The Nature and Extent of Crime in Canada

The Nature and Extent

of Crime in Canada

CHAPTER OVERVIEW

This chapter delves into explaining the complexities of identifying, processing, and counting crime in Canada. The five major types of crime are explained and report rates for each are identified. Although crime impacts all of us both directly and indirectly, most of the public’s attention is focused on street crimes such as violent offences and property offences. This is problematic, as less consideration has been paid to the crimes of the powerful (and these crimes need to be taken more seriously).

The chapter identifies three different ways to determine how much crime exists in Canada: the rate of crime per 100,000 residents, the crime severity index, and victimization surveys. Although all three methods allow us to make nationwide crime comparisons, they all have limitations. When these three methods are used in conjunction with each other, a more accurate picture of the crime problem is painted (although we must keep in mind that our knowledge of crime is incomplete at best). The chapter focuses on the importance of working towards a better understanding of crime as the more that we know about the seriousness of the crime problem, the more effective we can be at developing crime reduction strategies.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

In this chapter, the student should be able to:  Identify the five major types of crime (crimes against the person, property crimes, crimes against the powerful, organized crime and gangs and, antisocial behavior).  Describe how crime impacts all of our lives.  Recognize the need to pay attention to street crimes and crimes of the powerful.  Identify the three measures used to determine how much crime there is in Canada.  State the limitations of the three measures of crime.

Exploring Criminal Justice in Canada © Oxford University Press, 2017  Identify why crime is not always reported.  State why our knowledge of crime is incomplete at best.

KEY TERMS

Assault: A crime of violence that can range from a relatively minor act (level 1) to a serious crime resulting in severe bodily harm (level 3) (p. 34). Break and enter: When an individual breaks into a residence or business, usually with the intent to steal items (p. 34). Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics (CCJS): An organization operated by Statistics Canada that produces reports on crime, offenders, victims, and the operations of the justice system (p. 31). Crime Severity Index (CSI): A measure of the volume and seriousness of crime that is based on all Criminal Code and federal statute offences reported to the police (p. 43). Crimes against humanity: Violent acts and persecution of a civilian population that are committed as part of a systematic attack (p. 38). Criminal negligence: A criminal act that has reckless disregard for the lives or safety of other per- sons (p. 32). Critical criminologists: Scholars who analyze crime and argue that justice systems were designed to maintain class relationships (p. 38). Dark figure of crime: The difference between the amount of crime that occurs and the amount of crime that is reported to the police (p. 45). First-degree murder: A planned and deliberate act that results in death (p. 32). Genocide: The systematic killing of a population, such as an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group (p. 38). Homicide: When someone causes the death of another person (p. 32). Identity theft: When an individual obtains another person’s information in order to commit offences such as fraud or forgery (p. 36). Motor vehicle theft: The theft or attempted theft of a land-based motorized vehicle without the owner’s permission (p. 36). Non-violent Crime Severity Index: A measure that considers all crimes that are not included in the violent CSI category (p. 43). Occupational crimes: Offences that are committed by individuals for their own benefit in the course of their employment (p. 36). Organizational crimes: Offences committed by employees of legitimate businesses that are in- tended to increase profits or otherwise benefit the organization (p. 37). Price-fixing: When business owners engage in a conspiracy to reduce competition or to keep prices of a product or service artificially high (p. 38). Robbery: An act of theft that also involves violence or the threat of violence (p. 34).

Exploring Criminal Justice in Canada © Oxford University Press, 2017 Second-degree murder: A deliberate but unplanned act of violence that results in death (p. 32). Self-report surveys: A type of survey where respondents answer questions about their attitudes, beliefs, or experiences, including being an offender or crime victim (p. 47). Sexual assault: An assault of a sexual nature, including assaults committed by individuals of the same sex or assaults committed against one’s spouse (p. 34). Street crimes: Violent, property, and public order offences that are contrasted against crimes of the powerful (such as white-collar crimes) (p. 36). Theft: Taking another person’s possessions without his or her consent (p. 36). Unlawful act: An act that is not authorized or justified by law (p. 32). Violent Crime Severity Index: A measure of the volume and seriousness of all violent offences that includes all three levels of assault, robbery, sexual assault, homicide, uttering threats, forcible confinement/ kidnapping, attempted murder, and criminal harassment (p. 43). White-collar crimes: Nonviolent crimes that are committed for monetary gain and include acts of corruption (p. 36). White-collar criminals: Offenders who engage in financially motivated, non-violent crimes (p. 30). Youth Crime Severity Index: A measure of the volume and seriousness of all crimes committed by offenders between 12 and 17 years of age (p. 43).