Chapter 4
Crime and Violence
Key Terms

transnational crime
Offenses whose inception,
prevention, and/or direct or
indirect effects involve more than
one country.

crime
A violation of a federal, state, or
local criminal law.

crime rate
Number of crimes per 100,000
population.

clearance rates
Measure the percentage of cases
in which an arrest and official
charge have been made and
turned over to the courts.

strain theory
When legitimate means of
acquiring culturally defined goals
are limited by the structure of
society, the resulting strain may
lead to crime.

subcultural theory
Certain groups or subcultures in
society have values and attitudes
that are conducive to crime and
violence.

control theory
Bond between individuals and
society constrains some individuals
from violating social norms.

labeling theory
Being labeled as deviant often
leads to further deviant behavior.

differential association
Through interaction with others,
individuals learn the values and
attitudes associated with crime as
well as the techniques and
motivations for criminal behavior.

index offenses
The most serious crimes in the
U.S.

acquaintance rape
Rape committed by someone the
victim knows.

classic rape
Rapist was a stranger who used a
weapon and the attack resulted in
serious bodily injury.

victimless crime
Illegal activities that have no
complaining party.

organized crime
Criminal activity conducted by
members of a hierarchically
arranged structure devoted
primarily to making money
through illegal means.

white-collar crime
Crimes committed in course of
employment or by corporations in
the interest of maximizing profit.

corporate violence
The production of unsafe products
and failure of corporations to
provide safe working environment
for employees.

computer crime
Any law violation in which a
computer is the target or means of
criminal activity.

racial profiling
Targeting suspects based on race
status.

deterrence
The use of harm or threat of harm
to prevent unwanted behaviors.

rehabilitation
Helping offenders rehabilitate
using education and job training,
individual and group therapy,
substance abuse counseling, and
behavior modification.

incapacitation
Putting offender in prison.

Brady Bill
Passed in 1993, requires 5-day
waiting period on handgun
purchases so sellers can do a
background check on the buyer.

restorative justice
A philosophy primarily concerned
with repairing the victim-offendercommunity relation, a direct
response to the concerns of an
adversarial criminal justice system
that encourages offenders to deny,
justify, or otherwise avoid taking
responsibility for their actions.