Crime in America

JEANNETTE S ENI OR HI GH SCHOOL

 The Nature of Crimes
 Crime – Something one does or fails to do in violation of a law

 Crimes are behaviors for which a government has set a penalty

 Decisions as to what constitutes a crime are made by legislatures

 Goals of laws:

 Protect human rights for all

 Regulate human conduct so that people can live in harmony

 The Nature of Crimes
 Crime victims are also victims of human rights violations

 People have a right to ownership of their own property

 What crime violates this human right?

 People have a right to personal security

 What crimes violate this human right?

 The Nature of Crimes

Crime rates are higher in urban areas than in

suburban or rural areas

Youths between the ages of 15 and 24 commit more

violent crimes than any other group

Males commit almost four times as many crimes as

females

The victim knows the offender in half of all crimes

 The Causes of Crimes

What causes crime?

Poverty
Unemployment
Lack of education
Breakdown in morals
Lack of parental guidance
Abuse of drugs and alcohol
Inadequate police protection
Ineffective correctional system
 The Causes of Crimes

Will tougher penalties prevent crime?

The United States has the highest incarceration rate

of any industrialized country
 Criminal Law

 Almost all crimes require an act, accompanied by a guilty

state of mind
 Guilty State of Mind – The act must be done intentionally,
knowingly, or willfully
 Motive – The reason the act is performed
 Example – Robin Hood
 Motive = Steal from the rich, give to the poor
 Guilty State of Mind = Intentional stealing
 Criminal Considerations

 Crimes are made up of elements

 Prosecutors must prove:
 A guilty mental state
 Every element of the crime was committed
 Example – Robbery
 Robbery is the unlawful taking and carrying away of goods
or money from someone’s person by force or intimidation
 Elements of robbery:
 The taking and carrying away of goods or money
 The taking from someone’s person
 Use of force or intimidation
 State and Federal Crimes

State Crimes:
Assault
Disorderly Conduct
Drunk Driving
Prosecuted in state court (unless in a national park)
Federal Crimes:
Mail fraud
Failure to pay federal taxes
Acts of terrorism
 Classes of Crime & Parties to Crime

Felony = Imprisonment for more than one year

Misdemeanor = Imprisonment less than one year
Principal – Person who commits a crime
Accomplice – Someone who helps another person
commit a crime
Example – Driving the getaway car after a robbery
Accessory before the fact – A person who helps the
principal but is not present for the crime
Accessory after the fact – A person who, knowing a crime
has been committed, still helps the principal escape
 Crimes of Omission

 Most crimes occur when a person does something or

performs an act that violates a law
 Sometimes a person may be criminally liable for failing to act
 Examples of omission:
 Failing to pay taxes
 Child neglect

 Crime of omission – Failing to perform an act required by

criminal law
 Preliminary Crimes

 Certain types of behavior take place before the commission

of a crime but are nevertheless crimes in themselves
 Solicitation – Attempting to ask or purchase goods/services
 Example – Asking another person to kill someone
 Attempt – Someone performs all the elements of a crime, but
fails to achieve the actual criminal results
 Example – Attempted murder
 Conspiracy – Agreement between two or more people to
commit a crime
 Crimes Against the Person

 These crimes are serious offenses with harsh punishments

 Laws protect defendants by defining various levels of crimes
 Examples of crimes against the person:
 Homicide – The killing of another human being
 First-degree murder – Premeditated killing
 Second-degree murder – Killing with no premeditation
 Voluntary manslaughter – Killing occurs after the victim has
done something to cause a reasonable person to lose control
 Example – Catching a cheating spouse
 Involuntary manslaughter – Unintentional killing resulting
from reckless conduct (Accidental killing with a loaded gun)
 Crimes Against the Person

 Assault – Attempt or threat to carry out a physical attack

 Battery – Unlawful physical contact inflicted by one person
upon another
 Aggravated battery defined by harm inflicted (simple assault)
 Rape – Unlawful sexual intercourse without consent
 Statutory rape – Sexual intercourse before a person has
reached the legal age of consent
 Pennsylvania’s age of consent = 16
 Crimes Against Property

 Property crimes include destroying or stealing property

 Arson – Willful and malicious burning of another person’s
property
 Vandalism – Willful destruction of property
 Larceny – Unlawful taking of property (Grand and Petty)
 Embezzlement – Taking of property by someone to whom it
was entrusted (stockbroker taking $ that should be invested)
 Extortion – Use of threats to obtain the property of another
 Crimes Against Property

Crime prevention techniques:

Security lighting
Security cameras
Locking doors/windows
Home alarm systems
Automobile alarm systems