CRIME

BY

BLOSSOM ANUNAGBA

SUPERVISED BY MOAVEGA TERHEMEN

A RESEARCH PROJECT WORK PRESENTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF

INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION PROGRAM (IFP), GILGAL EDUCATION
FOUNDATION, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE AWARD OF IFP RESULT.

MARCH, 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION TO CRIME
CHAPTRE ONE
DEFINTION OF CRIME
TYPES OF CRIME
FORMS OF CRIME

CHAPTER TWO
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFECT OF CRIME
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

CHAPTER THREE
CRIME PREVENTION
PUNISHMENT
EFFECTS OF CRIME ON VICTIMS
CONCLUSION
INTRADUCTION
Most people associate policing with fighting crime. Stories about
policing and crime have always been popular in the news media as
well as with novelists, playwrights and film makers.
But these crime stories tend to be sensational. They focus on violent
offences- stabbing, shooting, murder,rape-and on the behavior of
gangs. In fact most criminal offending is (and always was ) petty and
usually involved the theft of small items or minor acts of vandalism.
Up until the end of the eighteenth century crime was associated
with acts of personal depravity. Explosive economic and
demographic growth and resultant urban changes in early
nineteenth-century Britain led contemporaries to view ‘change’ as a
social force in its own terms. Linked with notions of ‘change’ were
fears about the collapse of ‘traditional values’ such as the break-up
of extended families as society moved from a rural to urban base,
and the sinister spectre of the ‘poor’. The criminal, especially the
offender drawn from the poorest section of the working class,
symbolized these changes. Alongside these social dislocations was
the advent of the collection of various forms of economic and social
statistics. Criminal statistics began to be collected for England and
wales from 1810, but the first figures collected went back to 1805.
CHAPTER ONE
Definition of crime
An act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission
of duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the
offender liable to punishment by that law. Crimes are defined by
criminal law, which refers to a body of federal and state rules that
prohibit behavior the government deems harmful to society. If one
engages in such behavior, they may be guilty of a crime and
prosecuted in criminal court.
TYPES OF CRIMES
In today’s society, criminal behavior and criminal trials are highly
publicized in the media and commonly the storyline in television
shows and movies. As a result, people may consider themselves well
informed on the different types of crimes. However, the law can be
quite complicated.
There are many different types of crimes but, generally, crimes, and
statutory crimes:
PERSONAL CRIMES- ‘’offenses against the person’’: These are crimes
that result in physical or mental harm to another person. Personal
crimes include:
Assault
Battery
False imprisonment
Kidnapping
Homicide- crimes such as first and second degree, murder, and
involuntary manslaughter, and vehicular homicide
Rape, statutory rape, sexual assault and other offenses of a sexual
nature.
PROPERTY CRIMES- ‘’offenses against property: these are crimes
that do necessarily involve harm to another person. Instead, they
involve an interference with another person’s right to use or enjoy
their property. Property crimes include:
Larceny (theft)
Robbery (theft by force)- note: this is also considered a personal
crimes since it results in physical and mental harm.
Burglary (penalties for burglary)
Arson
Embezzlement
Forgery
False pretenses
INCHOATE CRIMES –inchoate translates into ‘’incomplete’’, meaning
crimes that were begun, but not completed. This requires that a
person takes a substantial step to complete a crime, as opposed to
just ‘’intend’’ to commit a crime. Inchoate crimes include:
Attempt –any crime that is attempted like ‘’attempted robbery’’
solicitation
Conspiracy
Statutory crimes –A Violation of a specific state or Federal statute
and involve either property offenses or personal offense. Statutory
crimes include:
Alcohol-related crimes such as drunk driving (DUL)
Selling alcohol to a minor.
The crimes listed above are basically prohibited in every state, but
each state is different in how the law is written, how the behavior is
regulated and the penalties that each crime potentially carries. Also,
the list is far from complete because behavior may be prohibited in
one state and not in others. For example, prostitution is legal in
some parts of NIGERIA, but is a crime in every other state. Likewise,
carrying a concealed firearm is only legal in certain states.
DIFFERENT LEVEL OF CRIMES
Crimes are often classified according to the level of seriousness,
such as the distinction between felony and misdemeanor crimes.
Generally, the differences are:
Felony
More serious crime such as murder, kidnapping and robbery
Carries a year or more in state prison
Misdemeanor
Less serious crimes such as shoplifting or a DUI
Usually carries a fine and jail sentence of less than a year, if at all.
State laws may further divide the categories of crimes into
subcategories. For example, offenses against the person may be
divided into the categories of ‘’violent crimes’’ and ‘’Non-Violent
crimes’’. Some state also place sexual crime in their own category.
These categories are also developed for the purpose of sentencing.
Finally, crimes can also be divided according to criminal intent. The
major intent categories are General intent crimes and specific intent
crimes. These labels refer to the state of mind that a defendant
must have in order to be found guilty of a crime. This is a difficult
concept to master, but can be very important to your defense if you
are charged with a crime.
FORMS OF CRIME
CYBERCRIME- anyone using the internet can be a victim of
cybercrime. Example includes identity thief and child photography.
One way the government is combating this crime is through the
cybercrime reporting websites.
FRAUD AND CONFISCATING LAUNDERED MONEY AND CRIMINAL
ARREST – fraud includes benefit fraud, tax fraud and money
laundering form criminal activities. Every year the authorities seize
tens of millions of euros and luxury goods such as boats and cars
from criminals.
YOUTH CRIME-to increase public safety, the government is
combating youth crime and antisocial behavior by young people
through swift intervention, rapid sentencing and appropriate
aftercare.
HUMAN SMUGGLING AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING
The government has taken a number of measures to combat human
trafficking, including a higher maximum prison sentence for
perpetrators. The government is drafting a new Act to combat
forced sex and exploitation in prostitution. The House of
Representatives has still to pass the Act.
ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF FIREARMS
Substantial fines and prison sentences may be imposed for the
illegal possession of firearms and illegal trade in firearms. Possession
and sale of stilettos, flick knives and butterfly knives are also
prohibited.
CANNABIS CULTIVATION
Cannabis cultivation is prohibited in the Netherlands. Cannabis
growers often have ties with organized crime. Cultivation is a source
of nuisance and a risk to neighbors. There is risk, for example, of fire
and antisocial behavior by criminal visiting the premises.
The government will take action against people who supply
equipment to grow cannabis. An Act prohibiting organized cannabis
cultivation (in Dutch) is being drafted. It will increase the powers of
the police and the public prosecution service to nip cannabis
cultivation in the bud.
REAL ESTATE
Organized criminals often buy expensive properties with the
proceeds of crime. Through its national real estate steering group (in
Dutch), the government can use property as a basis for uncovering
and dismantling criminal practices. The government is studying ways
to identify and combat property crime more effectively.
BENEFIT FRAUD
Person circumstances determine the level of certain benefits.
Recipients must therefore report changes in their circumstances and
family income so the they do not receive benefits they are not
entitled to. By carrying out more inspections (e.g home visits), the
government will reduce the number of undue benefit payment.
EVASION OF SOCIAL INSURANCE PAYMENT
Employers must withhold social insurance contribution from their
employees’ salaries and remit them to the authorities. But they do
not always do so, especially if the employees are illegal. The
employees are then not insured against unemployment or accidents
at work. To prevent the social insurance system being exploited, the
government will act firmly against business that do not remit social
insurance contributions. They must pay the contributions and will be
fined.
UNDECLARED WORKERS
About 75of the 1.2 million household in the Netherlands that have a
cleaner do not declare payment for domestic help. Neither employer
nor employee pays tax or social insurance contributions on pay.
Many undeclared workers also worker in the building industry
(builders, handymen), horticulture, bars, restaurants and child-
minding (babysitters.) if the labor inspectorate suspects that
workers are undeclared it alerts the social security information and
investigating service (SIOD). The undeclared worker and the
employer must then pay the taxes and social insurance contribution
due. They also risk a fine.
BICYCLE THEFT
220,000 fewer bicycle were stolen in 2009 than in 2006. This success
is due to measures taken against bicycle theft, such as placing chips
in every new bicycle and registering every new bicycle in the bicycle
register.
CRIME AT TRAVELLERS’ SITES
Municipalities, the police and tax and customs Administration take
join action against crime at traveler’ sites. If they raid a site, they
check for benefit fraud, tax evasion and crime (such as large scale
cannabis cultivation and illegal car breaking ). On the other hand,
the government wants the police to have a better understanding of
the culture of the Roma and sinti who often live on such site.
CHAPTER TWO
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EFFECT OF CRIME
Crime is a major part of every society. Tis costs and effects touch
just about everyone to some degree. The types of costs and effects
are widely varied. In addition, some costs are short term while
others last a lifetime. Of course the ultimate cost is loss of life. Other
costs to victims can include medical costs, property losses and loss
and of income.
Losses to both victims and non-victims can also come in the form of
increased security expenses indulge stronger lots, security alarms.
Considerable money is sent to avoid being victimized.
Some costs of crime are less tangible. these kinds of costs can
include pain and suffering, and lower quality of life. There are also
the traumatic impacts on friends and the disruption of family.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGETION
Criminal investigation ensemble of methods by which crimes are
studied and criminals apprehended. The criminal investigation seeks
to ascertain the methods, motives and identities of criminals and the
identity of victims and also search for and interrogate witness.
Identification of criminal who has left no fingerprints or other
conclusive evidence can often be advanced by the analysis of the
modus operandi’’ professional criminals tend to stick to a certain
technique to seek certain types of booty, and to leave a certain
trademark (e.g the means by which a victim is tied up). Criminal
investigation departments compile such data, as well as lists of
stolen and lost property and have ready access to such public
records as automobile records and firearms registration and such
private records as laundry marks and dealers transaction etc.
Information flows in more or less continuously from police
informant and undercover agents. Wiretapping and other electronic
surveillance methods have become extremely important, though
subject to legal restaurants. Interrogation of suspects is one of the
most important functions of criminal investigations. In most
countries this proceeding is delicate because a confession gained in
violation of the suspects rights can be repudiated in the court. The
use of the poly graph or lie detector is also subject to widespread
courtroom limitations.
Techniques of identification especially finger prints and more
recently voice printing have come to prominence in modern
investigation. Photography and photomicrography document
examination, ballistics and other specific techniques are also
standard crime laboratory tools. Forensic medicine can supply
analysis of blood and urine and identify traces of chemical