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Criminal Behavior and the Law

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Criminal Behavior and the Law
Heydi Cohens
American InterContinental University
CRJS105
November 14, 2010

Abstract
This document will include the distinction amongst criminologists, criminalists and forensic psychologists as well as their individual areas of study. There will also be examples discussed of when each would be utilized. This document will also discuss any misconceptions that may occur in regards to these fields along with examples of the different misconceptions. Society has labeled the different crimes that occur and they are white-collar and blue-collar crimes and there will be a discussion about the difference between these two different crimes. There will also be a discussion on the various crimes that are calculated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation also known as the FBI in the Uniform Crime Reports. The media typically concentrates on either the white-collar or blue-collar crimes more heavily than the other and that will also be discussed along with an example of what type of crime is placed in these two categories. There are differences between an index-one crime and an index-two crime as calculated in the Uniform Crime Reports of the FBI and these differences will be addressed in this document. Finally, there will also be a discussion on which index-one crimes would be categorized as violent crimes as well as what property crimes would be classified as.

Introduction Crime is considered to be one of the most appealing topics in popular culture and because of that the public obtains a distorted version of crime. The public unfortunately lacks some knowledge when it comes to the whole overall subject of criminology, the difference amongst blue-collar and white-collar crime as well as the broad awareness of the frequency of crime occurring in the United States. The public needs to understand the different specifics of law enforcement as well as be able to differentiate between what is real and what is not. According to (Schmalleger, 2009),



References: Mauro, M. Psy.D. (2010). What is Forensic Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/take-all-prisoners/201006/what-is-forensic-psychology. Brestovansky, L. (2009). Criminologist Job Description. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_5414649_criminologist-job-description.html. Schmalleger, F. (2009). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction (5th ed.). Prentice Hall. Consador, K Siegel, J.L. (2008). Criminology. (10th ed.). Cengage Learning, Inc. All About Psychology. (2004). (2). Retrieved from http://www.psychology.sdsu.edu/advising/Newsletters/April%202004,%20Issue2_newversion.pdf. Leighton, P Appendix IV-The Nation’s Two Crime Measures. (2004). Retrieved from http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius_04/appendices/appendix_04.html. Nucera, K. (1995). Contemporary Issues in the Press White-Collar vs. Street Crime. Retrieved from http://chss.montclair.edu/english/furr/nucera95.html. Gately, J.P. (2010). Central Texas Man Arrested In $170,000 Embezzlement Case. Retrieved from http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/89435202.html. Uniform Crime Reporting

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