Characteristics of offenders

UNIT 13

► Ex. I. Scan through the text. Work in pairs to answer the questions that follow.

Male criminality and female criminality. Knowledge of the types of people who commit crimes is generally based on stud­ies of those who have been detected, prosecuted, and convicted. A first aspect of criminality is that crime is predominantly a male activity. In all criminal populations men outnumber women by a high proportion. In Britain in 1984, for instance, of 449,000 offenders found guilty of criminal offenses, 387,400 (86 percent) were males; in the same year, the average popula­tion of the prisons consisted of 41,822 men and 1,473 women. In most Western societies the incidence (the number of times something bad happens) of recorded crime by women, and the number of women passing through the pena l systems, is on the increase; in the United States, for instance, the number of women arrested for property crimes between 1960 and 1976 increased by 276 percent—a significantly higher rate of in­crease than that exhibited by other groups. A similar trend is shown in English prison statistics: the number of women in prison rose from 538 in 1974 to 941 in 1984, an increase of 75 percent in 10 years. A number of explanations have been of­fered for this trend. One suggestion is that it reflects a real trend in the commission of crimes by women—that the changing so­cial role of women, with more women leaving the home and talcing employment, expecting and achieving financial inde­pendence, leads to greater opportunity for crime and to greater temptation. An alternative explanation is that the change in the rate of female criminality merely reflects a change in the opera­tion of the criminal justice system—that crimes committed by women are less likely than was previously the case to be ig­nored by law enforcement agencies out of a sense of chivalry. Even though female criminality appears to be increasing faster than male criminality, it will be many years before women reach the same level of crime as men.

Female ['fi:meil] - женский; male - мужской; outnumber –превосходитьчисленно; incidence ['insidsns] –сферадей­ствия; recorded crime - преступление, зафиксированноеs досьепреступника; penal ['pi:nI] system –пенитенциарнаясистема; increase [in'kri:s] - увеличивать; [’inkri:s] - увеличе­ние; exhibit [ig'zibit] - показывать; trend - тенденция; criminal justice –уголовноесудопроизводство; less likely –менеевероятный; law enforcement agency- правоприменяющийорган; chivalry ['Jivalri] - рыцарство.

1) What is based on studies of those who have been detected, prosecuted, and convicted? 2) Is crime predominantly a male activity? 3) Do men outnumber women in all criminal popula­tions? 4) What is on the increase in most Western societies?

► What is shown in English prison statistics? 6) What is the first explanation for this trend? 7) What is the second explana­tion for this trend?

Ex. II. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1) Crime is predominantly a female activity. 2) Men leave be­hind women in all criminal populations. 3) Women are seldom found guilty of criminal offenses. 4) Few women passed through the penal systems. 5) Women are often arrested for se­rious crimes. 6) The commission of crimes by women de­creased. 7) The changing social role of women leads to greater opportunity for education and upbringing. 8) The change in the rate of male criminality reflects a change in the operation of the criminal justice system. 9) Crimes committed by women were ignored by law enforcement agencies out of a sense of humour.

Male criminality increases faster than female one. 11) Women will soon reach the same level of crime as men..

► Ex. III. Restore the word order in the following statements.

1) Crime predominantly a male activity is. 2) Men women in all criminal populations outnumber. 3) Women are often guilty of criminal offenses found. 4) Many women through the penal sys­tems passed. 5) Women are often for property crimes arrested.

37) The increased commission of crimes by women. 7) The changing social role of women to greater opportunity for crime and to greater temptation leads. 8) The change in the rate of fe­male criminality a change in the operation of the reflects crimi­nal justice system. 9) Crimes committed by women were by law enforcement agencies out of a sense of chivalry ignored. 10) Female criminality to be increasing faster than male criminality appears. 11) Women will never the same level of crime as men reach.

► Ex. IV. Translate the following words and phrases from Russian into English.

Превзойти; тяжкое преступление; уменьшаться; соблазн; воспитание; чувство юмора; женский; мужской; система карательно-исправительных учреждений; увеличивать; увеличение; показывать; тенденция; уголовное судопроиз­водство; менее вероятный; правоприменяющий орган; пре­восходить численно; сфера действия; преступление, зафик­сированное в досье преступника; рыцарство.

► Ex. V. Complete the following statements.

18) Crime is predominantly... 2) Men outnumber... 3) Women are often found guilty of... 4) Many women passed through...

► Women are often arrested for... 6) The commission of crimes by women... 7) The changing social role of women leads... 8) The change in the rate of female criminality reflects...9) Crimes committed by women were ignored... 10) Female criminality appears... 11) Women will never reach...

► Ex. VI. Choose one topic to speak about a) male criminality; b) female criminality. Retell the text Male criminality and female criminality.

► Ex. VI. Choose one topic to speak about a) male criminality; b) female criminality. Retell the text Male criminality and female criminality.

UNIT 14

► Ex. I. Scan through the text. Work in pairs to answer the questions that follow.

Age, social and racial aspects of criminality.A second aspect of criminality is that crime is predominantly an activity of the young. In both Britain and the United States, for example, the peak period for involvement in relatively minor property crime is adolescence (from 15 to 21). For involvement in more serious crimes the peak age is likely to be rather higher, from the late teenage years through the 20s. Criminality tends to decline steadily after the age of 30. Criminologists have sought expla­nations of this phenomenon—whether it is a natural effect of aging, the consequence of taking on family responsibilities, or the effect of experiencing penal measures imposed by the law for some crimes. Not all types of crime are subject to decline with aging. Fraud and certain kinds of theft, as well as crimes requiring a high level of businesslike organization, are more likely to be committed by older men, and sudden crimes of vio­lence, committed for emotional reasons, may occur at any age. The relationship between social class or economic status and crime shows that a higher incidence (the number of times some­thing bad happens) of criminality was concentrated in the slums of large cities, and studies of penal populations revealed that the level of educational and occupational attainments was generally lower than in the wider population. Studies of juvenile delin­quents disclosed a high proportion of lower-class offenders, that is, criminality is closely associated with social origin. The rela­tionship between racial or ethnic origin and criminality is a dif­ficult question. Penal populations contain a disproportionately high number of persons from some minority racial groups, that is, the proportion of minority group members in prison is greater than the group's proportion in the general population. This may be the result of unemployment and low economic status, or discriminatory enforcement practices on the part of the police and the adherence of some minority groups to cul­tural standards that are in conflict with the general law.

Adolescence [aeda'lesns] –подростковыйвозраст; likely - вероятный; teenage –находящийсяввозрастеот 1 2 до 1 9 лет; aging ['екфп] - старение; consequence ['konsikwans] - следствие; experience [iks'piarians] –знатьпоопыту; penal [’pi:nl] - пенитенциарный; subject - подлежащий; incidence ['insidans] –сферадействия; attainments [a'teinmants] - достижения; juvenile delinquents ['d3u:vinail di'liokwants] –несовершеннолетниепреступники; social origin - соци­альноепроисхождение; racial [’rei/al] - расовый; dispro­portionately [dispra'pD:Janitli] - непропорционально; minority [mai'n^nti] - меньшинство; discriminatory [dis'kriminatari] - пристрастный; adherence [ad'hiarans] - приверженность; prejudice ['pred^udis] - предрассудок; the aged / old peo- ple - старики;_______________________________

1) Crime is predominantly an activity of the young, isn’t it?

2) What is the peak period for involvement in relatively minor property crime in Britain and the US? 3) What is the peak age for involvement in more serious crimes? 4) Criminality tends to decline steadily after the age of 30, doesn’t it? 5) What explana­tions of this phenomenon can criminologists give? 6) Are all types of crime subject to decline with aging? 7) Are fraud and theft more likely to be committed by older men? 8) At what age may sudden crimes of violence occur? 9) What does the rela­tionship between social class or economic status and crime show? 10) What did studies of penal populations reveal?

► What did studies of juvenile delinquents disclose? 12) What do penal populations contain? 13) What might be the reason for a disproportionately high number of prisoners from some mi­nority racial groups?Ex. II. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1) Crime is predominantly an activity of the aged. 2) The peak period for involvement in minor property crime is advanced age. 3) For involvement in more serious crimes the peak age is awkward age. 4) Criminality tends to decline after the age of 90. 5) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 is an un­natural effect of aging. 6) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 is the consequence of taking on family burden. 7) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 is the effect of experi­encing simultaneously contradictory feelings towards relatives.

8) All types of crime are subject to decline with aging. 9) Older men commit bank robbery and hijacking. 10) Sudden crimes of violence may occur at baby age. 11) Criminality is not closely associated with social origin. 12) Criminality is closely associ­ated with pains of unknown origin. 13) Ethnic majority is a group of people of a different race from the main group in a country. 14) Racial discrimination is fair treatment of people because of their race. 15) Racial prejudice is the belief that other races are as bad or as unreasonable as your own race.

► Ex. III. Restore the word order in the following statements.

I) Crime predominantly an activity of the young is. 2) The peak is period for involvement in minor property crime adolescence.

3) For involvement is in more serious crimes the peak age through the 20s. 4) Criminality to decline after the age of 30 tends. 5) The decline of criminality after the age of 30 a natural effect of aging is. 6) The decline is of criminality after the age of 30 the consequence of taking on family responsibilities.

4) The decline of is criminality after the age of 30 the effect of experiencing penal measures. 8) Not are all types of crime sub­ject to decline with aging. 9) Fraud and theft committed are by older men. 10) Sudden crimes of violence occur at any age may.

II) Criminality associated is closely with social origin.

8) Criminality is closely with racial or ethnic origin associated.

9) Ethnic is minority a group of people of a different race from the main group in a country. 14) Racial discrimination unfair treatment of people because of their race is. 15) Racial is preju­dice- the belief that other races are not as good or as intelligent as your own race.

► Ex. IV. Translate the following words and phrases from Russian into English.

Преклонный возраст; переходный возраст; бремя; кара­тельная мера; испытывать одновременно противоречивые чувства к близким; ограбление банка; угон самолета; мла­денческий возраст; боли неясного происхождения; нера­зумный; подростковый возраст; находящийся в возрасте от

12 до 19 лет; старение; следствие; знать по опыту; кара­тельный; подлежащий; сфера действия; достижения; несо­вершеннолетние преступники; социальное происхождение; расовый; непропорционально; меньшинство; пристраст­ный; приверженность; предрассудок; старики.

► Ex. V. Complete the following statements.

I) A second aspect of criminality is... 2)... is adolescence.

1) For... the peak age is... 4) Criminality tends... 5) Crimi­nologists have sought... 6) Not all types of crime are...

4) Crimes requiring a high level of businesslike organization are committed by... 8) Crimes of violence may occur... 9) The relationship between social class or economic status and crimi­nality shows... 10) Studies of juvenile delinquents disclosed...

II) Criminality is closely associated with... 12) The relation­ship between racial or ethnic origin and criminality is...

13) Penal populations contain... 14) Racial criminality may be the result of...

► Ex. VI. Choose one topic to speak about a) age criminality; b) the relationship between social class or economic status and crime;

b) the relationship between racial or ethnic origin and criminality. Retell the text Age, social and racial aspects of criminality.

CHAPTER IV

CAUSATION OF CRIME

► Ex. I. Scan through the text. Work in pairs to answer the questions that follow.

Biological theories.Some theories attribute the tendency to­ward criminality to innate biological factors. The most famous of these is probably that of the Italian Cesare Lombroso (1835— 1909), one of the first scientific criminologists, whose theories were related to Darwinian theories of evolution. His investiga­tions of the skulls and facial features of robbers led him to the hypothesis that serious or persistent criminality was associated with atavism, or the reversion to a primitive stage of human development. [Atavism is reappearance in a person of a charac­teristic or quality that has not shown itself for several or many generations.] Another biological theory related criminality to body types, suggesting that it was more common among muscu­lar, athletic persons than among tall, thin persons or soft, rounded individuals. Some criminologists have endeavoured to answer the question of whether biological factors are more im­portant than social factors in criminal behaviour by studying the behaviour of twins. Various studies have shown that twins are more likely to exhibit similar tendencies toward criminality if they are identical than if they are fraternal. [Identical twin is one of a pair of brothers or sisters bom at the same time to the same mother, who look almost exactly alike.] The suggestion of ge­netic influences in criminal behaviour is supported by studies of adopted children carried out to determine the influence of the biological parent on criminality. One such study showed that the rate of criminality was higher among those adopted children who had one biological parent who was criminal than among those who had one adoptive parent who was criminal. The highest rates of criminality were found among those children who had both biological parents and adoptive parents who were criminal.

Attribute - приписывать; innate [’I'neit] - врожденный; bio­logical - биологический; facial ['feiJэ1] - лицевой; hypothe­sis [hai'p^Gisis] - предположение; persistent [pa'sistant] criminal / recidivist [ri'sidivist] –закоренелыйпреступник, рецидивист; atavism ['aetavizam] –появлениеупотомкапризнаковвырожденияилиуродства, свойственныхегоотдалённымпредкам; reversion [ri'va:Jэп] - возвращение; relate - относить; muscular [’mAskjula] - мускулистый; en­deavour [in'deva] - пытаться; exhibit [ig'zibit] - проявить; identical - идентичный (однояйцевый); fraternal [fra'tainl] - братский (разнояйцевый); adopt [s'dDpt] - усыновлять; adoptive [a'dpptiv] - приемный.

1) What factors do some theories attribute the tendency toward criminality to? 2) Whose theories were related to Darwinian theories of evolution? 3) What hypothesis did his investigations lead him to? 4) What did another biological theory relate crimi­nality to? 5) What question did some criminologists try to an­swer? 6) Are identical or fraternal twins more likely to exhibit criminality? 7) What is the suggestion of genetic influences in criminal behaviour supported by? 8) Among what children was the rate of criminality higher?

► Ex. II. Agree or disagree with the following statements.

1) Serious criminality is associated with magnetism. 2) Persis­tent criminality is associated with a civilized society. 3) Recidi­vist is a criminal who keeps doing things that are illegal, even after they have been punished. 4) Theory of Evolution relates criminality to body types. 5) Criminality is more common among tall, thin persons than among muscular, athletic persons.

1) Social factors are more important than biological factors in criminal behaviour. 7) Fraternal twins are more likely to exhibit tendencies toward criminality. 8) Identical twins are less likely to exhibit tendencies toward criminality.

► Ex. III. Restore the word order in the following statements.

1) Serious criminality associated with atavism was. 2) Persistent criminality was with the reversion to a primitive stage of human development associated. 3) Biological theory criminality to body types related. 4) Criminality more common among muscu­lar, athletic persons than among tall, thin persons was.

5) Biological factors more important than social factors in are criminal behaviour. 6) Identical twins tendencies toward are more likely to exhibit criminality. 7) Fraternal twins tendencies toward criminality are less likely to exhibit.

► Ex. IV. Translate the following words and phrases from Russian into English.

Личное обаяние; рецидивист; цивилизованное общество; эволюционная теория; приписывать; innateврожденный; биологический; лицевой; гипотеза; закоренелый преступ­ник; рецидивист; появление у потомка признаков вырожде­ния или уродства; возвращение; проявить; идентичный; братский; усыновлять; относить; мускулистый; пытаться; приемный.

► Ex. V. Complete the following statements.

1) Lombroso's investigations of the skulls and facial features of robbers led him to... 2) Atavism is... 3) Biological theory re­lated criminality to... 4) Criminologists endeavoured to answer the question of... 5) Identical twins are more likely to exhibit... 6) Fraternal are less likely to exhibit... 7) Identical twin is... 8) The suggestion of genetic influences in criminal behav­iour is supported by... 9) Studies of adopted children showed that... 10) The highest rates of criminality were found among

► Ex. VI. Choose one topic to speak about a) atavism and criminality; b) body types and criminality; c) twins and criminality; d) adopted children and criminality. Retell the text Biological theories.

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