Currently, there are so many cases of police brutality against minorities. Black men and even young black men are being killed for absolutely no reason at all. How is this possible in the land of the free? How can police officers evade arrest when they have committed a crime? Zizek (2008) asserts that in order to do something about a problem, you have to ask questions for a deeper understanding. Furthermore, the questions you ask, or do not ask, help shape and form the end result. For the purposes of this paper, I will answer two questions in quest to uncover the underlying societal concepts and understandings of crime. These questions will guide the way and will help present the information is an understandable, organized format. Additionally,
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Coleman et tal (2002) explains that with these, a sample of the population is asked which crimes have been committed against them in a given time period. This technique addresses the fact that police don’t record a significant number of offences. It also offers something missing from official records, victimization patterns (King et tal: 151). One problem with basing statistics on victims’ recollection is that memories are often biased or faulty. For example King et tal (2009:151) clearly states that, “Individuals who lack personal experience of victimization may exaggerate the negative consequences of crime.” The authors further go on to explain that victim surveys are reliant upon people being aware that they indeed are a victim; it depends on the victim recognizing that a crime has been committed against them. The third method for collecting data on crime is self-report studies. Box (2002) explains that these are surveys where a selected group is asked which crimes they have committed in certain time-frame. Self-report studies reveal information about the people who are not caught and charged by the police. The leading problem with this method is that subjects may invent or embellish their account of events either intentionally, or non-intentionally. In both cases, the information provided is misrepresented. Box (2002) argues that the distorted image of are used to control the masses into believing one particular thing, when that very thing is not the truth. Slapper and Tombs (2002) discuss how the elite want society to believe that it is poor, inner-city, black males who are the criminals. When in reality our legal system leaves some crimes, such as corporate, out. If we do not account for the vast number of corporate crimes being committed, there is no way to prove that this group engages in more crime than that group. It is impossible to
Coleman et tal (2002) explains that with these, a sample of the population is asked which crimes have been committed against them in a given time period. This technique addresses the fact that police don’t record a significant number of offences. It also offers something missing from official records, victimization patterns (King et tal: 151). One problem with basing statistics on victims’ recollection is that memories are often biased or faulty. For example King et tal (2009:151) clearly states that, “Individuals who lack personal experience of victimization may exaggerate the negative consequences of crime.” The authors further go on to explain that victim surveys are reliant upon people being aware that they indeed are a victim; it depends on the victim recognizing that a crime has been committed against them. The third method for collecting data on crime is self-report studies. Box (2002) explains that these are surveys where a selected group is asked which crimes they have committed in certain time-frame. Self-report studies reveal information about the people who are not caught and charged by the police. The leading problem with this method is that subjects may invent or embellish their account of events either intentionally, or non-intentionally. In both cases, the information provided is misrepresented. Box (2002) argues that the distorted image of are used to control the masses into believing one particular thing, when that very thing is not the truth. Slapper and Tombs (2002) discuss how the elite want society to believe that it is poor, inner-city, black males who are the criminals. When in reality our legal system leaves some crimes, such as corporate, out. If we do not account for the vast number of corporate crimes being committed, there is no way to prove that this group engages in more crime than that group. It is impossible to