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Chapter 7. Crime in America. The Nature of Crimes. Crime: something one does or fails to do that is in violation of the law. Behavior in which the government has set a penalty. Problem 7.1/ Page 75. VS-Very Serious S-Serious U-Undecided LS-less serious NS-not serious NAC-not a crime.
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Chapter 7 Crime in America
The Nature of Crimes • Crime: something one does or fails to do that is in violation of the law. • Behavior in which the government has set a penalty.
Problem 7.1/ Page 75 VS-Very Serious S-Serious U-Undecided LS-less serious NS-not serious NAC-not a crime • Robert sells crack cocaine and uses the proceeds to support his mother, who is on welfare. • Marley is a passenger in a car she knows is stolen, although she did not participate in the theft of the crime • A corporate executive gives a million dollars to a candidate for the U.S Senate • A wife finds out her husband is having an affair and runs over him with her car. • Paulina is caught with a pound of marijuana. • Ted robs a liquor store at gunpoint • Ellen leaves a store with change for a $10 bill, knowing that she gave the cashier a $5 bill. • Lily approaches a man for purposes of prostitution. • The president of the United States lies under oath. • Ming refuses to wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle. • A company pollutes a river with waste from its automobile factory. • Pat gets drunk and hits a child while speeding through a school zone. • Dakota observes his best friend shoplifting but does not turn him in.
Crime Rates • 50% of victims report crimes against themselves to police. • Less than 40% reported property crimes • About 20% led to arrests • Crime rates are based on location, age, and gender. • Higher in urban areas • People ages 15-24 commit more violent crimes than any other group. • Males commit four times as many crimes as females.
Crime Rates • Reason for high crime rates: • Poverty, unemployment, permissive courts, lack of education, abuse of alcohol and drugs, lack of parental guidance, etc. • Incarceration: imprisonment
Crimes on Campus • Discuss reasons for crime on campus
Problem 7.5/Page 81 • What conditions might have led up to Samuel’s decision to commit this crime? • What, if anything, could have been done to help Samuel? Were there signs at school or home that he was at risk? • Are there measures in place at your school to prevent acts of violence from occurring? Are additional measures needed? If so, what are they?
Gangs and Crime • Why have gangs spread? • Money from illegal drugs • firearms
Guns and the Law • The 2nd Amendment • “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” • Gun Control Act of 1968 • Prohibits certain categories of people from buying or possessing weapons • Convicted felons, minors, illegal aliens • Serial numbers on all guns • Age limit • Brady Act • Requires a background check
Page 87/Problem 7.7 • Which is a better way to reduce crime—more gun control or less gun control? • What restrictions, if any, should the government place on the manufacture of firearms? • The sale of firearms? • The possession of firearms?
Law in Action/Page 88/Problem 7.8 • Read and discuss
Substance Abuse and Crime • Substance abuse: the harmful overuse of chemicals such as drugs and alcohol. • Alcohol is the most widely abused substance in the U.S today. • The annual cost of alcohol abuse to society is about $150 billion • Is a factor in violent crimes, spousal abuse, etc.
Alcohol • Drunk driving: general term to describe legal terms • Driving while intoxicated(DWI) and Driving under the influence(DUI) • Refers to a person’s blood alcohol concentration. • Implied consent: driver agrees to submit to a BAC test in exchange for the privilege of driving. • Refusal will result in immediate suspension of license. • Teenagers are at a greater risk of being injured or killed in alcohol-related accidents. • Affected faster and to a greater extent than adults.
Page 91/ Problem 7.9 • Assume your state has recently had a series of automobile crashes, including a number of deaths, caused by people driving under the influence of alcohol. A high percentage of these crashes have been caused by drivers aged 17 to 25. Other have been caused by older drivers who have had drinking problems for years. These drivers have been arrested before for DWI and were either fined or given probation. • A. you are a member of the state legislature, which has the power to change the law to try to solve the problem. Draft such a law. • B. Analyze the law that you drafted. Will it create any new problems? What can be done to resolve them? • C. What else could be done to reduce alcohol-related crashes? Would these measures work better than the law you proposed?
Drugs • Illegal drugs have led to an increase in criminal activity • Ranging from murder to high level corruption • Between 50 and 75 percent of persons taken into the criminal justice system test positive for one or more drugs at the time of their arrest. • Controlled Substance Act: classifies drugs into five groups • Medical use, potential for abuse, capability to create physical of psychological addiction.
Drugs • Recidivist law: a repeat criminal offender. • Require longer sentences
Law in Action/Pg. 92/Problem 7.10 • Read passage and discuss • Are drug courts a good idea? • Why might some places not want a drug court?
Page 93/Problem 7.11 • Answer problem 7.11 on your own
Law in Action/Pg. 94/Problem 7.12 • After listening to the experts, decide which of the approaches will most help the city of Southland. List the six approaches in order of your preference and give reasons for your rankings.
Victims of Crime • What leads to being a victim of a crime? • Gender • Socioeconomic status • Race • Location • Restitution-requiring criminals to pay back or otherwise compensate the victims of their crimes.
