Reading Assignment for Section 1.3

Read the following subsection from our online textbook: Section 1.3: Measuring Crime.

What You Will Learn

In this section, you’ll discover the three major national crime data-gathering programs in the U.S. and what crime statistics reveal about crime trends. You’ll learn about the limitations of these programs, understand the FBI’s Crime Index, and delve into key concepts like crime rate, the hierarchy rule, and clearance rate. Additionally, you’ll explore the development of the NIBRS, its advantages over the UCR, and the differences between the NIBRS and NCVS.

Student Learning Outcomes for Section 1.3

• SLO 1: Define crime in legal terms and differentiate between mala in se and mala prohibita offenses with examples of each.
• SLO 2: Classify offenses as felonies, misdemeanors, or violations and explain how these classifications affect penalties and criminal justice procedures.
• SLO 3: Compare and contrast major crime data collection systems in the United States, including the UCR, NIBRS, and NCVS, identifying their strengths and limitations.
• SLO 4: Identify the FBI’s Part I (Index) crimes and describe the criteria used to categorize these offenses as serious and frequently reported.
• SLO 5: Analyze the significance of using multiple methods to measure crime and evaluate how each method contributes to a fuller understanding of crime trends and patterns.