Criminal Behavior and the Law - Essay Example

? Criminal Behavior and the Law Criminal Behavior and the Law This paper seeks to explain the difference between Criminologist, Criminalist, and Forensic psychologist, as well as the differences within their respective areas of expertise. The paper will also explore the differences between white-collar and blue-collar crimes. In so doing, the essay will analyze how the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) measures the two crimes in the Uniform Crime Report (UCR). In addition, the paper will also evaluate which of the two crimes is mostly focused on in popular culture through the media. Finally, the paper will discuss the differences between index-one and index-two crimes under the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, as well as which of the two is classified under violent crime and the one classified under property crime. To begin with, criminologist and criminalists are terms more than often used interchangeably, according to Williams and McShane (2004). However, the two terms have some distinct differences that are worth noting. Williams and McShane (2004) note that criminologists deal with the study of behaviors of an individual in relation to crime, individuals who commits the crimes being studied, as well as the correctional facilities for criminals such as jails and prisons. This falls under criminology, which covers various fields of criminal justice, with emphasis on social behavior. Criminalists, on the other hand, are professionals charged with the responsibility of analysis criminal evidence at the scenes of crime such as bullets and bloodstains (Williams and McShane, 2004). They are also charged with the responsibility of recreating crimes scenes, work at crime scenes, laboratories, and courtrooms. Criminologists engage mainly in teaching and research, where they apply the knowledge to the administration and policing, study of public policy, drug addictions, correction, juvenile delinquency, correctional administration and policy, and victimology. Other areas of study include criminal ethnography, theoretical criminology and models or criminal behaviors (Williams and McShane, 2004). Criminologists also assist in analyzing psychological, sociological, and biological evidence such as finger and footprints, body fluids, and blood plaster using their skills and knowledge to establish the link between the suspect and the crime. Criminalist, on the other hand, is a professional who employs scientific techniques to identify and separate vital evidence from the scene of a crime (Williams and McShane, 2004). The evidence gathered is analyzed and interpret, establish the truth as regards the crime. Forensic psychologists are professionals who by virtue of their training apply psychology in a criminal investigation and law (Fulero and Wrightsman, 2009). Forensic psychologists play a big role in assisting fact finders or courts in arriving at a just and precise conclusion of a criminal case. They are often involved in insurance claims, custody disputes, and lawsuits, according to Fulero and Wrightsman (2009). Legal justice system uses forensic psychologists in analyzing the mental status of the accused before, during, and after the trial proceedings. For instance, criminal cases whose verdicts may be death penalty always require that before the accused is handed the sentence, a forensic psychologist is called to analyze the defendants mental status before, during and after the crime to establish whether the defendant was insane at the time of the crime or not. The analysis of mental status of the defendant in a case is important since it aids in just and accurate decision making by the jury. White-collar vs. Blue-collar crimes Crimes are committed by different classes of people. In this regard, O'Hear (2001) defines the white-collar crime as a financially motivated crime committed by respected people with high social status in society. This crime is committed by high-class individuals who have inherited or earn a lot of money at the upper level jobs such as corporate bigwigs (O'Hear, 2001). This crime is extremely technical in nature and sometime money-related such as embezzlements and cyber crimes. There are several crimes that have been grouped under this category. They include money laundering, credit card fraud, embezzlement, identity theft, forgery, hacking, and other crimes of a similar nature (O'Hear, 2001). The Federal Bureau of investigation measures this crime in the form of Uniform Crime Report (UCR). Blue-collar crime, on the other hand, is the direct opposite of the white-collar crime and is the most visible crime in society. This is a crime committed by either average working class or poor citizens (O'Hear, 2001). It ranges from robbery with violent to thievery or drug-related. In this regard, it is evident that it differs from the white-collar crimes in that whereas a white-collar crime is committed by the rich, blue-collar is committed by the average and the poor in society (O'Hear, 2001). The other striking difference is that white-collar crimes are technical but are nonviolent, whereas blue-collar crimes are mostly violent. Research indicates that blue-crimes, unlike white-collar crimes are committed due to environmental pressures, lack of hope, peer pressure, and lack of options (O'Hear, 2001). In the U.S., this crime is associated with Americans workings for a living, and those working day and night shifts to earn an income that can enable them support their families. It is also worth noting that blue-collar crimes are not measured in the form of UCR, as is the case with the white-collar crimes as noted by O'Hear (2001). Based on the differences between the two types of crime, we realize that despite the fact that blue-collar crimes are the most common in society; the contemporary media tends to focus much on white-collar crimes (O'Hear, 2001). This may be attributed to the fact that white-collar crimes are very serious since it involves enormous sums of money. In addition, the media tends to give a lot of focus on white-collar crimes since they are committed behind the scenes unlike blue-collar crimes that are committed on the street and sometimes done without any pre-calculated move (O'Hear, 2001). In fact, the media appear not to focus much on blue-collar crimes because they are too common and happen on a daily basis. This means that giving much focus on blue-collar crimes does not attract the attention of many audiences like the white-collar crimes. This is evident based on the past cases of white-collar that have attracted the attention of media both local and international, notes O'Hear (2001). The difference between Index-One Crime and an Index-Two Crime as measured in the Uniform Crime Reports of the FBI. The FBI’s UCR contains data of different crimes committed in the United States. The crimes are categorized in the UCR according to the nature of the offense committed (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). The first crime is the index-one crime, which is a crime committed against an individual (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). This crime is usually violent in nature and sometimes involves threat or harm to an individual. There are quite a number of crimes categorized and index-one crimes. They include murder, criminal sexual assault, robbery with violence and aggravated assault and battery. Murder in this case is grouped under index-one crime because it involves the deliberate killing on an individual violently (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). Murder also falls under the criminal homicide, which include acts such as manslaughter by negligence, and any form of unjustifiable homicide. Index-two crimes, on the other hand, are crimes committed without the use of force or harm to an individual. In other words, this type of crime is commonly referred to as property crime. The crimes under this category include theft, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and arson just to name but a few (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). All these forms of crimes are committed without involvement of violence to a person. At the same time, they are committed without causing harm to the victim. Based on the description of the two crimes, it becomes apparent that index-one crimes under the UCR will fall under violent crime. This is because it is committed using force against a person (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). In fact, index-one crime may result in injuries to the person whom the crime is committed against, which may sometimes result in death. As earlier indicated, murder is one form of index-one crime. However, people who commit murder tend to use a lot of force and violence such as struggling, shooting, or hacking (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). All these are violent means making index-one crime fit well under violent crimes. Index-two crime, on the other hand, will be grouped under property crime. As earlier indicated, index-two crimes are a crime, which is nonviolent and does not involve threat or harm to an individual (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). Based on this definition, it becomes apparent that this type of crime will fits well under property crime. Arson, for example, is one form of index-two crime. Arsonists, in most cases, targets just property that they indent to burn without threatening or harming the owner of the property (Gaston County Police Department, 2005). The same applies to motor vehicle thefts, whose main aim is just to steal the car without causing any harm to the victim. This certainly makes index-two crimes to be categorized under property crime. References Fulero, S.M., Wrightsman, L.S. (2009). Forensic psychology. Manson, OH: Cengage Learning. Gaston County Police Department (2005). Gaston county police 2005 annual report. P. 1-52. O'Hear, M. H. (2001). Blue-collar crimes/white-collar criminals: sentencing elite athletes who commit violent crimes. Marquette Sports Law Review. Volume 12, Issue 1. P.427-447. Williams, F.P., & McShane, M. D. (2004). Criminological theory (5th edn). 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