UNIT 2: Criminal Law & Juvenile Justice Chapter 7 Crime in America.

STREET LAW

UNIT 2: Criminal Law & Juvenile Justice

Chapter 7

Crime in America

A crime is the violation of a law established to protect people & maintain an orderly societyPeople everywhere are affected by crime;

however, certain factors such as age, gender, & location influence the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime

Criminals in the U.S. wear many faces, from the teen who steals DVD’s from the electronics store to the career thief planning an armed bank robbery

Authorities disagree over the causes of crime & what can be done about itThey argue that poverty, unemployment, lack of

education, drug & alcohol abuse, & inadequate police protection are to blame

Some people believe that working to end these problems would lead to a decrease in crime rates

Gangs & gang activity also contribute to the problem of crimeExperts agree that combating the problems of

gangs & crime begins with outreach & intervention programs to prevent gang involvement

The Nature of Crimes  

A crime is something that a person does or fails to do that violates the lawThe government establishes penalties for such

behavior Crime rates are influenced by many factors,

although many people disagree about the causes of crime & the best solutions to the problem

In recent years, crime on high school & college campuses has become a serious problemHate crimes, violent assaults, property crime

Crime is costly—in addition to the loss of life & property, it costs the government a great amount of money to prevent, investigate, & prosecute crime

FBI Uniform Crime Reports Crime Clock

reports the frequency of crimes Crime Index

totals of violent crimes & property crimes

The National Council on Crime & Delinquency recommends alternatives to incarceration as one strategy for reducing crime

Problem 7.1 – page 75 Problem 7.2 – page 76 Problem 7.3 – page 78 Problem 7.4 – page 80 Problem 7.5 – page 81

“The Case of Weapons at School”

Gangs & Crime  

Gangs are active in towns & cities of all sizes throughout the countrySeattle HoodsEast Tacoma Gang Graffiti

Gangs expose their members & their communities to extreme violence & danger

Many youths join gangs because gangs offer a sense of belonging & an opportunity to earn moneyBeyond the Shadows: Crime in Yakima

Most people agree that a promising strategy to discourage gang membership is to provide young people with opportunities & community connections that will offer them a greater sense of belonging

Gang Risk Factors

Poverty School Failure Substance Abuse Family Dysfunction

DomesticViolence

Community Violence

PoorSelf-Esteem

Little Adult Participation

Problem 7.6 – page 84First 3 of Accused Crips Gang Members Sentenced

Prevention, Intervention & SuppressionNational Gang Center

○ National Gang Center - Chapter 6

Framework forDelinquency Prevention & Early Intervention (Page 10)

Gang Prevention & Intervention Strategies (Page 11)

Ch. 7 – Analyzing (HO)

Guns & the Law  

Most Americans who own firearms own them legally & use them lawfullyHowever, guns are often used in violent crimes

Many people disagree about the government's role in controlling gun ownership

Does the Second Amendment protect the right of individuals to own guns?

Or . . .

Does the Second Amendment give the states power to maintain a militia but does not entitle individuals to own guns?

The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the Second Amendment to mean that the state has the right to maintain a militia

The Federal Gun Control Act of 1968 is the primary federal gun-control law

Congress amended this law in 1993 by enacting the Brady Act

• Established national system to check backgrounds of persons before selling guns to them

Gun laws have also been enacted at the state & local levels

For Your Information – page 86 Problem 7.7 – page 87

Problem 7.8 – page 88Law in Action:Child Access Prevention (CAP) Laws

Substance Abuse & Crime  

Abuse of alcohol & drugs (substance abuse) contributes to many social problems & often leads to other criminal activityAlthough many adults use alcohol responsibly,

alcohol abuse can be very harmful to societyImplied Consent Law: the driver agrees to submit

to a BAC test in exchange for the privilege of driving○ WA – DUI Arrest Information & Advice

Is the best way to handle the drug problem to legalize some or all drugs?Would legalization allow the government to better

regulate drugs & eliminate the problems that are associated with illegal distribution of drugs?

Problem 7.9 – page 91 Problem 7.10 – page 92

Law in Action: Drug CourtsOffer treatment instead of punishment for

individuals who commit crimes & have problems with controlled substances

Problem 7.11 – page 93 Problem 7.12 – page 94

Law in Action: Drugs in the City

Victims of Crime  

Every person is at risk to be a victim of crimeHowever, teens & young adults are more likely

than any other age groups to be victims Victim advocacy groups [MADD] work to

protect victims by promoting the concerns & rights of victimsVictims are not a party to the criminal case & their

rights & needs are too often ignored

Problem 7.13 – page 96Figure 7.3: Violent Crime Rates

Law in Action:Victim’s Rights: Megan’s Law as AdvocacyPassed as a result of victim’s advocacy groupsRequires the registration of all convicted sex

offenders in a community

Dateline: To Catch a Predator FOX News: PA - Local Law International Megan’s Law Proposal WA Megan’s Law Website WA Assoc. of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs –

Registered Offenders

Recidivist (Repeat Offender) LawRequire long sentences—including sentences of

life in prison w/o parole—for persons who are repeatedly convicted of the same crime, even relatively minor ones

Preventing & Reporting Crime  

You can help fight crime by learning how to protect yourselfAlso, reporting crime can help to prevent others

from being victims There are many organizations & programs

that exist to assist victims of crime & prevent future crime

Law in Action – page 99Good Samaritan Laws

WA - 911 Good Samaritan Law Problem 7.14 – page 99

Ex Post Facto An ex post facto law (from the Latin for "from after the action") or

retroactive law is a law that retroactively changes the legal consequences (or status) of actions committed or relationships that existed prior to the enactment of the law – In reference to criminal law, it may criminalize actions that were legal when committed; or aggravate a crime by bringing it into a more severe category than it was in at the

time it was committed; or change or increase the punishment prescribed for a crime, such as by adding new

penalties or extending terms; or alter the rules of evidence in order to make conviction for a crime more likely than it

would have been at the time of the action for which a defendant is prosecuted Conversely, a form of ex post facto law commonly known as an amnesty law

may decriminalize certain acts or alleviate possible punishments Example: replacing the death sentence with lifelong imprisonment) retroactively