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Chapter 1 Hammurabi’s Code -

Recognized for about 3k years “eye for an eye”

Mosaic Code -

Religious No rape laws (women were seen as property)

History of Crime and Punishments -

If you commit a crime it is because you had the demon inside of you Bodily harm in public to humiliate and shame the person Make an example out of them

Punishment 1400s-1800s -

Pressing- keep adding stones till they’re crushed Stoning- put in hole and throw stones at them Burning- at the staking Drowning Disemboweling- pull out intestines Hanging Whipping Breaking on the Wheel- die of infections Boiling alive Drawn and quartering- horses attached to both ends and run Spear in butt Sword to separate body in half

Crime Now -

Fluid- changes over time Socially constructed- moral of majority Most of it goes unpunished What is and isn’t a crime is not the same as in the past

Past Crimes that aren’t anymore -

Same sex marriage Same sex Cocaine used to be legal Meth used to be legal Heroine used to be legal Interracial marriage Using a white anything

Wasn’t a crime but now is one -

Drunk driving White collar crimes Marital rape (1970s) Domestic violence (if you’re married) Certain gun laws Heroin, cocaine, meth Pollution

What is crime? -

4 definitional perspective o Legalistic  Used in the book o Political  Conflict o Sociological o Psychological

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Any human conduct that violates the criminal laws of the state. The federal government or a local jurisdiction that has the power

Crime

Legalistic -

Key shortcoming Yields moral high ground to the powerful individuals who can influence lawmaking Laws are social projects

Political Perspective/ CONFLICT Perspective 

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Crime o The result of criteria that have been built into the law by powerful groups and are then used to label selected undesirable forms of behavior as illegal Laws serve the interests of the politically powerful Crimes are behaviors those in power perceive as threats to their interests

Sociological (sociolegal) Perspective -

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Crime o An antisocial act of such a nature that its repression is necessary or is supposed to be necessary to the preservation of the existing system of society Crime is an offense against human relationships first, a violation of law second

Psychological (Maladaptive) Perspective

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Crime o A form of social maladjustment o Problem behavior, especially human activity that contravenes the criminal law and results in difficulties in living within a framework of generally acceptable social arrangements Any maladaptive behavior would be considered a crime Could include any harmful or potentially dangerous activities

Crime and Deviance -

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Deviant behavior o Human activity that violates social norms Deviance and crime overlap but are not identical Deviant Behavior- Actions that depart from the social norm. Some are criminal, some are merely harmless aberrations. It is behavior of which other people disapproveexceeds tolerance level of general community to the extent that negative sanctions occur. Crime- An act deemed socially dangerous that is specifically defined, prohibited and punished under criminal law Both crime and deviance are relative Not all crimes are deviant, not all deviant behaviors are crime

What should be criminal? -

What is crime? Not the same as “What should be criminal?” Lack of agreement in society about appropriate legal status of many behaviors Two contrasting perspectives o Consensus perspective  Most of us agree on what is and isn’t a crime o Pluralist perspective  Many different perspectives on what is and isn’t a crime

What is criminology? -

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Many definitions available Text Definition o An interdisciplinary profession built around the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior, including their forms, causes, legal aspects, and control Includes consideration of possible solutions to crime problem

Criminology Basic Questions -

Why do crime rates vary? Why do individuals differ as to criminality? Why is there variation in reactions to crime? What are the possible means of controlling criminality?

Key Terms -

Criminology Criminality o Behavioral predisposition that disproportionately favors criminal activity Crime Deviance Criminal Behavior o Intentional and belligerent human activity that violates criminal law

What is criminology? -

An interdisciplinary social science Contributes to criminal justice o Application of the criminal law and study of the components of the justice system o Focus on control of lawbreaking

What do criminologists do? -

Criminologist o Studies crime, criminals and criminal behaviors Criminalist o A specialist in the collection and examination of the physical evidence of crime...