Chapter 1 Flashcards

Front 1

crime

Back 1

Any behavior that the government chooses to regulate by passing a law prohibiting it (punishing those who engage in the behavior, called a crime of commission) or by passing a law requiring it (punishing those who do not do so, called acrime of omission). A more formal definition of crime is an intentional act or omission in violation of the criminal law, committed without defense or justification, and penalized by the government as a felony or misdemeanor. (Chapters 1, 9)

Front 2

criminal justice

Back 2

The study of society’s response to crime, including crime prevention and the work of the criminal justice system. (Chapter 1)

Front 3

criminal justice system

Back 3

The collection of criminal justice agencies (e.g., police, courts, corrections) and how they are structured to work together in processing criminal cases. (Chapter 1)

Front 4

criminology

Back 4

The scientific study of crime trends, the nature of crime, and explanations for why persons commit crimes. (Chapters 1, 5)

Front 5

dark figure of crime

Back 5

Refers to the amount of crime that is not reported to the police or other authorities. An example is the gap between the official Uniform Crime Report crime rates and those suggested by the National Crime Victimization Survey. (Chapter 1)

Front 6

deviance

Back 6

Behaviors that violate society’s expectations, beliefs, standards, or values. As such, deviance refers to any departure from behaviors that are typical, acceptable, or accepted. Therefore, deviant behaviors violate social norms and generate negative reactions from the agents of social control. Crime is one form of deviance. (Chapters 1, 4, 5)

Front 7

discretion

Back 7

A criminal justice professional’s ability to use professional judgment rather than being constrained by rigid rules when making decisions about how to handle a case. Discretion is common throughout the criminal justice system. (Chapter 1)

Front 8

homeland security

Back 8

The identification of and response to threats to national security, with a particular emphasis on terrorism. (Chapter 1)

Front 9

mala in se

Back 9

A Latin phrase for crimes prohibiting acts that are universally (or nearly universally) viewed as being inherently evil or bad, such as murder or rape. Compare to mala prohibita.(Chapter 1)

Front 10

mala prohibita

Back 10

A Latin phrase for crimes prohibiting acts that have been made illegal not because they are viewed as being inherently wrong but because a legislature or government has chosen to criminalize them nonetheless. Compare to mala in se(Chapter 1)

Front 11

morality

Back 11

Judgments about what behaviors or actions societies or individuals view as right or wrong, good or bad. Morality may also be viewed as an ongoing process in which society or individuals continually reflect on norms, values, and standards when determining the best solution to a dilemma. (Chapters 1, 2)

Front 12

National Crime Victimization Survey

Back 12

A survey conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics to determine how many persons have been the victims of criminal acts. Also known as the NCVS, this is an example of a victimization survey. (Chapter 1)

Front 13

National Incident-Based Reporting System

Back 13

Crime data collected by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with more detailed information than available in the Uniform Crime Reports. Also known as NIBRS, the data are often used by researchers to analyze crime patterns. (Chapter 1)

Front 14

nonsystem

Back 14

An idea expressing lack of coordination between criminal justice system agencies. This may be due to fragmentation between agencies, the prevalence of discretion, and lack of agreement on criminal justice goals and philosophies. (Chapter 1)

Front 15

nulla poena sine lege

Back 15

A Latin phrase meaning that no punishment can be given by a court unless there is a law that authorizes it. (Chapter 1)

Front 16

nullum crimen sine lege

Back 16

A Latin phrase meaning that no behavior can be considered a crime unless there is a law enacted that prohibits it. (Chapter 1)

Front 17

Prohibition

Back 17

The time in American history from 1920–1933 when alcohol use was banned by the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Prohibition was repealed by the 21stAmendment to the U.S. Constitution. (Chapter 1)

Front 18

rate

Back 18

A standardized measure that allows comparison of data between areas with different populations. Often used when reporting crime data, crime rates are calculated by dividing the number of offenses by the population of an area and then multiplying by 100,000. The resulting number indicates how many offenses occur per 100,000 persons in a particular location. (Chapter 1)

Front 19

self-report study

Back 19

One way of measuring the amount of crime in society by administering surveys that ask persons to report whether or not they have committed certain criminal acts. (Chapter 1)

Front 20

social capital

Back 20

Patterns of social relationships among people. Areas with high social capital have strong social relationships among community members. (Chapter 1)

Front 21

socially constructed

Back 21

The idea that societies and individuals construct their own understandings about what certain ideas mean. This helps to explain why different societies or different localities define crimes in different ways, as each may have its own understanding of what crime means. (Chapter 1)

Front 22

Uniform Crime Report

Back 22

An annual report of the number of crimes reported to the police, prepared by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Also known as the UCR, this stands as the official source of crime data in the United States. (Chapter 1)