First Crime Types' Reports: Chapters 2 & 3

Let me begin by applauding the efforts of the Green and Blue Families to present some of the key points in Chapters 2 & 3. Those who gave their reports yesterday have earned the 5 activity points for this exercise. But please remember that your work is not done just yet. Someone from each family needs to submit TWO SHORT-ANSWER QUESTIONS (AND ANSWERS) based on the information in the reports you gave yesterday. These questions will be considered for inclusion on the final exam. Instead of posting these questions on the blog, you may simply write them out on a sheet of paper and turn them into me sometime by the end of next week when we will be wrapping these reports up. After I get all these questions, I will make my selections and then post them on the blog.

I realize that trying summarize these chapters in a mere 30 minutes or so is not easy to do, nonetheless, I would like to make some general critical remarks about the presentations yesterday, which I hope those presenting this coming week may take to heart.

***Both families had reports that went into too much unnecessary detail, particularly in the reports on some of the articles. Think about what the message of the article is IN GENERAL and perhaps cite a few key passages, but do NOT get tangled up in all the detail such as presenting many stages of this or that, etc.. I believe a fair number of articles get into too much nit-picky detail about motivations, stages, etc..

***Be sensitive to your fellow family members and try not to put them in a bind by taking up much more time than your should have.

***Although a couple of you did some of this, I'd like to see more of an effort to make connections with some of the theories or concepts we've covered in class. As one person did note, there was an obvious connection with Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization," which itself is related to Social Learning theory. (Also, remember how I opened my remarks on Chapter 6.)


What follows are some specific follow-up remarks on the first two reports. Keep in mind that what I present here (along with follow-up remarks on subsequent reports) may be the basis for questions on the final exam.

Chapter 2: Homicide and Assault

A. Dabney reminds us that most homicides start out as assaults (not with death as the intended result), but then they escalate, and access to a weapon, especially a gun, can make it much more likely that a homicide will occur. (p. 14) Certainly, this was a major point in the first article which was reported on in depth.

B. He runs through statistics using NCVS for assaults and UCR for homicide. Both show recent declines, especially for homicide,(about 15-20,000 per year, only 1-2% of all violent crimes).

1. There is a distinct urban connection (suggesting possible relevance of social disorganization theory). (p. 17)

2. Violent crime rate sets the U.S. apart from the rest of the developed world (with the exception of Australia and its much higher assault rate). (pp. 17-18)

3. There is a strong guns/drug trade connection with homicide (65% involved a gun, and 80% of that, a handgun).

C. One-half of all murder and/or assault victims are known or related to the attacker. Also, homicide and assault tend to be INTRA-age and INTRA-racial. The perpetrators are predominantly male - 87.9% of known homicide offenders. There is a very high homicide rate among African American males -- "black males between the ages of 18 and 24 make up 1.1% of the U.S. population but accounted for a staggering 26% of all known homicide offenders and 13% of all homicide victims in 2000." (p. 21)

D. There is a very high RECIDIVISM rate among these violent criminals. (p. 22)

E. Dabney directly challenges the innate, biological explanation for violence. (p. 23)

F. Under "cognitive aspects," he recognizes the significant role of alcohol and drugs. "The volativity of these situations is exacerbated by the fact that most violent combatants commit their crimes while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol." (p. 23)

G. Dabney sees a role for "normative neutralizations." (Sykes and Matza) (p. 25)

H. He also recognizes the role of a "subculture of violence," such as violent media images. (p. 25) I will hand out a critical commentary on this claim in class on Tuesday -- look for that.


#1 "Criminal Homicide as a Situated Transaction"

A. Class report went into great detail on this. I believe most significant about this are a couple of implications: (1) clearly, avoiding a homicide could be accomplished by either side (or the audience) in an altercation backing down and disengaging; and (2) the availability of a weapon makes homicide that much more likely.

#2 "Becoming a Hitman"

A. This directly applies Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization," to being a professional hitman. (see. p. 39, also 40, 41, 42) It deals mainly with the mind states of a hitman, how he defines his victims as "targets". Perhaps, by getting such a person to realize his victims are human beings might be a way of trying to change such an individual.

#3 "Collective and Normative Features of Gang Violence"

A. Stresses the centrality of violence to gangs -- for "protection", also for opportunities to engage in violence. Violence appears to be "functional" for the gang - promotes cohesion.

1. Surprisingly, gang members said that the way to get rid of gangs is to get rid of them. Clearly, a simplistic solution, which reflects how central violence is to their lives, that they can only see violence as a solution.

#4 "Motivation for Gun Possession and Carrying Among Serious Juvenile Offenders"

A. I would just stress an important point made in the conclusion. (last two sentences on p. 67)

#5 "How Women Experience Battering: The Process of Victimization"

A. Interesting and relevant application of Sykes and Matza's "techinques of neutralization" to the victim, as was mentioned in the report. (see mid. p. 71 for overview).


That's all for now. I'll comment on Chapter 3 on Monday.