Tag Archives: crime

PA Flash Mobs (again)

Posted on August 22, 2011 by laurentio.stan

I remember discussing this topic 2 weeks ago in regards to the issue of flash mobs. Well this article clearly exposes the dangers related to this practice, where several muggings, attacks or teenage/gang fights occur, endangering other innocent bystanders. The solution to this problem has been found by imposing a curfew for minors or youngster in University City.

Laurentiu Stan

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Public Surveillance History

Posted on August 22, 2011 by

In this article that i found, it gives you some type of history on how video surveillance became about.  It gives you what rights you have, as well as what they can do with the surveillance that they just taped.  What i thought was interesting was:

A person traveling in an automobile on public thoroughfares has no reasonable expectation of privacy in his movements from one place to another. When [an individual] traveled over the public streets he voluntarily conveyed to anyone who wanted to look the fact that he was traveling over particular roads in a particular direction, and the fact of his final destination when he exited from public roads onto private property.

This is a different side of the surveillance cameras, and if you think about it this way, then its true.  Technically, if you are walking down the street, then you are in the pubic eye, and you are giving all your rights up, because at the end of the day, everyone can see your actions.  You are not in a private property, hiding from everyone, but you are actually giving up that right when you step out in the public.

The article also gives us information on how different countries such as England, and France use the surveillance system to make sure everyone is okay.  It also has different cases and charts, and lets you know what type of surveillance was implemented and how effective it was.  For the most part, having that type of video surveillance did something positive for the community, either crimes being lowered, or local business benefiting from them.

-Armenis P.

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Hero turned Mobster

Posted on August 18, 2011 by ngolubin

A man that was a war hero in World War II now become a mobster that was involved in man slaughter and gang related crimes. It is not easy to tell who has deviance inside him, you can never tell until that person actually commits a crime. It’s a clear example with Sam Volpendesto, a veteran War hero that saved lives and earned several medals now will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Due to this convicted Sam might not even be able to be buried at the Arlington National Cemetry outside of Washington D.C. for war veterans. Sam still denies any claims that he was part of any gang related activity and that he never made a dime from these crimes.

This shows the deviance can take over anybody, even a person that was brought up in the military and was taught ethic and moral judgment. But unfortunately Sam learned how to assist in murder and crime during the years of service. Wars can bring up trained killers inside of respectfully humble individuals. Its a disgrace not only for himself but also for his family that was proud of his service in WWII. Now the remaining years of his life he will look at them behind bars…just like the men he put away. As the article stated,”War service is not a license to commit crimes.” I believe that some people believe they can get away with anything if they serviced in the army, and it is not unusually because US give a lot of power to those in the forces.

 

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Dishonest police agendas.

Posted on August 17, 2011 by james.chambers

I found this video online which is somewhat of a reiteration of the Village Voice articles we read. The most shocking statistic was that 51% of summonses which were handed out by the NYPD were dismissed. This statistic is plainly ridiculous. Regardless of whether or not Police officers are given quotas, this enormous issuance of tickets is a blatant waste of time. Not only does it waste both officers’ and citizens’ time, but it breeds distrust and resentment toward police in general.

The Voice article also highlights the fact that police from the 81st precinct were forced to basically clear the streets of people. Whether people were given summons, or simply brought to the station and later let go, these wrongfully treated citizens are, again, building resentment for the police force as a whole.

If citizens can’t look to police for stability, then who can they look to? While leaving class, I overheard students discussing their acceptance and trust in relation to Firefighters. I believe this is due to the fact that Firefighters are generally thought of as protectors of the community as opposed to enforcers.

I found this article about the usage of Firefighters to help patrol high crime areas. There are differing points of view concerning this arrangement. It can be said that Firefighters are untrained and ill-equipped to deal with crime prevention. On the other hand, the mere presence of Firefighters can help to prevent crime. Problems are often exacerbated by a Police presence, whereas a Firefighter presence may be advantageous in preventing problems.

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Searching For Illness

Posted on August 17, 2011 by aherrera

It may not be brain scans, but it seems just as ridiculous. Jared Loughner, the man behind the January 8th shootings in Arizona that left 6 dead and 13 injured, is seeking the insanity plea in order to avoid trial. In May, he was ruled mentally incompetent to stand trial and was placed in a psych ward, and now his lawyers are seeking a similar decision. In order to establish this, they have taken to digging deep into the lives of Mr. Loughner’s ancestors. They have subpoenaed the records of 22 of his relatives, dating back to 1893. Although two psychiatrists have diagnosed Mr. Loughner with schizophrenia, it would help the insanity plea if it could be established that mental illness runs in the Loughner family.

I have no issues with someone using the insanity plea. If someone is suffering from mental illness, a distinction should be made in their sentencing (ie. psych ward vs. prison). It seems to be a fact that Mr. Loughner has a troubled past, and from the media coverage it seems that he does in fact suffer from schizophrenia. However, I completely disagree with the use of deceased people’s medical records to prove mental illness in the family. It just seems too farfetched. I understand that mental illness is a viable defense in a criminal case but this just seems unnecessary and a violation of privacy. In the article, a law professor from Vanderbilt actually mentions that this is the most effective way of proving mental illness aside from having a “brain scan showing mental defect.” I think this is quite ironic being that both these options, in my opinion, are anything but effective.

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How does Graffiti fit into Broken Window Theory?

Posted on August 16, 2011 by james.chambers

Graffiti is often looked at from many different perspectives. This video illustrates Graffiti as either vandalism, or an art form. A local store owner, whose business is riddled with Graffiti, thinks its vandalism, while a Los Angeles Museum exhibits it as art. But these different viewpoints force us to ask whether or not Graffiti acts as a stimulus in the collapse of a community.

The question this video asks is not correct for our argument. A more pertinent question would be, how does the community view Graffiti, as art or vandalism? If Graffiti is viewed as vandalism, then it acts as the “broken window.” But, if the Graffiti is viewed as art, then it is simply art; something to be studied and scrutinized.

The fact that Graffiti is such a broad term, makes it difficult to draw a distinction. There are the obvious distinctions of vandalism, where areas are “tagged” with the Graffiti artists’ symbols and lettering. On the other hand lies a form of art, which are walls covered in beautiful portraits and designs. This website is called the “Movement of Graffiti Art” and shows some spectacular images.

The Graffitiing of a store’s riot gates puts an odd twist on how the general feeling within a community changes from day to night. Given the fact that riot gates are closed at night, if more Graffiti is visible at night, does this mean a certain area turns into a lawless wasteland when the sun goes down?  This is an extreme overstatement, but if Graffiti does act as the “broken window,” then an emergence of Graffiti may entice nocturnal crime.

 

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Curfew City

Posted on August 15, 2011 by aherrera

Philadelphia  is one of the latest cities world-wide to experience Flash Robs. In recent weeks, the city has witnessed several robberies and assaults. Similarly to flash mobs, people learned of and then participated in the mobs through social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and BBM.  In response to these attacks the mayor of Philadelphia, Michael Nutter, has ordered a city-wide curfew for “youths” under 21 years of age at 12am and those under 18 at 10 pm. In areas deemed to be more violent, the curfew has been set as early as 9pm.

While these preemptive actions may very well be justified, there has been quite some controversy regarding the comment Mayor Nutter made last Sunday at his church regarding the attacks: “you’ve damaged yourself, you’ve damaged another person, you’ve damaged your peers and, quite honestly, you’ve damaged your own race.” In this class, we have seen time and time again how race has been linked to crime. While Mayor Nutter is attempting to solve a problem, he is also creating one. By being a public official and perpetuating this idea that a particular race is behind an act of violence he is, in my opinion, perpetuating more crimes. By saying that black people are disgracing their race, he is creating a population of “suspects” that can be viewed with suspicion and even hostility by others. This label, as the article points out, takes away from the good things that that same target population is accomplishing, such as the award-winning Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement.  This is just an example of how stereotypes can perpetuate attitudes that encourage crime.

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Protected: Deviance & Hollywood

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Justice

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medicalization over crime?

Posted on August 14, 2011 by laurentio.stan

I really enjoyed reading this article! The way society is becoming, it seems as though, you have to have all this medication, to be normal. I think that doctors try to prescribe pills, and different medicines, for things that cannot be helped by medicines. Criminals however, are exempted from the legal justice system by being conducted via several tests on becoming “fit for trial” in order to decide a lighter faith due to the lack on mental healthiness. Doctors that give all these medications to kids, or individuals and whoever, doesn’t always help these individuals to cope with their disorders, resulting in worse side effects or actions that are immoral for the norms of society. Although not treating these disorders with proper medication, ca result in worse future for patients, having too many can end up on the same path as the untreated. The right amount and somehow, coming to a balance between medication and reality of the disease, with close supervision and right treatment, a sick mind can walk among healthy ones with no visual discrepancy.

laurentio

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Psychopaths. A successful adaptation?

Posted on August 11, 2011 by james.chambers

Psychopathic behavior is hard to think about in any other way but deviant. If we forget about the socially constructed ideas which Psychopaths deviate from, we can see that this difference in behavior may be beneficial to the individuals themselves.  This article highlights the idea that Psychopaths may have physically adapted In order to survive in a world where manipulation and lack of loyalty can give them an advantage.  A lack of devotion to one’s partner will allow a psychopath to have many mates in one lifetime, thus carrying on their traits.  The lack of empathy and an extremely narcissistic attitude can also allow psychopaths to become successful.

The article also points out that a disorder is defined as something which inhibits the ability for a human to adhere to its most basic nature, which, at its heart, is the ability to reproduce. Therefore, psychopathy should not be defined as a disorder, but a reproductive advantage.  It’s interesting to think of psychopathy from this standpoint because if we look at how psychopaths function, it seems beneficial to them. In reality, the forces which inhibit a psychopath’s success are social norms and more importantly, laws. But, without these laws, a psychopath would truly thrive.

This psychopathic behavior is beneficial for the individual rather than the group and can only exist if the majority of people are empathetic and trusting of others.  Therefore, it begs the question, would a society where only psychopaths (or what we define as psychopaths) exist be functional?

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