Abstract This paper analyzes the relationship between routine leisureactivities and crime. It discusses the activities theory approach and attempts to explain the relationship between macro-level indicators of leisureactivities and the rates of serious crime. It also discusses how the way people usually conduct their activities can indicate how likely they are to be victims of crime.
From the Paper "All in all, it would seem that Messner and Blau (1979) satisfactorily proved their hypothesis. In doing so, they also validated the routine activities theory and Hawley's (1950) human ecology theory. It may also be noted that Cohen and Felson (1979) made a similar hypothesis, using the opportunities for crime aspect of the routine activity theory to predict that crime rates would become higher with greater dispersion of activities away from households and families."
"We can conclude from the above that there is compelling evidence to suggest that the incidence of crime increases in proportion to the amount of time that is spent away from the household."
Abstract In this article, the writer relates that the literature studied indicates that leisureactivities and crime are related in a number of complex, meaningful ways. The writer notes that this relationship has been explored by a number of researchers over the past decades, generally with similar findings. The writer points out that many researchers hypothesize that household leisureactivities are negatively related to criminal behavior, whereas non-household leisureactivities are often positively related to crime. The writer maintains that although general trends have been established, however, based on similar theorizing, the literature indicates that the relationship is not standard and is affected by variables including type of leisureactivity, gender, age, time of the day, leisure setting and other demographics. These issues are explored in detail in the paper.
Outline:
Introduction
Messner & Blau's Theory of Leisure Behavior and Crime Messner & Blau's Study Methods
Messner & Blau's Results
Other Literature Review
Conclusion
From the Paper "The results of Messner and Blau's study, based on ordinary least-square regressions, revealed that the introduction of leisure activities into the SMSA crime rate model demonstrated significant results, particularly concerning rape, robbery, burglary and larceny. In accordance with previous studies, Messner and Blau found that household activities were negatively related to most of the crimes. The control variables also reiterated that of previous studies - poverty was found to have a significantly positive relationship with crime, racial composition was significant and males tended to be particularly associated with crimes such as homicide and rape. Regional affects regarding robbery and auto crimes were discovered (being lower in volume in southern SMSAs) and, in accordance with only some literature, the high risk 18-24 age bracket was negative for homicide, robbery and assault. Against expectations, daytime television viewing provided stronger results than nighttime data, thought to be attributed to the type of lifestyles daytime television viewing may promote - that is, programs more relevant to criminal opportunities than those offered at prime-time hours."
Abstract In this article the writer notes that a general definition of leisure is used to explain that this time is free from activities such as employment, business, household chores, education, eating and sleeping. However, the writer points out that the definition of what makes an activity true leisure as opposed to being a compulsory activity is a rather arbitrary one and in many cases it can be difficult to determine which activities are being done purely for pleasure with no utilitarian purpose. In order to study the role of leisure over the course of a lifetime, an elderly subject is interviewed and the leisureactivities are analyzed for each decade of life between the ages of twenty-years-old and seventy-years-old. This case study analysis allows for a comparison of how leisure affects the individual's life throughout the different stages of life, as well as providing a comparison to the "average" leisureactivities of other people.
From the Paper "The modern notion of leisure and having leisure time, however, did not emerge until the nineteenth century when the mechanization of industry changed the way most people worked. Because machines allowed the typical workweek to be shortened by more than twenty hours, the average person had time to relax and take part in non-compulsory activities. Before this change in industry, enjoyable activities such as sports and theater were associated with only upper-class -- not working-class -- lifestyles. Since then, leisure has been an essential part of the Western lifestyle for the vast majority of people."
"There are two major categories of leisure and leisure activities. The first is active leisure, which is a type of non-compulsory activity that is just that, active, and implies that the person wishes to exert energy during the activity. Active leisure activities may be low-impact, such as walking, yoga, or swimming, which are not highly competitive or highly energetic, but still a physicalism activity. Active leisure activities may also be considered high-impact, such as competitive sports, which are highly competitive or highly energetic, and may in some extreme cases actually risk physical harm."
Abstract This essay will explore the role of leisure (including both recreation and tourism) in present-day society from a comparative, interdisciplinary perspective. It will be argued that to understand how women and men in the Western world today understand and enjoy leisure, we must first grasp the historical origins of the concept. This understanding will allow us to better appreciate how the benefits and constraints that define contemporary leisureactivities have come into being.
Abstract This paper explains that, whereas the Japanese have incorporated the importance of recreation and leisure into their national culture and identity, some Americans feel guilty about recreation and leisureactivities because of a residual effect of the Puritan work ethic, which equates having fun with laziness. The author points out, by examining research studies, that recreation and leisure are important to every culture because they contribute positively to the individual, the community and the environment. The paper stresses that American society needs to change its definition of recreation and leisure from being activities that are "squeezed in" during moments of free time to being activities that are made a priority because of their numerous benefits.
Table of Contents:
Individual Benefits
Community Building
Environmental Benefits
Conclusion
From the Paper "Research by Iwaski, et. al. demonstrated that male and female managers in stressful positions who choose to make leisure a priority find that it becomes an invaluable coping tool. While there do appear to be gender differences in the types of activities selected, both men and women expressed that their recreation and leisure activities were critical to their physical and professional survival. And, although children have not yet entered the competitive corporate world, a similar study by Caldwell et.al. found that middle school students who regularly participated in positive recreation and leisure activities found that they became more efficient and better focused, more aware of their community, and perhaps less likely to participate in substance use and abuse."
Abstract The etymology of the word "leisure" and the historical concepts of leisure are outlined. A basic definition of leisure in the contemporary North American context is presented. The role of work and leisure as a "response" to industrialized and hierarchical social relations are examined. Socio-economic differences in leisureactivity and access within North American are highlighted. Policies to enhance access to leisure services and opportunities are identified.
Abstract This paper explains that the author believes that the one constant thing the he can rely on, which directly relates to his own personal exposure and inclusion of leisure, is the way he treats leisure and how he lets it impact himself. The author stresses that it is his own responsibility that his lifestyle choices lead to something positive, constructive and self-satisfying. The paper acknowledges that, in order to participate in the leisurelyactivities to which he finds himself drawn, the author is required then to work; therefore, it makes sense to him that his work be based in some sort of leisure as well, which in his case is the theater.
From the Paper "It's then important to me to distinguish between theater leisure and theater work. If I legitimately want to succeed in the business of theater, I have to treat it like such. I have to be open to opportunity. Theater is about determination and hard work as much as it is about fun and passion. I need to be aware of my surroundings; only then will I accept and fulfill what it takes to do well in this field. Let us consider my options, wherein theater contains many. Where do I "make it big?" The film industry. But let's look beyond that. There is plenty of options just waiting for me to pounce on them."
Abstract This paper discusses the activities of state authorities in relation to crime in New Jersey and in the United States. The paper explains that in recent years crimerates in New Jersey have dropped significantly, but the prison population, and its costs, have increased and the key reason is that New Jersey (like many other jurisdictions) uses incarceration to address drug problems. The paper points out that there are alternatives to full-scale incarceration that would save the state of New Jersey substantial sums which are now being spent on maintaining a prison system that is built to guard New Jersey from a threat that does not exist.
Outline:
Introduction
Part I: Recent Crime Statistics
Part II: Recent Legislation
Part III: Victims Assistance Programs
Part IV: Correctional Options
Part V: Three Strikes Laws
Conclusion
From the Paper "There are two criminal justice systems in the United States: the state system and the federal system. When a person commits a crime, it may be a crime against the laws of the United States; it may be a crime against the laws of the state in which the crime occurs. Violations of the criminal laws of the United States ("federal crimes") are prosecuted by the United States through the U.S. Attorney in each state. Violations of the laws of a given state are prosecuted by the various officials of the state. While the two systems work cooperatively, they do not course over."
Abstract This paper uses a rational-choice economic approach to analyze hateful behavior in a manner that would be consistent of a crime scene statistician. The theoretical model predicts that hateful activity decreases with increases in (i) the market wage rate, (ii) the value of time, (iii) age, and (iv) law enforcement activity. The theory is tested on U.S. state hate-crime data and the empirical results provide convincing support for the model.
From the Paper "Until recently, the United States had been relatively immune from the destructive consequences of international hate. After the September 11th bombings, hate crimes toward any and all racial minorities who even appeared to be from the Mid-East increased exponentially. Hateful behavior, both foreign and domestic, has become a major social problem in the twenty-first century. America's future in terms of crime and, for this model: hate crime, will in large part depend upon law enforcement and crime scene professionals understanding the forces that transform hate into acts of violence"
Tags:crime, violence, vengence, revenge, racism, antisemitism, ethnic, data, theory
Abstract In this essay the writer discusses a theory about youth crime in Huberville between the years of 1960 and 1990 and why this rate began to decrease after 1990. Furthermore, the writer attempts to explain how this theory of delinquency might have an influence on the legal ideology of juvenile justice in the city. Lastly, the writer discusses social policies which may stabilize or decrease the crimerate of the youth in Huberville. The writer concludes that Huberville's working and immigrant class may benefit from a program such as the one mentioned in the paper, which gives youth at risk someone whom they are close to and do not want to disappoint and who will encourage more conventional behavior.
From the Paper "This theory of criminal activity however does not explain why the crime rate among the youth as well as the adult of Huberville increased from 1960 to 1990 and then began to decrease when the city was revitalized. Although the city changed from a more stable city environment before 1959 to a more transient environment after that date, many of the same youths who were present before 1959 were still present after 1959. If these individuals had self control before that date it would stand to reason that they still had self control after that date so there must have been something that changed other than the level of self control which the youth possessed that would encourage them to engage in more criminal behavior. One thing that had changed in Huberville shortly before the crime rate increased was that the largest employer in the city closed its doors. This action which plunged Huberville into a recession also led to high unemployment rate of people would did possess the self control to work for a living before the jobs left town."
Abstract A research journal about the past and present aspects of rising crimerates in Britain. The author examines past crime statistics and cause of crime, as well as present increases in crimerates and how this can be changed to secure the future.
From the paper:
"There are aspects of the past, of the present, and aspect of the hopeful future that have influenced this thought. The past defines what crime is and how it affects people, what causes crime and criminals, how much crimes have changed, and why there are crimes. The present shows the rise in crime, current attitudes towards the crimerates, and what is currently being done to bring the rates down. Lastly, the look towards the future will encompass how the system will change to lower these rates, how rates are expected to change, how the public's attitude will change on how to lower the rates, as well as a note not to become too caught up in the solving of the problem."
Abstract This paper traces the concept of leisure in the UK, concentrates on the division by gender especially women and finally analyzes the concept of leisure in Asian Muslim women in Britain.
Abstract This paper argues that the way that people act out their gender is not a natural, inherent extension of their biological sex, but in accordance with the expectations imposed on them by the heterosexual model of society. The paper describes Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and then analyses two social experiments, implementing the use of participant research observation in leisureactivities in order to support its claims.
From the Paper "The research conducted therefore concludes that men and women are not naturally gendered beings, but are yet constrained into playacting the normative conceptions of femininity and masculinity imposed on them by the hegemonic masculinity of society (Butler 2002:49). Gender performances can be observed in leisure activities (Wearing 1996:169). Both experiments found that most people accord to gender stereotypes, due to fear of not being a real man or women, because those who contest it fear becoming ostracised from society (Butler 2002:49). These experiments led to the conclusion that gender is not an inherent part of our identity, but yet based on performances (Chinn 1997:306). This was most exemplified in the way the shop assistant changed her performance towards the baby once she was informed the baby was really a he. This supports Butler's argument of gender performativity, thus further legitimising her claims (Chinn 1997:294)."
Tags: biology, heterosexual, expectations, society
Abstract This paper talks about the distorted picture created of the crime conditions in Europe and, in particular, in Britain, as a result of the volume of crimes that are committed, but unreported. The paper explains some of the reasons that crimes go unreported and how these unreported crimes, commonly referred to as 'the dark figure of crime', affect the overall picture of crime in a country. An example is given of U.S. crimerates, where violent crimerates have always been perceived to be high, but, in actuality, are lower than violent crimerates in industrialized nations in Europe.
From the Paper "The amount of crime in society gets known when it is reported to the police, through public response to victim surveys and studies of offenders who admit committing crime, and when transmitted to other agencies, such as hospital accident wards, battered women's refuge centers and similar ones (Young 2001). Other than these, the amount of crime committed is unknown. That unknown volume (of crime) that does not get reported, thus not registered, in criminal statistics, constitutes the dark figure of crime."
Abstract This four page undergraduate paper examines crime statistics, which indicate that minorities commit more crimes and are arrested more often by law enforcement authorities. The writer notes that statistics can be misleading. The writer further points out that crime is more prevalent in minority neighborhoods because of poverty, drugs, and despair, but statistics tend to exaggerate minority crimerates because minorities are targeted more often for attention and arrest than whites.
From the Paper "Malley notes that racial profiling is a recent law enforcement strategy that enables police officers to stop and question African-Americans or other minorities, simply because statistics indicate that minorities commit more crimes."
