Abuse
Mistreatment of one person by another, typically in family or dating relationships
Acquaintance robbery
robbery of a person whom the robber knows
Aggravated robbery
robbery that may result in injuries to the victim
Armed robbery
robbery using a weapon
Assault
Attempted battery or the threat of immediate battery of another person
Battery
A physical attack on another person
Bias crime
another name for hate crime
Burglary
entering a structure illegally, usually with the goal of stealing
Carjacking
the robbery of a car when a person is present in the vehicle
Church Arson Prevention Act 1996
legislation that imposed specific penalties for
damaging religious property or interfering with a person’s ability to practice his or her religious beliefs
Civil Rights Act of 1964
legislation that ended racial segregation in public places and employment discrimination
Civil Rights Act of 1968
legislation that (among other changes) made it a federal crime to intimidate anyone based on race, color, religion or national origin
Cross-burning
the practice of setting a cross on fire, which is viewed as a symbol of
hate
Expressive violence
violence that results from intense emotions such as rage or frustration
Extortion
coercing money, property, or services using intimidation and threats.
First degree murder
killing a person after premeditation
Hate crime
a violent act against person or property directed toward members of a particular group which is punished with a harsher penalty
Hate speech
speech that offends or threatens groups based on race, color religion,
national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits
Homicide
the killing of another human being
Human instinct
a pattern of behavior that is part of human biological responses to stimuli
Instrumental violence
violence that appears rational and helps the criminal achieve a goal
Involuntary manslaughter
a killing that results from a person having disregard for how harmful their actions could be but without the intent to cause a person harm
James Byrd Jr.
an African American man who was murdered to his race and whose
case led to changes in the law
Manslaughter
killing a person without the intent to cause a person harm
Mass murder
a person who murders multiple people in a single event, usually four or more
Matthew Shepard
a gay man who was murdered due to his sexuality and whose case led to changes in the law
Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act 2009
an expansion of previous legislation to include hate crimes motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability
Mean world syndrome
an exaggerated view of the role of crime in society based on media images of violent crime
Mississippi Burning
a case involving the murders of civil rights workers that led to national outrage
Murder
the intentional, unlawful killing of a human being
Neglect
Abuse that results from a person not caring for another individual who is need of care
Opportunistic
making the most of opportunities to commit a crime based on the
circumstances of the moment
Penalty enhancement
increases in penalties for an offense
Prejudice
a negative opinion of a group that is based on preconceived ideas
Premeditation
planning a crime in advance of committing that crime
Robbery
the stealing or attempt to steal property using threats or force
Second degree murder
killing a person without premeditation but with disregard for the person’s life and the intent to cause another person harm
Serial killer
a person who murders a series of people in separate incidents, usually
three or more
Sexual violence
a sexual act committed against a person who did not give consent
Spree killer
a person who murders multiple people in a short amount of time, usually
at multiple locations
Subculture of violence
a segment of society in which violence has become legitimized by the custom and norms of that group
Theft
the stealing of property
Victim blaming
a belief that a victim of violence is at least partially at fault for their situation
Violent Control and Enforcement Act 1994
legislation that increased the penalties for hate crimes
Violent crime
a crime in which the offender uses or threatens to use violent force upon
the victim
Voluntary manslaughter
a killing that occurred suddenly in the heat of the moment without the intent to cause a person harm
Voting Rights Act of 1965
legislation intended to end barriers to voting on the state and local level
White supremacy
the belief that white people are superior to people of color.