-Patterns of crime in Canada

1. Crime rate is comparable to what is was in 1978

2. Majority of crime are non-violent
3. Majority of crimes are perpetrated by non-strangers
4. Most serious crimes do not involve the use of a weapon or involve a serious injury.
5. What are my chances of becoming a victim of violent crime? Highest victimization risk by
occupation is students and unemployed. Lower income associated with higher risks of physical
offenses. (www.rateyourrisk.org)
The use and abuse of crime statistics
1. Role of statistics in claims-making
2. Forms of abuse
 Use of aggregate measures (combining different types of crime into combined
categories)
 Manipulation of the time frame
 Neglect to changes in definition of crime and/or data collection methods.
 Employment of false or deceptive studies.

3. Case study I: the missing children problem

 The vast majority of missing children are runaways.
 10% of missing children are abducted by family members.
 Stranger abduction is defined as following. Kidnapping or attempted kidnapping by an
individual unknown to the child.
 1/5th or 20% of child abductions are unsuccessful
 97% of those missing were only abducted for 24 hours or less.
 16 % of cases were sexual assault
 New definition is: children killed, or missing for over 24 hours.
4. Case study II: measuring serial murder
 By including that a number of homicides that were unsolved were liked to serial
murderers. Aka 4000 serial murderers in total.
Conclusion- The Politics of Crime
Statistics
1. The production and collection of crime statistics.
2. Use of statistics (who is the source of the numbers? What does that source potentially have
to gain?
Explaining crime and criminal behaviour
1. Theories of crime and criminal behaviour: and introduction
2. Individual theories
 Biological and psychological theories.
 Rational choice theories.
 Historical context
 Overview
Biological and psychological theories
Historical context

1. Middle ages
 Demons and witchcraft. ( crime caused by otherworldly forces) (Salem witch trials
for example.)
2. Enlightenment & post-enlightenment (1800s-1900s)
 (science can be used to examine the biological reasons of criminality.)
 Phrenologists (1800-1850): they believed that by studying the structure of the
school determine an individuals character and potential criminality.
 Lombroso and the theory of Atavism (1876)” he noticed on some autopsies that he
preformed , that the skull of criminals was comparable to monkeys.
 18 abnormalities such as strong canine teeth, monkey like ears, long arms. Ect..
 Sheldon and the Criminal physique (1949)
 Endomorphs, mesomorphs, and ectomorphs. Each type had its own personality.

Positivism-Assumptions

1. Human beings have unique biological characteristics and psychological traits that predepose
them them towards crime
2. Using established methods of scientific observations, we can distinguish between criminals and
non-criminals based on their physical , psychological traits.
Biological theories
Variations

1. Neurophysiological
2. Genetic
3. Biochemical

Case study: the psychopath.

1. Historical context
2. Robert Hare and the psychopathic checklist.
3. Biological Origins: The Amygdala and Broca’s area.
4. Limitations.
Checklist a measure of evil
1 questions for exam: what is being measured through this checklist? 2: what are the implications and
limitations ?

Behavioural characteristics are being measured though this checklist. (absence of remorse. Ego,
superficial)

The implications of these are that people with certain behavioural trends, have a higher then average
chance of committing crimes.

Dr Hairs testL

Psycopathy checklist. PCLR.

This rates criminals on the degree of their psycopathy.

Each item is scored on a scale from 0-2. The average person scores between 0-6. Over 30 is a
psychopath,

Also helps find re-offenders. The higher the score, the higher the odds of reoffending.

The test can be abused. “ if u score high on the test, you can’t ever become a important member of
society”

The “number” becomes the focus of decision making and risk assessment.

Alcohol and drug abuser (jon doe) was not allowed rehab in prison because he scored high. He was
tested without his knowledge of permission.

The test can be skewed by financial or social status.

Pclr:

factor 1. Personality

Factor 2: case history

Factor: 3