Thesis
In accordance to the results found in the 2015 and 2016 police reported crime statistics released by statistics Canada it is my belief that crime rate will continue to decline, continuing to do so into the year of 2017.
Crime rates fluctuate accord to a number of variables including, population size, the economy, socio-economic conditions, and the attitude towards law enforcement. According to the police-reported crime statistics in Canada, during the year of 2015 and 2016 the Crime Severity index increased from 69.7 to 70.1. The CSI is calculated by collecting all police reported crimes with consideration to the amount of crime committed (volume) and gravity of the crime being committed. Despite the overall trend of an increase
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Qualitative data includes characteristics that cannot be counted or measured, examples of qualitative data include ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and narratives. (Freeman, L. 2017) Police officers often rely on the use of narratives to create an “accurate” account of the event, accurate was put in quotations because narratives are subjective, the subjectivity of qualitative data is what often makes it unreliable. The majority of the Uniform Crime Reporting survey follows quantitative data, which includes statistics, polls, and surveys. Using quantitative data is appropriate because it states the facts the way they are, quantitative data focus on numbers and things that can be graphed. Quantitative data is collected through surveys and polls leaving less room for emotions and errors in the collection process. As the data found in the surveys is quantitative with the use for qualitative aspects the surveys also follow both positivist and constructionist perspectives. Constructionist perspectives state that crime statistics have little to do with the amount of crime that exits, and the more attention that a particular group is given will lead that group to be caught participating in illegal activity more frequently. While a positivist perspective will argue that the criminal code is a reflection of values, therefore making the report unbiased. (Boyd, N. …show more content…
Crime rates and crime severity change often, some of the causes for such change includes: drug use, mental health issues, demographic, politics, and population. Throughout both reports there was a notable increase in crime rates in Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, Albertan crime rates heavily affected both reports. An increase in Albertan crime can be attributed to an influx of drug related problems and a decline in the economy. Crime categories including “total property crime” and “total other Criminal Code offences” are increasing in frequency, while youth crimes, possession of cannabis and cocaine have dropped in frequency. With the increasing impact that social media has on society cyber crimes are becoming more interesting, frequent, and profitable than physical crimes. Ken Pease a British criminologist said “Frankly, there are more interesting things to do indoors now than going out and nicking things...As our lives move from meatspace [i.e., the physical world] to cyberspace, the opportunity for violent crime and acquisitive crime change and reduce in the aggregate, and that’s what I think has happened,” (Griffiths, M. D, et al 2015) supporting the decline in robbery and possession of stolen property. Programs cuch as Pathways to Education that aim to keep low income students in school are also major
Marques, O. (2013, October 23). Issues in Policing [Lecture]. SSCI 1000 Introduction to Criminal Justice. University of Ontario Institute of Technology . Retrieved November 18, 2013
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is information that is gathered by the U.S Census Bureau. Unlike UCR this information is not given by law enforcement officials, but by a household survey that is conducted about twice a year. When the survey is being commenced they place the crimes into two different categories; person crimes and property crimes. NCVS has four objectives when obtaining information; “(1) to develop detailed information about the victims and consequences of crime, (2) to estimate the number and types of crimes not reported to the police, (3) to provide uniform measures of selected typed of crimes, and (4) to permit comparisons over time and types of areas.” (NACJD)
Despite their methodological differences, GSS data and those of the UCR have shown similar trends over the decade between 2004 and 2014. “For example, the GSS shows a 28 percent decline in the rate of violent victimization and a 42% decline in the rate of household victimization. In comparison, the UCR stated a 26 percent decrease in the rate of violent crimes and a 40% decrease in the rate of crime against property” (Perrault, 2015, p.7). In general, victimization rates in both surveys tend to be lower in the eastern and higher in the western part of Canada. “Less than one in three (31 percent) criminal incidents were reported to the police in 2014. This proportion was slightly lower than that recorded ten years earlier (34 percent)” (Perrault, 2015, p.27). Many incidents are not reported, because people feel that the police cannot help with the situation, or they may feel embarrassed. The crime rates appear to be higher for minor incidents, such as property or household crimes in comparison to serious violent crimes in both surveys over the years of
The sample size and exclusion of individuals, such as under 16’s or those in group residence, creates bias and an untrue reflection on population as crimes they experience are not taken into consideration (HO, 2013).
The two systems are a good representation of crime through statistics of race and the actual crime. Through NCVS, the FBI crime system NIBRS can conduct a trend analysis for the crimes and the victims that are affected by the crimes. This can also serve as a tool to higher more police to the areas that are affected more with crime. The article; The Relationship Between Crime Reporting and Police: Implications for the Use of Uniform Crime Reports, Steven Levit, discusses the problem with police reporting and how there is no standard for the reporting across the nation. Therefore people believe that the reports are not accurate due to how different police organizations conduct their investigations. In this article, the author discusses estimates for crime versus city. The author is working with Craig who introduced this way of thought and idea in 1987.
For decades, researchers have tried to determine why crime rates are stronger and why different crimes occur more often in different locations. Certain crimes are more prevalent in urban areas for several reasons (Steven D. Levitt, 1998, 61). Population, ethnicity, and inequality all contribute to the more popular urban. Determining why certain crimes occur more often than others is important in Criminal Justice so researchers can find a trend and the police can find a solution (Rodrigo R. Soares, 2004, 851). The Uniform Crime Reports are a method in which the government collects data, and monitors criminal activity in the United States (Rodrigo R. Soares, 2004, 851). They have both positive and negative attributes that have influenced
Violent crime in Canada is on the rise in Canada as well as the types of
Canada is viewed as being a very safe and stable place to live because people are lucky enough to have healthcare, benefits for unemployment and family needs, as well as maternity leave. Crime is something that Canadians don’t often think about because people feel as though they are out of harm's way. As Canadians, we’ve watched the world experience different threats and crime, and we’ve seen the world fight back. For example, our neighbors in North America, the United States, have gone through terrorist attacks and issues with guns and violence. Just because we are witnessing these things in other places doesn’t mean that we aren’t at risk as well, and Canada does have certain approaches and regards in place if we are ever in danger. What I wish to address in this paper is how Canada is set up for reacting to crime and jeopardy, as well as an example of where we went wrong in our past. Methods in response to crime, Canada’s legal regime and the issue of Residential schooling for Aboriginals a hundred years ago will be presented.
Due to the fact that the Uniform Crime Report is released every year, allows for it to be readily available and updated for the media, researchers, students, and government organizations (Rosen, 1995). This is advantages to society because this information is readily available to the public which can be used for statistics or research.
Criminologists generally agree that young people are more likely to commit crime than old people, men more than women, city dwellers more than country folk, the poor more than the rich, and the minorities more than whites (Cole, 1999). Logically, there is no one criteria of who can be immediately classified as the “type” of person that would commit crimes and the...
“There is a widespread concern that the level and type of crime reported in the media present a distorted view of the real level of crime in the community” (Media portrayals of crime, 2000). If a crime is portrayed as ‘out of control’ or perceived as ‘dangerous’ to a community through the media, it could create social repercussions, such as isolation of consumers who believe that their community is in a high-crime or high-violence area. Statistics recorded from the Australian Institute of Criminology confirms property crime, such as break and enter, burglary, vehicle theft and shoplifting are continually being reported at a higher rate than violent crime (Media portrayals of crime, 2000). In 2013 alone, there were approximately 739,317 property offences in total (homicide incidents, 2017). Therefore, the increase in property offences in society was the highest recorded in 2013, compared to violent crimes that are decreasing in a total of 151,714 in the same reviewed period. In addition, this evidence shows that the majority of crime in our society is not of a violent nature.
McCormick, C. (September 17,2013). Crime Matters: The Criminological Imagination and Public Criminology. Public Lecture. Brantford.
..., Larry J. (2006). Criminology: Theories, Patterns, & Typologies, 9th edition. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 0-495-00572-X. Print. 25 Feb 2014.
Crime Analysis has many benefits to the community. Community engagement, targeted initiatives, strategic use of resources, and data-driven decision-making contribute to decreasing crime. Crime prevention and community satisfaction with police services, while linked to the number of officers on the streets, does not depend entirely on the visibility of patrol officers. Community engagement, targeted initiatives, strategic use of resources, and data-driven decision-making contribute to decreasing crime. So in closing I believe that departments that take the positive elements of foot patrols and combine their efforts with crime analysis that focuses on the time, location, and type of crime, may use the findings to develop strategies to decrease crime and enhance the quality of life in their communities.
Sacco, V.F and Kennedy, L.W (2011). The Criminal Event: An Introduction to Criminology in Canada. Toronto Cengage Learning.