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Lauer: Social Problems and the Quality of Life
Social Problems and the Quality of Life, 8/e
Robert H. Lauer, U.S. International University
Jeanette C. Lauer, U.S. International University
Crime and Delinquency

Internet Exercise

  1. Visit the Bureau of Justice Statistics Web site. (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs) There is a storehouse of data on crime rates available at this site. Click on "Crimes and Victims." Under "Summary Findings," click on the two graphs and examine the data for both violent and property crimes over the last few years. These data are based on the National Crime Victimization Survey. Examine the way the NCVS is constructed. Next, return to the home page and explore the data under "Homicide trends." Notice that they are considered an index of violent crime in general.
    1. Given that major index crimes like homicide are declining, why do you suppose our prison population is growing at a rapid rate?

      2. Again from the home page, select "Crime and Justice data from other sources." Under "Crime and justice data," select "The Federal Bureau of Investigation." From this location, under "National Incident-Based Reporting System" (NIBRS), select "Victims and Offenders: a New UCR Supplement..." to access an article through Acrobat Reader entitled "Victims and Offenders: New UCR Supplement to Present Incident-Based Data from Participating Agencies." The article is by Roland Chitton and others.

    2. What factors complicate the gathering of NIBRS data?
    3. Why is the Victims and Offenders supplement considered a useful adjunct to the present NIBRS data-gathering system?
  2. A new form of criminal behavior has accompanied our increasing reliance on credit cards and automated teller machines. Go to the Study Web: Criminology Website. (http://www.studyweb.com/criminal/toc.htm) Under "Social Science," select "Criminal Justice" and then "Crime Prevention and Enforcement." From the resulting screen, select "Identity Theft & Fraud." On this new page, select "Better Business Bureau: Practical Pointers: Consumer Identity Fraud." Study the short presentation carefully. It applies to you.
    1. In protecting yourself against identity fraud, what is the importance of guarding your Social Security number?
    2. What are some wise precautions to take when using an ATM?
    3. Beyond direct theft, how might criminals gain access to your credit card account numbers and other vital personal data?








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