Criminal Behaviour Characteristics: What is crime? Crime is a social construct. it consists of any act or lack of action that violates the law and results in punishment by the state. An act only classes as a crime if a law is broken, otherwise, it is simply wrongdoing. Crime is dependent upon the laws in each society and the context in which the behaviour takes place. Example of crime varying based on context Playing loud music in an apartment building may be seen as a crime, but playing the same volume of music when you have no neighbours for 2 miles would not be. Example of crime varying based on society Being homosexual is legal in the UK (as of 1976), but is still illegal in Saudi Arabia. In the 17th century, stealing a sheep would have resulted in hanging. 3 main ways that data on crime is collected: Official statistics Statistics on crime that are produced by the government. The UK has been publishing this information since 1805. This information is based on incidents reported to the police, or offences that the police have discovered. They include crimes such as robbery, driving offences, and sexual offences. Victim surveys Where people are interviewed and questioned on whether or not they have been the victim of a crime. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) has been repeated every year and interviews people from 50,000 households. The sample is randomly selected from postal addresses. Everyone over 16 is interviewed, and a smaller sample of those aged 10-15 are interviewed. Questions include 'What are the major causes of crime in Britain?' and 'Have you had your car stolen in the last 12 months?' Offender surveys Members of the public are questioned on crimes they may have committed. For example, the OCJS questioned people between 10-65 on whether or not they had committed certain crimes. The dark figure Not all crimes are reported or recorded. This is due to many factors such as victims being scared or oblivious that a crime has been committed, or the police not taking an event seriously. Therefore, crime statistics may not be accurate or representative. Statistics are social constructions. Farr and Gibbons' categories of criminal behaviour 1. Property predatory crime - This is where someone may attempt toff succeed in taking someone's personal property e.g., robbery or car theft. 2. Property fraudulent crime - This is where someone may lie or manipulate to get other people's money or possessions for themselves e.g., fraud and embezzlement. 3. Interpersonal violence general - Where someone may cause personal harm to someone else e.g., murder, assault. 4. Interpersonal violence sexual - Where someone may threaten to cause harm that contains a sexual nature e.g., rape, incest. 5. Transactional vice - Victimless crimes where there is a willing exchange of goods or services e.g., prostitution, drug sales.
6. Order disruption - Where there is no direct victim, but concerns are raised about potential victims e.g., resisting arrest, loitering. 7. Folk/mundane crime