Criminological Theory - Assignment Example

CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORY Answer 1A In his book, Riemann has an in-depth analysis on police arrests on different crimes committed. He takes note that there is a greater possibility of individuals who are in the lower bracket of income to be arrested for petty crime in comparison to their counterparts in the higher income brackets. It is notable that numerous studies and research has indicated that there is a bias in the arrest rate of individuals in the lower brackets. A large percentage of individuals in this bracket have a criminal record at a particular point in their lives. The author cites that is easier of an individual in the lower income bracket to be arrested over petty crime such as shoplifting or non-aggravated assault. He cites several reasons towards this. The most prominent cause of the high levels of arrest amount individuals in this bracket is the weeding out of wealthy individuals. This means that police tend not to put a critical focus on crimes that are committed by individuals who have some form of financial ability (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). This has led to the profiling of such individuals as individuals with potential of committing crime. The police profiling is based on the theory of comparing the magnitude of the crime and the levels of income earned. Therefore, when an individual in the middle-income brackets commits a petty crime may walk away with just but a mere warning without arrest. In addition to profiling of the individuals, the author puts out an argument in the road toward prison. He acknowledges that the police regularly investigate individuals who have the least levels of political and economic clout (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). Therefore, a case on a petty crime such as non-aggravated assault and shoplifting may quickly go cold if the key suspect of a crime if the person has any potential or significant political or economic influence. Therefore leaving the individuals in the lower end if the income bracket most vulnerable to arrest Answer 1 B Notable is the high conviction rates of individuals in the lower income bracket than in the higher bracket. According to Reidman, the topic of guilt or not guilty is highly affected by the individual’s ability to secure funds that are necessary for acquiring legal counsel or even be freed on bail. As both of them require access to a significant amount of money, it is not a shock that individuals who are likely to be convicted of a crime. Studies have indicated that unemployed individuals and individual who do not have the ability to make bail are three times more likely to be convicted (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). In the book, the author also cited that having an adequate legal representation goes a long way in reducing the chances of being convicted for a crime. Despite the fact that everyone entitlement to legal representation most of the poor individuals cannot afford a lawyer. Therefore, they settle for an appointed public lawyer accorded by the court. These public lawyers are usually overwhelmed with cases hence they offer a below par representation that many times results to convictions. Answer 1 B In the instance of white-collar crime, the judicial system is seen to have a soft hand towards the perpetrators. In the book, the author discusses several instance that severe sentences are hand out to lower class defendant as compared to individuals who have committed white-collar crimes. Some of the individuals who have committed white collar crimes end up with very light sentences such as community service or a few months in prison. This is a clear indication of the unjust convictions that white-collar criminals are accorded (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). The author goes further and cites several examples on the subject. In the saving and loan scandal, that cost the public a tremendous amount of money, running into billions, the executives received a much less conviction that individuals who had committed petty crimes such as non-aggravated assault and shoplifting (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). This makes one think that individuals who have committed white-collar crimes, which in many cases may have, cause injury to individuals, less blameworthy than petty offenders may. Answer 2 By definition, the Pyrrhic Defeat Theory is a theory that is used in the analysis of the criminal justice system of policies. The theory suggests that the system, criminal justice, intentions are to the contrary of the commonly accepted expectations. It further goes ahead a places a claim of its functionality being based on the premise of creating a unique image of crime. The image created is usually a threat propagated by the poor (Reiman & Leighton, 2010). In order to justify any truth, there is a need for one to have some substantive evidence to back the claim. The theory argues that the criminal justice system need to fight crime to a significant extent but to a level that it remains prominent enough in the public eye to be able to eliminate the crime. Alice Washington’s life is a good example of this theory. In chapter five Alice describes he living, housing, and environments as being in a deplorable state. She does this by narrating several life experiences in her life (Kozol, 2012). One of such experience is the wooden stove in their living room. They used the wooden stove to warm themselves in times of cold. Alice compares her living condition similar to living like a horse. She is seen to be on a constant fight with the authority tiring to fend off their attempts to relocate the less privileged individuals, the homeless. This can be references to the failure in social justice. One would expect the authorities to try improving the lives of it people but on the contrary; they try to get rid of them leaving them vulnerable to the crime lord and the police (Kozol, 2012). With respect to the Pyrrhic Defeat Theory, the public authorities try paint an image of crime in the area for their personal gain to justify their amoral conduct towards the homeless individuals. This is an indication of how the system, criminal justice, intentions are to the contrary of the commonly accepted expectations Answer 3 Mott Haven is a developmental project found in the Bronx the lower income end of New York. Critics have noted that the impoverished communities of Mott Haven continue to support and maintain the power of the wealthy few in New York City (Roleff, 2003). Notable the private interests in the community have had a drastic influence on the public policy. In recent elections, there has been a large sum of money being used in the choreographing of the political realm and policymaking system. With this in mind, the power factor is controlled by the few affluent individuals. The power is dynamics has been controlled by the few wealthy individuals. These few individuals use their financial wealth to influence the individuals in Mott Haven to propagate their influence and take up nearly all positions of power (Rosenblum & Travis, 1996). The Bronx, Mott Haven is known to have the highest population in New York. Therefore, many individuals who seek positions of power know the kind of influence the voting block of Mott Haven wilds over power positions. References Kozol, J. (2012). Fire in the ashes. New York: Crown Publishers. Reiman, J., & Leighton, P. (2010). The rich get richer, and the poor get prison. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. Roleff, T. (2003). Criminal justice. San Diego, Calif.: Green haven Press. Rosenblum, K., & Travis, T. (1996). The meaning of difference. New York: McGraw-Hill. Read More