CMY3702
CRIME TYPOLOGIES SUMMARY
THEME 1
UNIT 1: CRIME TYPOLOGIES
Introduction
legal classification of crime established by society.
SA legislation determines a criminal act.
SAPS determines specific crime categories.
Definition of concepts
Crime: transgression of the law and if transgressor is found guilty by court,
state may impose punishment.
Crime patterns: describe the incidence of different types of crime in a specific
year.
Crime trends: increases and decreases in different types of crime in a specific
year.
Crime statistics: numbers that comprise all info regarding crime, scientifically
arranged and tabulated to give total picture of crime problem.
Crime classification: refers to division/arrangement of crime data into specific
classes- based on fact that certain crimes show underlying similarities.
Crime classification
Crime classification necessary to determine:
common factors shared by certain crimes
data record of types of crimes
activities that constitute as crimes
answers to why people commit crime
crime prediction
purpose and function:
gain impression of various types of crime
breaking crime down into groups
ensure better understanding of crime
classification can help with:
identification
clarification
, prediction
treatment
prevention
crimes = vaguely classified = insufficiently addressed.
Failure to classify/ recognise crime promote rigorous and ignorant perceptions
of type of crime. (insignificant = impaired/ underdeveloped)
Efficient classification should include:
Uniform criteria
Comprehensiveness
Simplicity
No ambiguity
Durability
Feasibility
Applicability
Parameters of certain crimes still changing.
Contemporary crime categories
Methods and approaches to crime classification:
1. Bonger’s classification
Economic, violent, sexual and political crimes
2. Stumpfl’s classification
Heavy and light criminality, crimes committed at early or late age,
conflict and habitual crimes
3. Carey’s classification
Violent crimes, conventional and professional crimes, political crimes,
crimes against social order and white collar crime.
4. Schafer’s life trend typology
Occasional criminals, habitual criminals, abnormal criminals and
conventional criminals.
5. Reid’s typology
Violent crimes, property crimes, business crimes, organised crime and
terrorism.
S.A. crime categories
, SAPS classifies crime:
- Contact crime
- Contact-related crime
- Property-related crime
- Crimes heavily dependent on police action for detection
- Other serious crimes
Department Correctional Services (DCS):
- Economic (fraud, house breaking, theft)
- Aggressive ( murder, armed robbery)
- Sexual (rape, indecent assault)
- Narcotics ( drug-related crimes)
- Other (public disorder, traffic crimes)
S.A. serious crime categories
1. Contact crimes
Robbery, rape, attempted murder, assault, murder, indecent assault
2. Contact-related crimes
Arson, malicious damage to property
3. Property-related crimes
Burglary, motor vehicle theft
4. Crimes heavily dependent on police action for detection
Illegal possession firearms and ammunition, drug related crimes, DUI
5. Other serious crimes
All theft not mentioned elsewhere (cell phones/garden tools),
commercial crimes and shoplifting
Subcategories of aggravated robbery:
- Car jacking
- Bank robbery
- Cash-in-transit robbery
- Business and residential robbery
Contact crimes affect victims:
- Death (immediate/delayed) as result of violence
- Injuries of various degrees
- Psychological trauma
- Loss/damage to property
, Social contact crimes: (usually between people know each other)
- Sexual offences
- (attempted) murder
S.A. priority crimes
Prioritisation of crimes differ between cities and countries.
Priority crimes determined by various sources:
- Crime data police
- Judicial and prison statistics
- Crime surveys
- Self-reporting studies/ media reports
S.A. national priority crimes:
- Crimes involving firearms
- White collar crimes
- Crimes against women and children
- Violence related to intergroup and political differences
- Vehicle theft and hijackings
- Paramilitary activities.
Priority Crimes Litigation Unit (PCLU):
- Specialist prosecution unit of national prosecuting services
PCLU manages and directs:
- Proliferation of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction
- Proliferation of conventional (military) weapons
- All forms of terrorism
- Mercenary and foreign military assistance and activities
- Statute of Rome
- Intelligence related activities
- Prosecutions arising from TRC
- Missing Persons’ project
- Selected civil claims
- NPS, mutual legal assistance and extradition
- Legal research and furnish legal opinions.
Priority crimes in various countries
Differs from country to country
Low crime rates bc of homogenous groups(Japan) / inhumanely severe
penalties for offences (middle east)
THEME 2
