CRIMINOLOGY TODAY
Chapter 1 – What is Criminology?
Chapter 2 – Patterns of Crime
Introduction
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CSI – most popular TV show
Reveals a penchant among American TV
viewers for crime-related entertainment
and fascination with criminal motivation
and detective work.
Reality TV Shows – America’s Most
Wanted…
What is crime?
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Definitional perspectives of crime
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Legalistic
Political
Sociological
Psychological
Legalistic perspective: crime is human conduct
in violation of the criminal laws of the state, the
federal government, or a local jurisdiction that
has the power to make such laws.
What is crime? Con’t
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Edwin Sutherland is regarded by many as the founding
figure (father) in American criminology.
We will use the legalistic approach to crime, but it is
important to realize that laws are social products.
Crime is a socially relative in the sense that it is created
by legislative activity.
Without a law defining it, there can be no crime.
(*common law – Chapter 4)
Criminalize – to make illegal
Statute – a formal written enactment of a legislative
body
Statutory law – law in the form of statutes or formal,
written strictures made by a legislature or governing
body with the power to make law.
What is crime? Con’t
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Changes in law – criminalized certain types of
behavior – Ex. Human cloning
Political perspective – power structures that exist
in society and asserts that criminal laws do not
necessarily bear any inherent relationship to
popular notions of right and wrong.
Sociological perspective – crime is an antisocial
act of such a nature that its repression is
necessary or is supposed to be necessary to the
preservation of the existing system of society.
Sociological approach – criminalizes indirect
harm – example – businessman efforts injuries
to workers or consumers – (example: bad debt)
Crime and Deviance
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Deviant behavior – human
activity that violates social
norms
Some deviance doesn’t
violate law. Example Deviant styles of dress.
Example – Patricia Marks
– page 8 bottom
Ex. - ABC requirements
Illegal
Deviant
ABC REGULATIONS
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20-X-6-.11. Prohibition Of Obscene, Lewd Or Indecent Conduct On Licensed Premises.
(1) No ABC Board licensee shall permit bottomless dancing, topless dancing wherein the portion of the female
breast beneath the top of the nipple is exposed, or such performing, or any other lewd or indecent conduct on the premises
of such licensee.
(2) No ABC Board licensee shall permit any person to perform acts of or acts which simulate:
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(a) Sexual intercourse, masturbation, sodomy, bestiality, oral copulation, flagellation or any sexual acts which are
prohibited by law.
(b) The touching, caressing or fondling on the breasts, buttocks, anus or genitals.
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genitals.
(c) The displaying of the portion of the female breast beneath the top of the nipple, pubic hair, anus, vulva or
(3) No ABC Board licensee shall permit any patron, customer or member to touch, caress or fondle the breasts,
buttocks, anus, genitals or any part of the body or clothing of a performer. Performers may not touch, caress or fondle the
breast, buttocks, anus, genitals or any part of the body or clothing of patrons or other performers.
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(4) No ABC Board licensee shall permit the showing of films, still pictures, electronic reproduction or other visual
reproductions depicting:
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(a) Acts or simulated acts of sexual intercourse, masturbation, sodomy, bestiality, oral copulation, flagellation or any
sexual acts which are prohibited by law.
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(b) Any person being touched, caressed or fondled on the breasts, buttocks, anus or genitals.
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(c) Scenes wherein a person displays the vulva or the anus or the genitals.
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(d) Scenes wherein artificial devices or inanimate objects are employed to depict, or drawings are employed to
portray, any of the prohibited activities described above.
Crime and Deviance
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Common conduct – still against the law –
Ex. Speeding
Some behaviors are illegal some places
and not in others – Ex. Gambling, 38
states have lotteries, Prostitution is illegal
everywhere but Nevada
(Be ready for discussion question under
topic of crime and deviance)
What Should Be Criminal?
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Consensus viewpoint – holds that laws should be
enacted to criminalize given forms of behavior
when members of society generally agree that
such laws are necessary.
Pluralist view of crime – recognizes the
importance of diversity in societies. Behaviors
are typically criminalized through a political
process only after debate over appropriate
course of action. Legislation and then Courts.
Ex. - Virginia Tech University shootings – caused
further examination of the gun control debate
Ex. Page 11 – Polygamy - Jeffs
What do criminologists do?
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Criminologist – one who is trained in the
field of criminology . Also, one who
studies crime, criminals, and criminal
behavior.
Criminalist – A specialist in the collection
and examination of the physical evidence
of crime.
Page 13, Table 1-1 – What do
criminologist do?
Definitions you should learn.
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Social policy – a government initiative, program,
or plan intended to address problems in society.
Ex. War on Crime
Criminology – an interdisciplinary profession
built around the scientific study of crime and
criminal behavior, including their forms, causes,
legal aspects and control
Criminality – a behavioral predisposition that
disproportionately favors criminal activity.
Criminal justice – the scientific study of crime,
the criminal law, and components of criminal
justice system, including the police, courts, and
corrections.
More definitions…
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Theory – a series of interrelated propositions
that attempt to describe, explain, predict, and
ultimately control some class of events.
General theory – a theory that attempts to
explain all (or at least most) forms of criminal
conduct through a single, overarching approach.
Unicausal – having one cause.
Intergrated theory – an explanatory perspective
that merges (or attempts to merge) concepts
drawn from different sources.
Criminology and Social Policy
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Violence in TV, music, video games, and movies
leads to increased levels of violent behavior
among children – True or False.
Despite all the studies, policymakers have been
reluctant to curtail the production of violent
media, and violence on TV and in video games –
still way of life in USA. Why?
Professionals are aware of the need to link
sound social policy with criminological research
Social Policy & Crime Concerns
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Public safety is back in the forefront of
national issues – Ex. Random violence,
etc. (media)
67% in US think crime is more prevalent
than before and 49% think it is extremely
serious or very serious.
Crime, education and economy are
enduring worries.
Social Problems vs.
Social Responsibility
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Social problems perspective – the belief that
crime is a manifestation of underlying social
problems, such as poverty, discrimination,
pervasive family violence, inadequate
socialization practices, and the breakdown of
traditional social institutions.
Proponents of the social problems perspective
typically foresee solutions to the crime problem
as coming in the form of large-scale government
expenditures in support of social programs
designed to address the issues that are
perceived to lie at the root of crime.
Social Problems vs.
Social Responsibility
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Social responsibility perspective – the belief that individuals
are fundamentally responsible for their own behavior and
that they choose crime over other, more law-abiding courses
of action.
Advocates of this perspective say their emphasis is on
individual choice, tend to believe that social programs do
little to solve the problem of crime because, they say, a
certain number of crime-prone individuals, for a variety of
personal reasons, will always make irresponsible choices.
They suggest highly personalized crime reduction strategies
based on firm punishments, imprisonment, individualized
rehabilitation, increased security, and wider use of police
power.
Which Perspective is it?
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Sue Bell Cobb: Drug Courts
in all 67 Counties
The Montgomery Advertiser
has an article entitled "Drug
courts help non-violent
offenders mend lives" in which
it states that Chief Justice of
the Alabama Supreme Court,
Sue Bell Cobb, wants to have
drug courts established in all
67 of Alabama's counties by
the end of her term
Alabama Supreme
Court Chief Justice
Sue Bell Cobb
Causes & Consequences of Crime
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Author says crime is not an isolated
individual activity but a social event.
Crime carries different meanings for the
offender and the victim.
Social relativity – the notion that social
events are differently interpreted
according to the cultural experiences and
personal interests of the initiator, the
observer, or the recipient of that behavior.
The Murder of John Lennon p. 25
 What
was the initial thoughts on why
Chapman killed Lennon?
 What did Chapman relate about his
mindset when he killed him?
 What is Chapman’s claim now?
 Will we ever be sure of motivation?
Theory of case
 accident
vs.
self
defense
More definitions…
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Criminal justice system – the various
agencies of justice, especially the police,
courts, and corrections, whose goal it is to
apprehend, convict, punish, and
rehabilitate law violators.
Socialization – the lifelong process of
social experience whereby individuals
acquire the cultural patterns of their
society.
Society and problems of victims in
our system
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Drug dealer crime – robbing a drug dealer
Date rape
Way people think others should react
Mass media – role models
Homicide rates vs. medical services
Court overload and its effect
Sociological perspective
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Will continue to dominate the field of
criminology
Its dominance is rooted in the fact that
crime – regardless of all the causative
nuances that may be identified in its
development – occurs within the context
of the social world.
The primary significance of crime and of
criminal behavior is fundamentally social in
nature, and any control over crime must
stem from effective social policy.
PATTERNS OF CRIME
CHAPTER 2
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Wesley “Pop” Honeywood, page 36
Why is Pop’s story a statistical anomaly?
People 65 and older commit fewer than
1% of all crimes
Demographics – the characteristics of
population groups, usually expressed in
statistical fashion.
Quetelet and Guerry
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Crime stats – one of the first investigators
was Andre Michel Guerry (1802-1866)
who calculated per capita crime rates
throughout various French provinces in
the early 1800s.
Assessing the degree to which crime rates
vary with climate, sex and age was
Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1864) a Belgian
astronomer and mathematician.
Statistical school
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Criminologist perspective with roots in the
early 1800s that seeks to uncover
correlations between crime rates and
other types of demographic data.
NCVS, UCR and NIBRS
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NCVS – National Crime Victimization Survey – a
survey conducted annually by the Bureau of
Justice Statistics that provides data on surveyed
households that report they were affected by
crime.
UCR – Uniform Crime Reporting Program – A
Federal Bureau of Investigation summation of
crime statistics tallied annually and consisting
primarily of data on crimes reported to the
police and on arrests.
NIBRS – National Incident-Based Reporting
System – A new and enhanced statistical
reporting system that will collect data on each
single incident and arrest within 22 crime
categories.
UCR Program
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Part 1 Offenses – the crimes of murder,
rape, robbery, aggravated assault,
burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft,
as defined under the FBI’s Uniform Crime
Reporting Program.
UCR 2007 Stats
Violent
Murder
Rape
Robbery
Assault
Property
23
3
1
0
19
173 69 85 19
Houston 12
3
0
2
7
477
100
319
58
Jefferson
577 3
48
221 285
5,320
1,844
2,932
544
Montg.
66
0
4
16
46
719
219
426
74
Coffee
16
0
0
2
14
163 72 89 2
Dale
34
0
5
2
27
127 38 88 1
Pike
7
0
1
0
6
98
Geneva
Burg
Theft
Veh
46 50 2
Arson
30
Newton man sentenced to 42
years for murder
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Darrin Keith
Johnson
2007 murder that
missed the stats
Dale County
Jail awaiting
transport to
prison
Sep 25 2008 12:00AM By Special to the Sun-Courier
Judge P.B. McLaughlin sentenced Darrin Keith Johnson of Newton to 42
years last Thursday for the stabbing death of his wife on Christmas Eve
2007.
Johnson admitted to stabbing Allison Fuller Johnson multiple times in the
chest and neck. He pled guilty to the charge on Aug. 18.
During the sentencing hearing at the Dale County Courthouse in Ozark,
District Attorney Kirke Adams argued for a stiff sentence in light of the
violent nature of the crime and because the Johnsons' 5-year-old child
witnessed the murder.
William White, Johnson's attorney, asked for a 20-year sentence and
leniency.
Testimony at the hearing included the 911 tape, divorce documents and
crime scene photos. McLaughlin gave Johnson credit for pleading guilty
and for not having any prior felonies, but noted that his wife had a life
expectancy of another 42 years at the time of her death.
"The family and I feel that justice was served, especially since the
Department of Corrections considers a sentence of 30 years to be equal to
life. Johnson received a greater sentence," Adams said. "It is a shame that
Johnson's actions did not meet the legal requirements for capital murder,
and therefore, he will be eligible to be released one day. I will make sure
that I attend the parole hearing with the family to protest his release
every time he becomes eligible."
Alabama law provides inmates with a first parole hearing within one-third
of their sentence or 10 years which ever is less, therefore, Johnson will be
eligible for parole in 10 years.
More Definitions . . .
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Clearance rate – the proportion of
reported or discovered crimes within a
given offense category that are solved
(has nothing to do with successful in-court
prosecutions)
Dark figure of crime – the numerical total
of unreported crimes that are not reflected
in official crime statistics.
The Darkest Figure - Rape
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Some experts say that rape is the most
underreported crime in the FBI data, with four
to five times as many rapes occurring each year
as are reported. Reasons…
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Fear of perpetrator
Shame, which may carry over from traditional
attitudes about sexual behavior and a woman’s role in
sexual encounters
Fears the victim may have of not being believed
Fear of further participation in the justice system –
testify – cross-examination and public scrutiny
Ozark Man found Guilty of Rape and Sexual
Abuse of Nine Year Old Child
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Morris Michael
Glasscock
A 20 year old
former stepdaughter came
and testified that
he had done the
same thing to her
when she was 9
years old.
Date: 09/10/2008 It took a Dale County jury less than 10 minutes to
return a verdict of guilty on all three counts. Morris Michael Glasscock,
45, Ozark, Alabama was found guilty of two counts of sexual abuse of a
child less than 12 years old and guilty of rape of a child less than 12
years old. The sexual abuse charges are Class B felonies that carry a 2 to
20 year sentence, and the rape charge is a Class A felony that carries a
10 to 99 years or life sentence. Glasscock has been in jail since his arrest
on the rape charge and was remanded by Judge P. B. McLaughlin, Jr. until
sentencing. District Attorney Kirke Adams said the case was a team
effort. The excellent work of Harvey Mathis, Chief Investigator for the
Dale County Sheriff’s Department, the forensic interviewers from the
Child Advocacy Center (CAC) and Jennifer Bonam of DHR all contributed
to the success in the case. In addition, Adams said, “we learned a great
deal in this case about the tremendous work that is done by Flowers
Hospital’s SART/SANE program from Nurse Susan Marsh. The ability to
show the jury physical evidence of a rape goes a long way with juries in
these cases.” A prior victim of Glasscock was allowed to testify in the case
about the similar sexual abuse that she suffered at the hand of Glasscock
when she was also 9 years old. Adams said, “this Defendant ended the
innocence of this child, and I am so grateful to the jury for putting a final
end to the Defendant’s trail of victims.” The District Attorney’s Office
expects to call other victims of Glasscock at the sentencing hearing.
Sentencing to be set within the next month.
Hate Crimes
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A criminal offense in which the motive is hatred, bias, or
prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color,
religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, or sexual
orientation of another individual or group of individuals.
Hate Crime stats were mandated by the Hate Crimes Act
of 1990.
7,489 hate crime incidents reported in 2006.
52.5% motivated by racial bias, 16.4% by religious bias,
16.4% by bias based sexual orientation and 14.2% by
bias based on national origin.
The vast majority of hate crimes are not committed by
organized hate groups and their members, but by
teenagers, primarily white males, acting alone or in a
group.
NCVS
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NCVS began collecting data in 1972.
It differs from FBI-supported programs in one
especially significant way: Rather than
depending on reports of crimes to the police, the
data contained in the NCVS consist of
information elicited through interviews with
members of randomly selected households
throughout the nation.
NCVS uncovers a large number of crimes that
may not have been reported, and it is therefore
regarded by researchers as a more accurate
measure of the actual incidence of crime in the
US.
NCVS Findings
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Victims report about half of the violent
crimes and about 40% of the property
crimes that they experience to the police.
Violent crimes against females are more
likely to be reported to police than those
against males, and African American
females are the most likely of all to report
violent victimization when it occurs.
Concern about Crime
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NCVS reports decline in victimization in
recent years, but there continues to be
high concern about crime among the
public.
Factors that explain:
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A persistent media focus on strangerprecipitated violent crime and random acts of
violence and on the seemingly inability of the
criminal justice system to protect innocent
victims.
Concern about Crime, Con’t.
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A continuation of the “war on drugs” and the
ongoing publicity associated with drug arrests
The sense that crime rates are just “taking a
breather” and that they retain explosive potential,
which could manifest should American
neighborhoods drop their guard
An increased fear of terrorism and terrorismrelated crimes.
Recent evidence seems to indicate that the
decline in crime is ending, and that we may be
on the cusp of a new cycle of increased crime.
Crime in World Context
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Criminality Index – the actual extent of the
crime problem in a society. The criminality index
is computed by adding the actual crime rate and
the latent crime rates.
Latent crime rate – a rate of crime calculated on
the basis of crimes that would likely be
committed by those who are in prison or jail or
who are otherwise incapacitated by the justice
system.
Criminality index = actual crime rate + latent
crime rate
Major Crimes in U.S.
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Criminal Homicide – the illegal killing of one human
being by another.
First degree murder – criminal homicide that is
planned or involves premeditation
Second degree murder – criminal homicide that is
unplanned and that is often described as “a crime of
passion”
Negligent homicide – the act of causing the death of
another person by recklessness or gross negligence
Felony murder – a special class of criminal homicide
in which an offender may be charged with firstdegree murder when that person’s criminal activity
results in another in another person’s death.
Ariton teen to be tried in juvenile
court for Coach Horne’s death
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Dothan Eagle - Published: October 10, 2008
An Ariton teenager who authorities said failed to yield the right-of-way in
the wreck that killed Dale County High School football coach Todd Horne
will face charges in juvenile court for criminally negligent homicide.
Dale County District Attorney Kirke Adams said a grand jury decided the
boy will be tried in juvenile court after testimony from 10 witnesses.
The boy’s sentence will now be left up to a juvenile court judge, although
Adams said the state would not seek any criminal detention for the crime.
Horne died after a wreck on U.S. 231 in Ozark this summer when the 2005
GMC truck he was driving collided with the 1974 Chevrolet C10 pickup that
the boy drove off Camilla Avenue.
Ozark police said the boy failed to yield the right-of-way.
Four other coaches in Horne’s vehicle - Chad McKnight, Wesley Locke, Matt
Phillips and Drew Danner - were injured in the wreck, but neither the teen
nor the passenger in his vehicle was injured, according to initial reports.
Because he will be tried as a juvenile, the boy’s name was not released.
Murder pled to Manslaughter
Daleville SunCourier
June 25, 2008
Johnny William
Draugh
Easterling CF
Release Date:
6/7/2026
Murder stats
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17,034 murders were committed throughout the U.S. in
2006. The 2006 rate of criminal homicide was 5.7
people murdered for every 100,000 individuals in the
U.S. population.
Although African Americans make up only 13% of the
American population, they typically account for almost
50% of all people arrested for murder.
Only 12.7% of murders were committed by strangers,
and the relationship between killer and victim was
undetermined for 44% of all reported murders.
52% of all murder victims die of handgun-inflicted
injuries.
26% of all murders resulted from arguments and 16%
were the consequence of other felonious activity like
robbery, rape or arson.
Rape
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Rape (NCVS) - carnal knowledge through the use of
force or the threat of force, including attempts. Statutory
rape (w/o force) is excluded. Both heterosexual and
homosexual rape are included.
Forcible Rape (UCR/NIBRS) The carnal knowledge of a
female forcibly and against her will.
Spousal Rape – the rape of one spouse by the other.
Date Rape – unlawful forced sexual intercourse with a
woman against her will that occurs within the context of
a dating relationship.
Clarkson example page 57
Alabama: Rape 1st
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§ 13A-6-61. Rape in the first degree.

(a) A person commits the crime of rape in the first
degree if:
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(1) He or she engages in sexual intercourse with a
member of the opposite sex by forcible compulsion; or
(2) He or she engages in sexual intercourse with a
member of the opposite sex who is incapable of consent
by reason of being physically helpless or mentally
incapacitated; or
(3) He or she, being 16 years or older, engages in
sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex
who is less than 12 years old.
(b) Rape in the first degree is a Class A felony.
Alabama Definitions
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§ 13A-6-60. Definitions.
The following definitions apply in this article:
(1) SEXUAL INTERCOURSE. Such term has its ordinary meaning and occurs upon any
penetration, however slight; emission is not required.
(2) DEVIATE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE. Any act of sexual gratification between persons
not married to each other involving the sex organs of one person and the mouth or anus of
another.
(3) SEXUAL CONTACT. Any touching of the sexual or other intimate parts of a person
not married to the actor, done for the purpose of gratifying the sexual desire of either party.
(4) FEMALE. Any female person.
(5) MENTALLY DEFECTIVE. Such term means that a person suffers from a mental
disease or defect which renders him incapable of appraising the nature of his conduct.
(6) MENTALLY INCAPACITATED. Such term means that a person is rendered
temporarily incapable of appraising or controlling his conduct owing to the influence of a
narcotic or intoxicating substance administered to him without his consent, or to any other
incapacitating act committed upon him without his consent.
(7) PHYSICALLY HELPLESS. Such term means that a person is unconscious or for any
other reason is physically unable to communicate unwillingness to an act.
(8) FORCIBLE COMPULSION. Physical force that overcomes earnest resistance or a
threat, express or implied, that places a person in fear of immediate death or serious physical
injury to himself or another person.
Alabama: Rape 2nd
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§ 13A-6-62. Rape in the second degree.

(a) A person commits the crime of rape in the
second degree if:
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(1) Being 16 years old or older, he or she engages in
sexual intercourse with a member of the opposite sex
less than 16 and more than 12 years old; provided,
however, the actor is at least two years older than the
member of the opposite sex.
(2) He or she engages in sexual intercourse with a
member of the opposite sex who is incapable of consent
by reason of being mentally defective.
(b) Rape in the second degree is a Class B felony.
Alabama: Sodomy 1st

§ 13A-6-63. Sodomy in the first degree.

(a) A person commits the crime of sodomy in the
first degree if:
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(1) He engages in deviate sexual intercourse with
another person by forcible compulsion; or
(2) He engages in deviate sexual intercourse with a
person who is incapable of consent by reason of being
physically helpless or mentally incapacitated; or
(3) He, being 16 years old or older, engages in
deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is less than
12 years old.
(b) Sodomy in the first degree is a Class A felony.
Alabama: Sexual Torture
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§ 13A-6-65.1. Sexual torture.
(a) A person commits the crime of sexual torture:
(1) By penetrating the vagina or anus or mouth of another
person with an inanimate object by forcible compulsion with the
intent to sexually torture or to sexually abuse.
(2) By penetrating the vagina or anus or mouth of a person
who is incapable of consent by reason of physical helplessness or
mental incapacity with an inanimate object, with the intent to
sexually torture or to sexually abuse.
(3) By penetrating the vagina or anus or mouth of a person
who is less than 12 years old with an inanimate object, by a person
who is 16 years old or older with the intent to sexually torture or to
sexually abuse.
(b) The crime of sexual torture is a Class A felony.
Sexual Torture to Sexual Abuse
JOHN GILBERT ROGERS
Easterling CF
Release Date: 9/27/2023
Charged with 3 counts
of Sexual Torture and
one count of Sexual
Abuse 1st
Found guilty of 4 counts
of Sexual Abuse 1st
Received sentence of 10
years on each count and
sentences were run
consecutively for a total
of 40 years in prison.
Alabama: Sexual Abuse 1st

§ 13A-6-66. Sexual abuse in the first degree.

(a) A person commits the crime of sexual abuse in
the first degree if:

(1) He subjects another person to sexual contact by
forcible compulsion; or
(2) He subjects another person to sexual contact
who is incapable of consent by reason of being
physically helpless or mentally incapacitated.

(b) Sexual abuse in the first degree is a Class C
felony.

Alabama: Sexual Abuse – Child
Under 12
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§ 13A-6-69.1. Sexual abuse of a child less than
12 years old.
(a) A person commits the crime of sexual
abuse of a child less than 12 years old if he or
she, being 16 years old or older, subjects
another person who is less than 12 years old to
sexual contact.
(b) Sexual abuse of a child less than 12
years old is a Class B felony.
Sexual Abuse 1st – 4 year old
Darrell Snellgrove
63 year old day care
owner – convicted of
Sexual Abuse 1st of 4
year old child.
Sentenced to 6 years in
prison, stayed out on
bond until appeal
affirmed and then died
the day before he was
to report to prison.
Snellgrove, Darrell
Franklin - Mr. Darrell
Franklin Snellgrove of Ariton
died Wednesday, Dec. 27,
2007, at his home. He was
64. Funeral services will be
held Friday, Dec. 28…
Alabama: No Parole –
Child under 12
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§ 15-22-27.3. Parole of persons convicted
of sex offense involving a child.
Any person convicted of a criminal sex
offense involving a child as defined in >
subdivision (5) of Section 15-20-21 which
constitutes a Class A or B felony shall not
be eligible for parole.
31 Years for Rape of 11 year old
Walter Brad Jackson
Ventress CF
Release Date:
5/20/39
Rape stats
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UCR/NIBRS statistics on rape include both
forcible rape and attempted forcible rape.
In 2006, 92,455 rapes were reported.
61 per 100,000 for women in large cities
49 per 100,000 for women in rural
counties
The hot summer months generally show
the highest rate of reported forcible rape.
NCVS Rape stats
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NCVS paint a different picture
272,350 rapes and sexual assaults occurred in 2006
220 per 100,000 females ages 12 and older
The NCVS reports the rapes by strangers are almost
twice as common as those by nonstrangers.
Study showed that the rape of young girls is alarmingly
commonplace. When young women and girls are raped,
however, the crimes often go unreported because they
frequently involve family members or friends.
Girls under 18 make up 25% of the U.S. female
population, but they account for 51% of all rape victims
Robbery
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Robbery (UCR/NIBRS) – the taking of or
attempting to take anything of value from the
care, custody, or control of a person or persons
by force of threat of force or violence or by
putting the victim in fear.
Stats - Robberies occur most frequently in
December
Est. losses – 2006 - $567 million
Many victims suffer serious personal injury
Nearly 2/3’s of all people apprehended for
robbery were under 25 years of age
NCVS survey data reveal that only 59.9% of all
robberies are reported to police
Alabama: Robbery 1st

§ 13A-8-41. Robbery in the first degree.
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(a) A person commits the crime of robbery in the first degree if he
violates > Section 13A-8-43 and he:
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(1) Is armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument; or
(2) Causes serious physical injury to another.
(b) Possession then and there of an article used or fashioned in a
manner to lead any person who is present reasonably to believe it to be a
deadly weapon or dangerous instrument, or any verbal or other
representation by the defendant that he is then and there so armed, is
prima facie evidence under subsection (a) of this section that he was so
armed.
(c) Robbery in the first degree is a Class A felony.
Alabama: Robbery 2nd
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§ 13A-8-42. Robbery in the second degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of robbery
in the second degree if he violates > Section
13A-8-43 and he is aided by another person
actually present.
(b) Robbery in the second degree is a Class
B felony.
Alabama: Robbery 3rd
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§ 13A-8-43. Robbery in the third degree.
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(a) A person commits the crime of robbery in the
third degree if in the course of committing a theft he:
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(1) Uses force against the person of the owner or
any person present with intent to overcome his physical
resistance or physical power of resistance; or
(2) Threatens the imminent use of force against the
person of the owner or any person present with intent to
compel acquiescence to the taking of or escaping with
the property.
(b) Robbery in the third degree is a Class C felony.
ASSAULT
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Aggravated assault (UCR/NIBRS) – an
unlawful attack by one person upon
another for the purpose of inflicting severe
or aggravated bodily injury.
Simple assault (NCVS) – an attack without
a weapon resulting either in minor injury
or in undetermined injury requiring less
than two days of hospitalization.
Alabama: 1st Degree Assault
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§ 13A-6-20. Assault in the first degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of assault in the first degree if:
(1) With intent to cause serious physical injury to another person, he causes serious
physical injury to any person by means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument; or
(2) With intent to disfigure another person seriously and permanently, or to destroy,
amputate or disable permanently a member or organ of his body, he causes such an injury to any
person; or
(3) Under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life, he
recklessly engages in conduct which creates a grave risk of death to another person, and thereby
causes serious physical injury to any person; or
(4) In the course of and in furtherance of the commission or attempted commission of
arson in the first degree, burglary in the first or second degree, escape in the first degree,
kidnapping in the first degree, rape in the first degree, robbery in any degree, sodomy in the first
degree or any other felony clearly dangerous to human life, or of immediate flight therefrom, he
causes a serious physical injury to another person; or
(5) While driving under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance or any
combination thereof in violation of > Section 32-5A-191 he causes serious bodily injury to the
person of another with a motor vehicle.
(b) Assault in the first degree is a Class B felony.
Alabama: Assault 2nd Degree
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§ 13A-6-21. Assault in the second degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of assault in the second degree if the person does any of the following:
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person.
(1) With intent to cause serious physical injury to another person, he or she causes serious physical injury to any
(2) With intent to cause physical injury to another person, he or she causes physical injury to any person by
means of a deadly weapon or a dangerous instrument.
(3) He or she recklessly causes serious physical injury to another person by means of a deadly weapon or a
dangerous instrument.
(4) With intent to prevent a peace officer, as defined in > Section 36-21-60, or emergency medical personnel or a
firefighter from performing a lawful duty, he or she intends to cause physical injury and he or she causes physical injury to
any person.
(5) With intent to cause physical injury to a teacher or to an employee of a public educational institution during or
as a result of the performance of his or her duty, he or she causes physical injury to any person.
(6) With intent to cause physical injury to a health care worker, including a nurse, physician, technician, or any
other person employed by or practicing at a hospital as defined in > Section 22-21-20; a county or district health
department; a long-term care facility; or a physician's office, clinic, or outpatient treatment facility during the course of or
as a result of the performance of the duties of the health care worker or other person employed by or practicing at the
hospital; the county or district health department; any health care facility owned or operated by the State of Alabama;
the long-term care facility; or the physician's office, clinic, or outpatient treatment facility; he or she causes physical
injury to any person. This subdivision shall not apply to assaults by patients who are impaired by medication or to assaults
on home health care workers while they are in private residences.
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(7) For a purpose other than lawful medical or therapeutic treatment, he or she intentionally causes stupor,
unconsciousness, or other physical or mental impairment or injury to another person by administering to him or her,
without his or her consent, a drug, substance or preparation capable of producing the intended harm.
(b) Assault in the second degree is a Class C felony.
Assault Stats
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860,853 aggravated assaults in 2006
288 for every 100,000
NCVS reported 1,354,750 aggravated assaults
Which is 550 fore every 100,000
Greatest number of assaults in hot summer
months
The southern states accounted for the most
aggravated assaults (43%) while the western
states provided 25% of the total, the
midwestern region 18% and northeastern states
14%. Assault rates were higher in the South
than elsewhere in the country.
Burglary
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By the narrowest and oldest definition, the
trespassory breaking and entering of the
dwelling house of another in the nighttime
with the intent to commit a felony. Also,
the unlawful entry of a structure to
commit a felony or a theft.
UCR/NIBRS defines it as the unlawful
entry of a structure to commit a felony or
a theft
Alabama: Burglary 1st
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§ 13A-7-5. Burglary in the first degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of burglary in the first degree if he or
she knowingly and unlawfully enters or remains unlawfully in a dwelling
with intent to commit a crime therein, and, if, in effecting entry or while in
dwelling or in immediate flight therefrom, the person or another participant
in the crime:
(1) Is armed with explosives; or
(2) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in
the crime; or
(3) In effecting entry, is armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous
instrument or, while in the dwelling or immediate flight from the dwelling,
uses or threatens the immediate use of a deadly weapon or dangerous
instrument against another person. The use of or threatened use of a
deadly weapon or dangerous instrument does not include the mere
acquisition of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument during the
burglary.
(b) Burglary in the first degree is a Class A felony.
Alabama: Burglary 2nd
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§ 13A-7-6. Burglary in the second degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of burglary in the second degree if he or she
knowingly enters or remains unlawfully in a building with intent to commit theft or a
felony therein and, if in effecting entry or while in the building or in immediate flight
therefrom, the person or another participant in the crime:
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or
(1) Is armed with explosives; or
(2) Causes physical injury to any person who is not a participant in the crime;
(3) In effecting entry, is armed with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument
or, while in the building or in immediate flight from the building, uses or threatens the
immediate use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against another person.
The use of or threatened use of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument does not
include the mere acquisition of a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument during the
burglary.
(b) In the alternative to subsection (a) of this section, a person commits the
crime of burglary in the second degree if he or she unlawfully enters a lawfully
occupied dwelling-house with intent to commit a theft or a felony therein.
(c) Burglary in the second degree is a Class B felony.
Alabama: Burglary 3rd
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§ 13A-7-7. Burglary in the third degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of burglary
in the third degree if he knowingly enters or
remains unlawfully in a building with intent to
commit a crime therein.
(b) Burglary in the third degree is a Class C
felony.
Burglary stats
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FBI reported 2,183,746 burglaries in 2006
Only 12.6% of all burglaries were cleared
in 2006
NCVS reported 3,539,760 burglaries
Larceny
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Larceny – theft (UCR/NIBRS)
The unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or
riding away of property (other than motor
vehicle) from the possession or
constructive possession of another.
Stats – 6,607,013 in 2006
2,207 per every 100,000 people
26% taken from motor vehicles
Motor Vehicle Theft
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Motor Vehicle Theft (UCR/NIBRS)
The theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle.
According to the FBI, this offense category
includes the stealing of automobiles, trucks,
buses, motorcycles, motorscooters, and
snowmobiles.
Carjacking – the stealing of a car while it is
occupied.
Stats: 1,192,809 stolen in 2006
August is prime month for stealing vehicles
Primarily a large city problem
Arson
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The willful or malicious burning or attempt
to burn, with or without intent to defraud,
of a dwelling house, public building, motor
vehicle or aircraft, personal property of
another, and so on.
Stats: in 2006, 52% of arrests involved
juveniles
Alabama: Arson 1st
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§ 13A-7-41. Arson in the first degree.
(a) A person commits the crime of arson in the first
degree if he intentionally damages a building by starting
or maintaining a fire or causing an explosion, and when:
(1) Another person is present in such building at the
time, and
(2) The actor knows that fact, or the circumstances
are such as to render the presence of a person therein a
reasonable possibility.
(b) Arson in the first degree is a Class A felony.
Arson in Alabama does not include vehicles.
Alabama: Arson 2nd
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§ 13A-7-42. Arson in the second degree.
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(a) A person commits the crime of arson in the second degree if he intentionally
damages a building by starting or maintaining a fire or causing an explosion.
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(b) A person does not commit a crime under subsection (a) if:
(1) No person other than himself has a possessory or proprietary interest in the
building damaged; or if other persons have those interests, all of them consented to his
conduct; and
(2) His sole intent was to destroy or damage the building for a lawful and proper
purpose.
(c) The burden of injecting the issue of justification in subsection (b) is on the
defendant, but this does not shift the burden of proof.
(d) A person commits the crime of arson in the second degree if he intentionally
starts or maintains a fire or causes an explosion which damages property in a detention
facility or a penal facility, as defined in > Section 13A-10-30, with reckless disregard
(because of the nature or extent of the damage caused or which would have been
caused but for the intervention of others) for the safety of others.
(e) Arson in the second degree is a Class B felony.
Part II Offenses
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Less serious offenses as identified by the
FBI for the purpose of reporting arrest
data
Table 2-3 list felonies in Alabama:
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Forgery and counterfeiting
Sex offenses (statutory rape)
Drug law violations
DUI after 3rd time within 5 years
Others are called misdemeanors in AL
Important Stats
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Page 68 – Dark figure of crime
Reasons victims have for not reporting
crime
Correlation – a causal, complementary, or
reciprocal relationship between two
measurable variables.
Age and Crime – criminal activity more
with youth than with any other stage of
life.
More Stats
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Page 74 – Gender and Crime
Crime committed by 90% men and 10% of
women
The apparently low rate of female criminality has
been explained by some as primarily due to
cultural factors, including early socialization, role
expectations, and a reluctance among criminal
justice officials to arrest and prosecute women.
Study on Adolescent Motherhood and Crime p.
75
Race and Crime – page 76 –
Social Class and Crime – page 80

Although it would be grossly unfair to
conclude that all, or even most, members
of lower social classes are criminals,
careful statistical analysis or available
information appears to show that street
crimes, including crimes of violence, theft,
and drug abuse, are more likely to be
perpetrated by individuals with low
socioeconomic status.
Next Week
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Chapter 3: Research Methods & Theory
Development
Chapter 4: Classical & Neo-Classical
thought