A Jeanne Site
Criminology Class, Fall 1999
Criminology Assignments
Criminology Class Page
California State University, Dominguez Hills
University of Wisconsin, Parkside
Latest update: December 4, 1999
Curran or
Takata.
Exercise on Crime Typologies: Public Order Crimes
Public order crimes (also referred to as "victimless crimes") involves
"acts that are outlawed because they conflict with social policy, accepted
moral rules, and public opinion," (Siegel, 1984). Some examples of public
order crimes are prostitution, pornography, substance abuse, gambling and
so forth.
Questions
- Are so-called victimless crimes truly victimless? Why?
- Should society be considered a victim of crime such as sale and
possession of marijuana? Why?
- If gambling, narcotics, prostitution, and pornography were legalized,
would the influence of organized crime be ended? Why?
- Should customers be punished for soliciting prostitutes? Should
prostitution be considered a crime? Who is hurt by prostitution? Why?