Using the crime statistics from the FBI’s UCR, select a city in the United States whose crime stats are available. Then, select three crimes prevalent in the city and discuss their crime rates. In addition, answer the following questions:
What do you think accounts for these crime?
How can the city reduce these incidents of crime?
Discuss the reasons why victims often do not report the crime to the police.
Does the data show the same patterns for violent crimes and property crimes? What could be the possible reasons for this? According to NCVS data, older, white people tend to be more fearful of violent crime victimization. According to your analysis of violent crime victimization rates, what is the basis of their fear? Which segment of the population suffers more violent crime victimization? Does this segment feel as fearful of such victimization as older people? What might be the reasons for this?
There is a long-standing stereotype that the poor and minorities are the sources of the majority of crime problems in the United States. Lately, however, there is considerable debate regarding this view, and more broadly, regarding the relationship between social class and crime.
Discuss how each of the following could impact the disproportion between crime across different racial and income groups:
Police dispersion in poor and minority areas.
The focus of police on blue-collar crime.
The outward (on the street) nature of crime in poor areas.
The hidden nature of white-collar crime.