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Chapter 2
MEASURING AND EXPLAINING CRIME
25
Criminal Justice
Undergraduate 1
04/02/2012

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Term
Uniform Crime Report
Definition
An annual report compiled by the FBI to give an indication of criminal activity in the United States
Term
Part I offenses
Definition
Selected serious crimes reported annually by the FBI in its Uniform Crime Report.
Term
Part II offenses
Definition
All crimes recorded by the FBI that do not fall into the category of Part I offenses. They include both misdemeanors and felonies
Term
victim survey
Definition
A method of gathering crime data that directly surveys participants to determine their experiences as victims of crime
Term
dark figure of crime
Definition
A term used to describe the actual amount of crime that takes place, as opposed to the amount reported
Term
self-reported surveys
Definition
A method of gathering crime data that relies on participants to reveal and detail their own criminal or delinquent behavior
Term
criminology
Definition
The scientific study of crime and the causes of criminal behavior
Term
criminologist
Definition
A specialist in the field of crime and the causes of criminal behavior
Term
theory
Definition
An explanation of a happening or circumstance, that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning
Term
hypothesis
Definition
A possible explanation for an observed occurrence that can be tested by further investigation
Term
choice theory
Definition
A school of criminology that holds that wrongdoers act as if they weigh the possible benefits of criminal or delinquent activity against the expected costs of being apprehended.
Term
biology
Definition
The science of living organisms, including their structure, growth, function, and origin.
Term
psychology
Definition
The scientific study of mental processes and behavior
Term
hormone
Definition
A chemical substance, produced in tissue and conveyed in the bloodstream, that controls certain cellular and bodily functions such as growth and reproduction
Term
testosterone
Definition
The hormone primarily responsible for the production of sperm and the development of male secondary sex characteristics
Term
neurotransmitter
Definition
A chemical that transmits nerve impulses between nerve cells and from nerve cells to the brain.
Term
social disorganization theory
Definition
The theory that deviant behavior is more likely in communities where social institutions such as the family, schools, and the criminal justice system fail to exert control over the population
Term
social process theories
Definition
A group of theories that consider criminal behavior to be the predictable result of a person’s interaction with his or her environment
Term
learning theory
Definition
The hypothesis that delinquents and criminals must be taught both the practical and emotional skills necessary to partake in illegal activity
Term
labeling theory
Definition
The hypothesis that society creates crime and criminals by labeling certain behavior and certain people as deviant
Term
social conflict theories
Definition
A group of theories that view criminal behavior as the result of class conflict.
Term
victimology
Definition
A school of criminology that studies why certain people are the victims of crimes and the optimal role for victims in the criminal justice system
Term
repeat victimization
Definition
) The theory that certain people and places are more likely to be subject to criminal activity because of past victimization
Term
drug abuse
Definition
Drug use that results in physical or psychological problems for the user or third parties.
Term
chronic offender
Definition
A delinquent or criminal who commits multiple offenses and is considered part of a small group of wrongdoers who are responsible for a majority of the antisocial activity in any given community.
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