Crim 1301 - Crime Measure Paper

Crime Measure Assignment

Helen M. Nguyen

CRIM 1301 Spring 2018

        The Uniform Crime Report (UCR) consists of eight Index 1 crimes that are covered. The report thus contains murder and nonnegligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, larceny-theft and arson. Murder is the unlawful killing of one human being by another. Rape is the carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. Robbery is the taking or attempted taking of anything of value from the care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and or by putting the victim in fear. An unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury is aggravated assault. Burglary is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft.  Motor vehicle theft is the theft or attempted theft of a motor vehicle. Larceny-theft is the unlawful taking, carrying, leading, or riding away of property from the possession or constructive possession of another. Arson is any willful or malicious burning or attempt to burn, with or without intent to defraud, a dwelling house, public building, motor vehicle or aircraft, personal property of another, etc.

        As seen from Table 1A from the FBI: UCR 2016 report for Crime in the United States, the rate of property crimes per 100 inhabitants in the US have decreased overall when comparing the 2015 and 2016 years. Though arson cannot accurately be compared due to its lack of inclusion in the UCR 2015 data report and motor vehicle theft has increased by +6.6 compared to the other property crime rates that have decreased from 2015 to 2016. On the other hand, however, the rate of violent crimes has increased. Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter especially increases by a significant amount of +7.9 compared to the other increases of violent crimes ranging approximately around +3-4.

        Comparing the city of Dallas, Texas to Richardson, Texas, overall there is a large disparity between the two in terms of violent and property crime rates when observing data from the 2015 and 2016 FBI: UCR Crime Report. In regard to all the eight Index 1 crimes, Dallas’s crime rates are much higher in both violent and property crimes. There is especially a large difference between the rates of violent crimes versus that of property crimes, a troubling reveal.

        Several factors contribute to Dallas having higher rates of crime overall however. One of the factors revolve around the social structure of Dallas in comparison to Richardson. Cities will generally have higher rates of poverty, inequality, and racism. Reasons include density of the population and urban/rural considerations as well. Dallas is considered a city whereas Richardson is generally seen as a suburban area so though not rural, there is still a large difference in the structures and crime rates between suburban and urban/city areas.  According to the social structure theory, income inequality and poverty equal to high crime rates. This applies to the US and abroad as well. Thus, by this theory, Dallas’s smaller economic resources per person results in less health care support, underemployment, higher rates of high school dropouts, poorer opportunities for higher education, and greater despair. All these factors result in higher crime rates as opportunities to create a better living decrease, people become more desperate in being able to survive and live a lifestyle they wish to have or maintain. Furthermore, kids living in less than optimal economic environments are more likely to develop antisocial skills and are more likely to be exposed to violent acts.