NCJ Number
87867
Editor(s)
R A Silverman,
J J Teevan
Date Published
1980
Length
434 pages
Annotation
These 23 papers present discussions of the definition of crime, analyses of the measurement of crime, explanations of crime, and examples of contemporary Canadian research on crime.
Abstract
Discussions of the definitions of crime focus on a Marxian conflict perspective as it relates to juvenile delinquency law in Canada, a sociolegal discussion of the origin of drug laws in Canada, and the legal aspects of crime. Papers on the ways of measuring crime in Canada examine the inadequacies of official and unofficial crime statistics, measurement problems, and various techniques for dealing with these problems. Articles on theories about crime give overviews of biological, ecological, cultural, subcultural, labeling, and critical theories. Comparisons among these major perspectives include explanations of their strengths and weaknesses. Research studies include an examination of homicide in Canada between 1961 and 1971, a study of the role of alcohol in forcible rape, an overview of correlates of domestic violence and the role of police agencies, and a study of residential burglary in Toronto, Ontario. Other studies focus on serious thieves, the writing of bad checks as a way of life, corporate crime in Canada, and female crime in Canada. Individual papers include tables and notes. A bibliography lists about 800 sources, and an appendix summarizes uniform crime reporting rules and definitions.