Blackwell Reference Online

Extract

There is a longstanding controversy over the importance of social class in the production of criminal conduct. Some argue that there is a strong relationship between social class and crime while others say there is little or no relationship. This controversy is often an argument over the the definition and measurement of crime, and the meaning of class. Although official definitions of crime are legislative, in practice crime is defined by administrative policies and enforcement practices. Those who study crime and delinquency also define crime. The definition of crime was greatly expanded when criminologists began asking people to report their own illegal or improper behavior. In some of the early self-report studies, so much behavior was defined as delinquent that almost any child could be said to have committed a delinquent act. At the other extreme, some criminologists have suggested that conduct such as economic exploitation and racial discrimination are criminal even when the conduct does not violate existing law. Researchers differ as well on how they measure crime. Some measures of crime are based on official counts of crime – reports of offenses or offenders produced by police, court, or correctional agencies. These efforts create information on offenses, victims, and offenders. Official data cover activities that are illegal and considered serious enough to warrant recognition ... log in or subscribe to read full text