Crime Trends

According to “Crime in the United States” 2012 Edition from the FBI:

Brevard County, Florida

Murder & Manslaughter:  13

Forcible Rape: 67

National:

Murder & Manslaughter: 14,827

Forcible Rape: 84,376

Definitions provided by Oxford Dictionaries)

Murder:

 noun

• 1. the unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another.

verb

• 1. kill (someone) unlawfully and with premeditation

Manslaughter:

noun

• 1. the crime of killing a human being without malice aforethought, or otherwise in circumstances not amounting to murder

Forcible Rape:

(Definition provided by USLegal.com)

·         Forcible rape is a rape where the anal or vaginal sexual intercourse is deemed to be without the lawful consent of the victim. In a forcible rape, the victim is prevented from resisting the sexual act because of the offender’s use of force or threats of physical violence, under circumstances where the victim reasonably believes that such resistance would not prevent the rape. [Edwards v. Butler, 882 F.2d 160, 163 (5th Cir. 1989)]. Attempts to commit rape are also included as forcible rape.

·         Forcible rape is different from aggravated rape. The difference is based on the degree of force employed for the unlawful sexual act and the extent to which the victim resists.

My Criminologist Questions:

·         Do Prisoners who earn their GED in prison reoffend less often upon their release then those who do not earn a GED?

·         Are the traits of a Criminal learned or inherited?

     Why do Criminologists create questions? These investigators want to get into the mind of the criminal. By doing so, they must think like the criminal, and research like the criminal first hand. This helps us and them to enable everyone to find said criminal(s) and even where to look. They study the criminal before they have committed their crime, their way of life, during their crime spree, and even after, and input data. This is done constantly and thoroughly. This data is used when a new crime is committed, to determine who the next victim may be, or where the next crime or crime spree may be committed. This data changes daily, because criminals change daily, and information needs inputted and adjusted constantly.

     In answer to my questions:

     Regarding the prisoners reoffending I found an interesting document written by: John Nuttall whom is Assistant Commissioner of Program Services for the New York State Department of Correctional Services. He also previously served as Director of Education for the Department. He found that and I quote: “Several recent studies have shown that inmates who participate in an education program (e.g. literacy, ABE, GED, college) while incarcerated are less likely to return to prison after their release than offenders who do not participate in an education program (Boe, 1998; Burke & Vivian, 2001; Harer, 1995; Haulard, 2001; Porporino & Robinson, 1992; Ryan, 1991).” 

     Myself I do not agree with this. But this is just my opinion, and I am entitled to it. However, I have my reasoning. 

     I have several friends who are in fact felons, with educations, and some of which whom have received their education while incarcerated. So this comes with my own research studies. And I have the advantage here, because one has not had an education. I have the full spectrum to share.

     My own case studies have shown the following:

     All of the felons that I know, who I hate to admit are quite a lot, because of the field I am in- have been unable to find jobs. Only a slight few, and they were only able to drive for a cab company, if they were over the age of 24, and had a driver’s license, and with less than three points on it. When I have personally spoke to them, they all say the same thing, when they put in job applications; people see the felony on their record and it all stops right there. In the long run, two felons I know, have went back to jail, one for selling drugs, and the other for buying them.

     Personally I feel that felons are judged by their previous crimes, and no one wants to help them to move on and clean up their act. Therefore they feel that their only choice is to recommit a crime.

     I personally asked a felon who I am very close to about her experiences and if I could share them with you. And she said yes, by all means, people need to know. She said, and I quote: “I was a young adult, and stupid, and thought it wouldn’t hurt, and I thought it would go away. The charge. I mean, it was just a dumb crime, you know, nothing serious. And this person said they would help me get it off my record too, and I believed him. So I took the blame and the charge for the crime.” She is shaking her head now, knowing what a mistake she has since made. “Now I know, some ten years later. I am up front when I go to get a job, put in applications and what not. They look at me like I am going to steal the clothes of their back. Like I am going to murder them or something. The word felon or felony says the worst things to employers and even landlords.” She lowers her head in shame. “And the thing is, I didn’t even do the crime, I just did the time. And I continue to do the time, and apparently I will for the rest of my life.” 

     I ask her if she has an education, she told me she is working on her GED currently, but even when she is in School, the teachers there treat her like a felon too, because everywhere you go, you have to put your record down, and show everything. And she doesn’t lie. If she does no matter where it or what it is, she knows she will get into trouble for lying later. So she is honest from the get go. She is a drug free person, and a good person with three Children. She is and has been seeking employment, she has had two jobs in the last six months, once they run her credit, and or see what it is they need to see or find, they let her go. She had the last job only one day, and was let go. And that was after she bought brand new slip resistant shoes to work there, and black pants to work there. 

     She is very depressed and feels like a lost cause, and like she is unworthy. She wants to make and be something for herself, and the World won’t let her be. She wants to pay her Court fines, but cannot land a job to do so. How can the Government expect felons to pay their fines and fees if they cannot be employed? This is what leads them back into the system. Some think the only way to get money is to steal it. Think about this!

     The World doesn’t think, it judges. We always assume people are guilty, and we always assume people will never change. It’s the World that needs to change, in more ways than one, and maybe crime will stop paying out!

     My other question is-are the criminal acts learned or inherited?

     This takes us back to Sigmund Freud and the Psychoanalysis theory.

     Per Sigmund Freud the Father of Psychoanalysis:

     The basic tenets of psychoanalysis include:

• a person's development is determined by often forgotten events in early childhood besides inherited traits
• human attitude, mannerism, experience, and thought is largely influenced by irrational drives that are rooted in the unconscious.
• It is necessary to bypass psychological resistance in the form of defense mechanism when bringing drives into awareness.
• conflicts between the conscious and the unconscious, or with repressed material can materialize in the form of mental or emotional disturbances, for example: neurosis, neurotic traits, anxiety, depression, etc.
• liberating the elements of the unconscious is achieved through bringing this material into the conscious mind (via e.g. skilled guidance, i.e. therapeutic intervention)

     Freudian psychoanalysis relies on the concept that it is only after having a cathartic (e.g. healing) experience can a person be "cured" and aided.

     In my opinion:

     I have five children, and seven grand children. I have also fostered many children while raising my own children. Not to mention, I was also a child, myself, as we all were of course.

     I personally grew up as an abused child, but was also raised in a closet- not knowing things like about sex, and drugs. (Believe it or not, what I am saying is all the truth.)

     I have raised my own children very differently. I was told by agencies all through my adult life, which I would grow up and be a child abuser, because I was an abused child myself. Let it be known, there are people in this World who feel the need to call and report people to agencies for abuse when you have a child with a mole on him the size of a fist on his size, trust me.

     I taught my children at a young age about drugs, and sex, and smoking, and all the wrongs in life. Not a one of my children do illegal drugs. However, they all smoke. Personally, I have never smoked nor done drugs ever in my life. Their father has smoked up until last year, and tried drugs once at the age of seventeen. He and I have been married for over thirty years.

     The children we have fostered, most were from Meth houses, and the rest were from abused families. One grew up to become a sheriff, one to become an attorney, another a case worker for foster families, and several other are still in college. 

     Our children all have jobs, and are engaged or happily married. 

     I know that there is depression throughout all of our families, even before my time, as well as bipolar. This is inherited. 

     I feel that if you work hard enough at making a difference with the way you raise your children, you can change them. I also feel you can do the same with a loved one. My spouse was not the greatest person when we met, and as I have stated, I was an abused eighteen year old when we wed. So we had to make some changes of our own. And we did just that. 

Feel free to share your feelings in the comments section!