1 Criminology and the Measurement of Crime Free Online FlashCards

What does criminology study?

Criminology is the interdisciplinary, empirical study of crime, its causes and consequences, and how people and institutions respond to it.

How does criminal justice differ in focus from criminology?

Criminal justice focuses more directly on institutions such as police, courts, and corrections, although it overlaps with criminology.

Why can the legal definition of crime vary?

Crime generally means conduct prohibited by criminal law. Definitions can differ across jurisdictions and change over time.

How do SRS and NIBRS differ in the detail they record?

The Summary Reporting System (SRS) records aggregate counts for selected offenses; NIBRS records details about individual incidents.

How does the SRS hierarchy rule affect incidents with multiple offenses?

NIBRS can record multiple offenses in one incident. Under the traditional SRS hierarchy rule, generally only the most serious offense is counted.

Who does the NCVS survey, and what is a key feature of its crime coverage?

The NCVS interviews a representative sample of people age 12 or older in U.S. households about selected crimes, whether or not they were reported to police.

What can self-report studies reveal, and what can limit their accuracy?

Self-report studies can reveal offending that never comes to police attention, but answers depend on respondents’ memory and willingness to disclose.

How does a crime rate differ from a crime count?

A count is the number of recorded crimes. A rate relates that number to a population, often per 100,000 residents, to aid comparisons across places or years.

What is the difference between victimization prevalence and incidence?

Prevalence is the share of people victimized; incidence is the number of victimization events.

What distinguishes violent crime from property crime?

Violent crime involves force or the threat of force; property crime involves taking or damaging property.

Why can police data and NCVS estimates show different crime patterns?

Police data cover offenses that come to police attention and are recorded. NCVS estimates include selected victimizations not reported to police, so the sources are complementary.

Name two factors that can affect NCVS estimates.

The NCVS is subject to sampling error, nonresponse, recall, question wording, and interviewer or survey-mode effects.