Sanctions, Perceptions, and Crime: Implications for Criminal Deterrence - Research Paper Example

Project description This report presents a research finding of a research conducted seeking to identify the causes of crimes and the impact of the crimes on the livelihood of individuals. Different causes were identified and presented in the show cards for participants to determine the fundamental causes of crime within the country. The results of the research on the different impacts of crime upon the citizens indicate that many individuals are not very worried about crimes of burglary and car theft. The fundamental causes of crime according to the findings of the research are led by drugs, unemployment and lack of parental discipline among many individuals. The findings of the research can be utilised in the policy formulation regarding mitigation of the ever rising crime rate within the country Introduction The research conducted by Anglia Ruskin students consisted of a subset of questions from the BCS, focusing on the impact of criminal activities upon affected individuals. The study sought to identify the various elements which participants of the researcher considered to be the fundamental causes of crime within the country. Among the many factors contained within the show card, the participants were required to point the most influential factor, according to their understanding. This information provided fundamental information regarding the causes of crime and the impact of crime on the quality of life. There is a fundamental similarity between this research and the BCS study since the fundamental aims remains the same(Home Office 2011). The methodology utilised in the data collection process also has numerous similarities with the approaches utilised in the BCS research. Despite the existence of numerous policies seeking to mitigate the rising crime rate within the country, many individuals continue to engage in criminal activities. Information regarding the criminal activities within the country commonly comes from different sources and much of the negative perception by the public comes for the credibility of the sources of information. Despite the existence of an official information source of the police majority of the population continue to get criminal information from the media and other sources(Mawby 2011). This report examines the general public perception regarding causes of criminal activities and the impact of crime on the quality of life. The report is also focuses on other issues including The fear of crimes like burglary and car theft. The perceptions of the citizens regarding the crime rate within their regions For the purposes of this report credibility refers to the trust accorded to the sources of information, which is related to the increasing crime rate, by the general public. Method The BCS is a systematic victim study which is conducted across England and Wales for the Home Office. The study has been conducted annually since the inception in 1982 when the government implemented the policy of conducting study on the citizens regarding the crimes experienced through the past year. The study is normally conducted through face-to-face interviews in which the interviewer collects information through filling a questionnaire as the participant speaks. The study is undertaken through the utilisation of questionnaires which are filled by the interviewer(Home Office 2011). The study remains fundamental in measuring the crime rates and has been defined as being accurate and better than the recorded police statistics across the country. The research utilises different approaches in seeking to measure crime within the country. The recorded police statistics remain fundamental elements utilised in the measurement of crime within the country. This remains the basic source of information since the records provide credible information regarding reported crimes(Farrell 2013). Since all crimes might not have been reported to the police, a comprehensive measurement involves seeking information from other sources. The social surveys conducted by private organisations have continuously provided information to the study regarding crimes which have not been recorded by the police. Other sources of information for the study are the “grey literature”, like the non-governmental organisations, and small scale surveys, which are utilised to a very limited extend although they provide information which has not been captured by the other sources. The BCS remains a representative random sample of the households living within the United Kingdom. Different households are visited by the researchers physically during the data collection duration. the sample of the participants includes individuals who are aged above 16 years although since 2009, children aged between 10-15 years have been included within the sample population(Green 2010). The information collected from these minors has however remains experimental. The research questions seek to examine crimes experienced, impact of the crime and the circumstances under which the crime occurred. Demographic information of the participants, including age, employment, ethnicity and many others are involved in conducting analysis of the collected data. This becomes essential in establishing the level of public concern with crime, making the data increasingly useful to other researchers(Maxfield & Babbie 2014). The population within the context of the research included close friends and family members of the students as well as class mates. This enabled the research to become confined within the available time for conduction the data collection process. The population included individuals aged between 13-17 years and who were conveniently available during the data collection period. The sampling process was through convenience sampling which was necessitated by the limited resources available in reaching specified individuals who would be included within the research. The researchers utilised convenience since it was easy to conduct and would enable quick data collection process for the research(Anastas 2013). Convenience sampling remains an effective approach in detecting existing relationships between different phenomena involved within the study. The data was collected through face-to-face interviews which were collected through the researcher filling a questionnaire. The questions had been designed seeking to collect essential information regarding the impact of crimes upon different individuals(Chibnall 2013). This method enabled the data collection process to become quick since the research was conducted within the constraints of limited time. The fundamental challenge for conducting a research through convenience sampling remains the possibility of sample bias on the information collected(Felson 1992). The researchers structured the questions in a closed ended manner and utilised show cards to effectively mitigate the effects of bias within the data collected. Results After conducting the research with a sample of 111 participants who were conveniently selected, the research finding collected on different issues which were being analysed. The various issues which have been identified within the context of the research conducted by the Anglia Ruskin students and that of BCS include the following elements. Causes of crime Many social constraints experienced by individuals have been identified as possible causes of engagement in criminal activities. Many of the significant causes of crime within the country are closely related to the social problems faced within the society. These range from unemployment to lack of policing policies resulting in laxity of the security systems. Among the several causes of crime identified, drugs was the most proposed as the significant cause of the increasing crime rate, at 18% of the sample. The other identified causes were unemployment and discipline among individuals which were both at 16%. These findings are represented in the table below. Worries about crime The impact of the crime upon the society creates an element of worry among the citizens residing within the country. There are different types of crimes which individuals can engage in, and which directly affect the livelihoods of the citizens. These activities include burglary, and stealing of cars. These two crimes have the highest crime rate within the country and present the largest criminal worries in the population. Many individuals remain relatively worried about these criminal activities with a very small percentage becoming extremely worried about occurrence of these crimes. A large number of individuals was not very worried about these two crimes. The smallest percentage of individuals remains those who were extremely worried about the two crimes. The figures below present information regarding the worry factors which was observed within the population regarding these two crimes. Perception of crime rate The crime rate within different regions keeps on changing and significantly affects the livelihood of individuals within these regions. The impact of the perception becomes essential in influencing the way individuals determine crime rate within their regions of residence. In seeking to determine the perceptions of individuals regarding crime rate within their region of residence, the study found that majority of the individuals perceived crime rate to have remained relatively the same. The other lager percentage of the contacted individuals perceive crime rate to have changed by a small margin either increasing of reducing relatively, form the previous records. The figure below indicates the perceptions of individuals in relation to the crime rate within their area. Discussion Causes of crime The fundamental social challenges facing many individuals become fundamental elements which contribute towards the individuals engaging in criminal activities, according to many individuals within the population. Drug and substance abuse leads among the causes of crime within the country. This commonly occurs because of the individuals’ desire to get money in order to purchase the substances which they consume. These findings are based on the individual’s perceptions regarding the factors which contribute to the involvement in crime(Soares & Naritomi 2010). The fundamental reason for individuals’ perceptions regarding the element of drugs could be attributed to the challenges which the individuals perceive as requiring individuals to have financial resources. Unemployment commonly drives people towards engaging in criminal acts because of the lack of basic needs or straining to sustain oneself. This remains one of the fundamental sources identified as causing individuals to engage in criminal activities. Criminal acts of stealing and pickpocketing could enable individuals to gain some form of informal income to sustain their livelihoods(Andresen 2012). This remains the fundamental reason for the increased association of unemployment to involvement in criminal actions. The number of police remains the least influential factor among the identified causes of crime(Hummelsheim et al. 2011). Since the research was undertaken upon the general public, many individuals might lack sufficient understanding of the policing challenges which face the officer, hence the limited association of the problem with increased crime rate. In seeking to further understand the causes of crime within the society, researcher should engage a different form of study which the individual elements become analysed. The generalisation of the causes limited the choices which the individuals could provide as their basic causes of criminal activities. The element of low police numbers should be investigated from the perspective of the law enforcement officers, which are directly involved in providing security and fighting crime(Machin & Marie 2011). These individuals would provide policy-makers with insightful information regarding challenges faced when undertaking their routine responsibilities. This would be fundamental in understanding the roles of the police in fighting crime and their contribution to the rate of crime recorded within the country. Worry about crime Majority of the individuals within the population appear not very worried about the two major crimes of burglary and car theft. The perceptions regarding these crimes could be associated with the experience of the crime, when an individual becomes a victim of the crime(Gray et al. 2011). This increases the amount of worry in relation to the crime. The level of worry recorded for these crimes could be associated with the limited occurrence of these crimes. This could also be attributed to the perception of security measures being improved to meet the expectations of the individuals. The perception of the individuals regarding the kind of security which is available within the country could have significant effect on the perceived occurrence of the crime, which consequently determines the worry experienced by the individuals(Scarborough et al. 2010). In seeking to analyse the various factors affecting the aspect of worry by citizens, a consideration of the victimisation level remains essential. The aspect of having undergone a burglary or car theft experience could increase the worry of an individual in regard to the crime. Perception of crime rate The national statistics presented by BCS report indicate the crime rate to have reduced marginally across the country. There is a fundamental discrepancy between the national statistics and the results of the research. This is because the statistics remains based on reported and recorded cases available from police records(Brunton-Smith & Sturgis 2011). Since there are obviously some unreported cases, the crime rate would be relatively higher than that recorded within the police records. The individuals living within the region have different perceptions which could be based on their experience of different crimes occurring within the region. The occurrence of crimes within the region studied by the students could be relatively high because the national statistics involve all regions which have different crime rates(Apel 2013). This region might be one of the many regions which have a higher rate than the national rate. A comparative approach with the other studies should be conducted based on information from this regions retrieved from the police records. Conclusion The occurrence of crime fundamentally influences the livelihoods of individuals residing within different areas. The BCS presents findings of the impacts of crime upon the livelihoods of individuals residing within the country. The information contained within this report represents a similar study which was undertaken in the region of Cambridgeshire in England. This study sought to understand the impact of crime upon the livelihood of the individuals within the region. These findings are compared to those presented by the BCS study and there are significant similarities in the findings of the research. Many individuals across the country perceive drugs as the fundamental causes of indulgence in different crimes. The perceptions of the individuals commonly change based on the experience of crimes which occurs upon the individuals. The fundamental causes of crime are mostly related to the social problems experienced by individuals while the experience of crimes increases the worry about crimes by the citizens. The increasing crime rate recorded across Britain has been attributed to a number of factors as being significant contributors to the rising cases of involvement in crime. In seeking to understand the impact of crime within the society, it becomes essential to determine the various social elements which result in the increased criminal activities within the country. These activities have been defined by the British Crime Survey (BCS) as the anti-social behaviours which commonly result in individuals engaging in criminal activities(Parfrement-Hopkins et al. 2011). Social problems facing the citizens have been described as fundamental contributors to the increased criminal activities within the country. These include various social challenges like drugs, unemployment, indiscipline and the policing strategies, which have been affected by a relatively low number of policemen within the country. The findings of this research present significant information which can be utilised in the formulation of policies aimed at curbing the rising problem of crime rate. Understanding the major causes of crime within the country remains essential in enhancing the policy formulation process and ensuring effectiveness of the adopted policies. Effective policies in the aspect of crime can be essential in reducing the crime rates within the country(Travis 2013). The perceptions of the general public remains fundamental determinants in seeking to implement a crime policy which would curb the increasing crime rate within the country. These perceptions can be utilised in determining the basic sources of insecurity as perceived by the citizens(Cohen 2012). Implementation of policies would remain in line with the perspectives of the populations, which would be significant in enhancing satisfaction with the various security organs within the country. References Anastas, J.W., 2013. Research Design for Social Work and the Human Services 2nd ed., New York: Columbia University Press. Andresen, M.A., 2012. Unemployment and crime: A neighborhood level panel data approach. Social science research, 41(6), pp.1615–1628. Apel, R., 2013. Sanctions, perceptions, and crime: Implications for criminal deterrence. Journal of quantitative criminology, 29(1), pp.67–101. Brunton-Smith, I.A.N. & Sturgis, P., 2011. Do Neighborhoods Generate Fear of Crime? An Empirical Test Using The British Crime Survey. Criminology, 49(2), pp.331–369. Chibnall, S., 2013. Law-and-order news: An analysis of crime reporting in the British press, London: Routledge. Cohen, M.A., 2012. The costs of crime and justice, London: Routledge. Farrell, G., 2013. Five tests for a theory of the crime drop. Crime Science, 2(1), pp.1–8. Felson, D.T., 1992. Bias in meta-analytic research. Journal of clinical epidemiology, 45(8), pp.885–892. Gray, E., Jackson, J. & Farrall, S., 2011. Feelings and functions in the fear of crime: Applying a new approach to victimisation insecurity. British journal of criminology, 51(1), pp.75–94. Green, D., 2010. Extending British Crime Survey to include children is important step forward. The Telegraph. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/7835917/David-Green-extending-British-Crime-Survey-to-include-children-is-important-step-forward.html. Home Office, 2011. British Crime Survey: 2010 to 2011 technical report 2nd edition. Guidance, p.131. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/british-crime-survey-2010-to-2011-technical-report-2nd-edition [Accessed May 16, 2014]. Hummelsheim, D. et al., 2011. Social insecurities and fear of crime: A cross-national study on the impact of welfare state policies on crime-related anxieties. European sociological review, 27(3), pp.327–345. Machin, S. & Marie, O., 2011. Crime and police resources: The street crime initiative. Journal of the European Economic Association, 9(4), pp.678–701. Mawby, R.C., 2011. Using the media to understand crime and criminal justice. In P. Davies, P. Francis, & V. Jupp, eds. Doing Criminological Research. London: Sage Publications, pp. 223–244. Maxfield, M. & Babbie, E., 2014. Research methods for criminal justice and criminology 7th ed., New York: Cengage Learning. Parfrement-Hopkins, J. et al., 2011. Perceptions of crime, engagement with the police, authorities dealing with antisocial behaviour and Community Payback: Findings from the 2010/11 British Crime Survey, London. Scarborough, B.K. et al., 2010. Assessing the relationship between individual characteristics, neighborhood context, and fear of crime. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(4), pp.819–826. Soares, R.R. & Naritomi, J., 2010. Understanding high crime rates in Latin America: the role of social and policy factors. In The economics of crime: Lessons for and from Latin America. Chicago: Chicago University Press, pp. 19–55. Travis, A., 2013. Fall in UK crime rate baffles experts. The Gurdian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2013/jan/24/fall-uk-crime-rate-baffles-experts. Appendix The Anglia Ruskin students will be conducting a study on the perceptions of individuals regarding different elements associated with the crime rate in the country. This study will include assessment of various aspects like the causes of crime in the country, the most prevalent crimes, reasons for increased crime rate and many other related elements. The students will be visiting individuals within this region seeking your opinions in which they will conduct a short interview and your participation would be greatly appreciated. Read More