting and raping them In Babylonian and Hebraic law, rape of virgin punishable by death Middle ages, ambitious men commonly abducted and raped wealthy women to force them into marriage Criminologists consider rape to be violent, coercive act of aggression **[Sexual Assault and the Military ]** In 1998, allegations surfaced of sexual assault in Canadian military Accounts of women going to their superiors only to have complaints discounted, told nothing could be done, or blamed for incident Rape is associated with warfare, as conquering armies considered women one of the spoils of war Among ancient Greeks, rape was socially acceptable and well within rules of warfare Practice has continued to more recent conflicts: systematic rape of Bosnian women by Serbian army officers during civil war; in Haiti rape of political involved women became common in wake of 1991 military coup; in Darfur thousands of women and girls have been raped since 2003 when armed conflict began **[Incidence of Sexual Assault]** In 2016, about 21,000 sexual assaults occurred in Canada Slight decrease from previous year; 15% lower than a decade earlier Rate 58 per 100,000, majority were level 1 sexual assaults (e.g. unwanted touching) Level of sexual assault with weapon declined but level of aggravated sexual assault increased 6% Statistics represent an overall general downward trend over the years Sexual assault has a very low report rate Lower clearance rate than crimes of violence in general Rate for sexual assault for Indigenous women even higher Typical victim was 15-24, single, and a student Assailant usually acquaintance, attack happened in private Population density influences sexual assault rate: metropolitan areas have a rate significantly higher than rural areas Urban areas experienced higher drop in rape reports than rural areas Rape is also a warm weather crime usually occurring during July-Aug Males are victims of sexual assault too but not nearly as much as women **[Types of Rapists ]** Some rapes are planned, others are spontaneous Some focus on particular victim, while others occur during commission of other crimes (e.g. burglary) Some rapists are one-time offenders, others engage in serial assaults Some attack victims without warning ("blitz" attack), while others try to "capture" their victims by starting a conversation and offering a ride Others use personal relationship to gain access to their target One attempt to classify personality of rapists was made by Groth who argues every rape encounter contains three elements: anger, power, and sexuality Anger rape: occurs when sexuality becomes a means of expressing and discharging rage; more brutality used than if objective was to have sex with victim (40% of rapists) Power rape: involves attacker who does not want to harm victim but to possess her sexually; only uses necessary amount of force to achieve objective which is to dominate women (55% of rapists) Sadistic rape: involves sexuality and aggression, bound up in ritualistic torture; victims usually related to personal characteristic that attacker wants to harm or destroy (5% of rapists) **[Types of Rapes ]** Criminologists have divided rapes into two categories: Stranger rapes (involves two people that have never met) **date rape**- A form of sexual assault that occurs between acquaintances; of all sexual assaults, it has the lowest level of reporting. **marital exemption**- The practice in some jurisdictions of prohibiting the prosecution of husbands for the rape of their wives. Acquaintance rapes (someone known to victim like a family member) Difficult to estimate the ratio of each type of rape, official police statistics show 90% of sexual assaults involve strangers GSS reported percentage of stranger sexual assaults at 37% and acquaintance assaults at 51% Shows people more likely to report to police if attacker is stranger **[The Cause of Rape ]** Few grouped into few categories: Evolutionary/Biological Factors Male Socialization Psychological Views Sexual Motivation **[Rape and the Law ]** Women reluctant to report because of how rape victims treated by CJS Laws made rape so difficult to prove women believed chances of attacker being convicted insufficient to warrant reporting Police and courts more sensitive, now more willing to investigate "acquaintance" rapes Proving rape involves establishing act was forced and voluntary compliance did not exist (e.g. consent) Efforts to reform the law include developing shield laws to protect women from being questioned about sexual/psychiatric history **[Homicide]** Different degrees of homicide, each requires different levels of proof While homicide covered prominently in media coverage, it is rare Degrees of Homicide: Murder defined in common law as "the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought" **First degree murder**: occurs when a person kills after deliberation **Premeditation**: means killing was considered beforehand, more than act of impulse **Second-degree murder:** requires actor to have malice but not premeditation **Manslaughter**: an unlawful homicide without malice; refers to killing that occurs when a person's acts negligently or recklessly **[The Nature and Extent of Homicide]** Homicide relatively rare in Canada representing 0.2% of violent crime Rate varies slightly year by year but overall lowest rate since 1966 Homicide is gendered with most offenders & victims males over 18 Tends to be an intraracial crime (committed by people against members of their own ethnic group) Most homicides involve single victim Violent crimes have high clearance rate with about ¾ solved by police Most people killed by acquaintances, few people killed by stranger Most are killed during a conflict, not during course of another crime **[Murderous Relations ]** Homicides involving strangers, stemming from a crime (e.g. drug deal) Homicides involving acquaintances typically result from disputes ** Spousal relations** women more likely to be killed by partners than men men kill their spouses b/c fear losing control and power research indicates women kill their mates after suffering repeated violent attacks ** Women who kill** data shows killing of children represents small proportion of homicides in Canada represents largest proportion of killing done by women infanticide usually committed by very young woman, vast majority of accused are single many of these women have a mental illness **Children who kill** rate of homicide committed by youth rises as they approach 18 years of age half of all homicides committed by youths involve more than one offender weapons often involved; targets tend to be friends and acquaintances **Stranger relations** likelihood of stranger-homicide fairly low, most occur during commission of other crimes (e.g. robbery) very few homicides are random seniors are likely to be victims of theft-based homicide by strangers RAT suggests seniors are least likely to be victimized by homicide **[Honour Killings ]** Especially serious form of "murderous relation" where women are killed in the name of honour Involve violence against women and girls by family member/relative Attacks provoked by belief/perception that an individual's or family's honour has been threatened by actual/perceived misconduct of female More than 1,000 people are victims of honour killings in Pakistan each year UN estimates that 5,000 honor killings occur each year Most common in traditional societies in the Middle East, Southwest Asia, India, China, and Latin America Crimes being exported to Europe and North America Idea of honour killings may seem primitive but done to reproduce patriarchal power within the family **[Types of Murderers]** Other forms of stranger homicides: **Thrill killings**: involve impulsive violence motivated by killer's decision to kill a stranger as act of daring or recklessness **Gang killings**: involve murders committed by gangs who make violence part of their group activity; often committed over territory or control of drug trade **Cult killings**: occur when members of religious cults ordered to kill by their leaders (e.g. infamous killings in Jonestown); sometimes cult members kill peers who deviate from leaders teachings **[Serial Homicide ]** Infamous serial killers include Ted Bundy, Green River Killer, Hillside Stranglers, Jeffrey Dahmer Kill before authorities even realize deaths attributed to single perpetrator **Serial killer**: one who kills more than three people over a period of time **Mass murderer**: one who kills large number of people in single incident **[Serial Killers ]** Have long histories of violence, beginning in childhood Target other children, siblings, and small animals Maintain superficial relationships, trouble relating, have guilt feelings about sex Despite commonalities, no single distinct type of serial killer Possible contributing factors include: mental illness, sexual frustration, neurological damage, child abuse/neglect, anxiety Most experts view serial killers as sociopaths who from early childhood demonstrate bizarre behaviour (e.g. torturing animals) **[Assault ]** Most common form of violent crime CCJS reported 223, 000 nonsexual assaults occurred in 2012 All form of assaults were down from previous year Level 1 assault less serious but most common was 20% lower In 2016, 156, 279 level one assaults in Canada, rate of 430 and clearance rate of 78% Majority of assaults involve acquaintances Tend to be committed by males, 9/10 by adults **[Assault in the Home ]** Most frightening aspect of assault is the incidence of violent attacks in home Inter-family violence serious social problem known as child abuse Term describes physical/emotional harm to child with no reasonable explanation Can range from physical beatings to neglect (not providing care/shelter) Research indicates main reasons for child maltreatment investigations include: neglect (40%), physical abuse (31%), emotional maltreatment (19%), sexual abuse (10%) **[Child Abuse ]** In Canada, 6% of victims of violent crime are children under age 12 20% are between ages 12-19 Boys and girls equally likely to be victims of violent crime Boys more likely to be victims of homicide; girls more likely to be sexually abused According to 2014 GSS, 1/3 (32%) of Canadians 15+ report having experienced physical/sexual abuse as a child Another aspect of abuse syndrome is sexual abuse involves rape, incest, molestation often committed by parents or other adults Difficult to estimate incidence of sexual abuse **[Spousal Abuse ]** Spouse abuse usually involves physical assault in which a wife is injured by her husband Spouse abuse has occurred throughout recorded history During Roman era, men had a legal right to beat their wives By 4th century, excessive violence on the part of husband or wife sufficient grounds for divorce By mid-19th century, severe wife beating fallen in disfavor By 20th century, England had outlawed wife beating Even after WW2, some English courts found domestic assault to be reasonable punishment for a disobedient wife **[Robbery ]** Common-law definition taking anything of value from the custody/control of a person by force/threat or putting them in fear Robbery differs from theft b/c robbery involves use of force and personal contact, punished severely b/c victim's safety in jeopardy Amount of force used determines level of punishment Robbery serious form of violent crime; 2012 reached lowest level in 30 years Only small minority involve firearms, committed by adults, usually strangerrelated, generally 1/3 are solved Typical victim is male 15-24, single, student, non-Indigenous, non immigrant, went out a lot in the evening **[Evolving Forms of Violence ]** Assault, rape, robbery, homicide traditional forms of violence New categories within crime types: date rape, hate crime come to public consciousness in 1990s New crime concerns include: Workplace violence School violence