Crime and Social Exclusion
Social exclusion
The process of being shut out, fully or partially, from any of the social, political, or cultural
systems that determines the social integration of a person in society
Crime and Victimization
• Marginalization and exclusion mechanisms influence criminal offending and victimization
⁃ Gender
⁃ Race
⁃ Class
⁃ Sexual orientation
⁃ Age
⁃ Ability
UCR Definition - Violence
• Violent incidents involve offences that deal with the application, or threat of application, of
force to a person
• Includes homicide, attempted murder, various forms of sexual and non-sexual assault, robbery
and abduction. Traffic incidents that result in death or bodily harm are included under
Criminal Code traffic incidents
Structural Violence - Definition
• Structural violence is present when social arrangements created and/or maintained by one set
of people enable harms for a different set of people while marginalizing the ability of the
harmed people to transform these arrangements in ways that protect, preserve or restore their
well-being
• The harm is structural because it is a product of the way we have organized our social world, it
is violent because it causes injury and death
Sexual Violence Against Girls/Young Women
• 1 in 7 teen girls will experience sexual dating violence
• 50% of women who experience attempted or completed rape under 18 years
• 1 in 5 women will experience sexual violence while at college/university
Femicide
Femicide is commonly defined as the intentional murder of women because they are women
Femicide in Canada
76 ultimate partner homicides reported in Canada
Females 5x greater risk than males for IPH
84% of homicide victims killed by IP were females
Montreal Massacre
Sexual Harassment
• Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination. It involves unwanted behaviour that intimidates
or causes another person offence or humiliation. It can cause severe anxiety, shame and fear.
Cyber harassment is having an especially devastating impact on young people
• Ontario The sexual violence and harassment plan act 2016
• In 3/4 of sexual assaults, the woman knows her attacker
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women in Canada
• National Inquiry was created to look into the matters
• 1200-4000 cases
• Lack of interest in finding indigenous women
• Lack of attention to the resources and the response compared to white women
• Social exclusion
Historical Context Colonialism, Racism and sexualization of women
• Aboriginal women in Canada have historically been devalued not only as aboriginal people but
also simply because they new women
• Came up with a number of recommendations, each looks at different aspects of this ongoing
issue
• Calls to action: single most important thing we can do as Canadians is reading the truth and
reconciliation report
Hate and the Myth of Multiculturalism
• All humans inherent dignity and worth
• Dignity and worth can be socially defined and constructed along a continuum in which some
members of society are seen to have less with and hate crime reinforces these realities
• Hate crime is a reaction to the “fact" of increasing diversity in Canada-many Canadians fear
loss of long-standing privilege and supremacy (mechanism that reinforce social exclusion)
• Hate is a response to fear, Canadians are losing their social status (critical perspective)
Hate legislation
• S. 318 Promotion of Genocide
• S. 319 (1) Public Incitement of Hatred
• S. 319 (2) Wilful Promotion of Hatred
• S. 430 (4.1) Bias Motivated Mischief - newest legislation; with focuses on mischief of
property, doing something to someones property that is biased e.g. graffiti on property
Public Incitement of Hatred
• S. 319 (1) Public Incitement of Hatred
• A person must:
⁃ Communicate statements
⁃ In a public place
Definition of Identifiable Groups
• 319 (4)…any section of the public distinguished by colour, race, religion, national or ethnic
origin, sex, age
• 41% motivated by religion
• Almost 50% is mischief section
• 10% of most hate is motivated by sexual orientation
Social Exclusion and Racism
Homeless Hub
• The causes of homelessness reflect an intricate interplay between structural factors, systems
failures and individual circumstances
• Homelessness is usually the result of the cumulate impact of a number of factors, rather a
single cause
• Structural factors:
⁃ Are economic and societal issues that affect opportunities and social environments for
individuals. Key factors can include the lack of adequate income, access to affordable
housing and health supports and/or the experience of discrimination. Shifts in the
economy both nationally and locally can create challenges for people to earn an adequate
income, pay for food and housing
Homeless youth - victimization/criminalization
Homeless youth 5x’s more likely to have been victims of violent crime
Youth self Definition
Homeless
Gangs
Both have the same problems
Reasons for gang identification
• Power and respect
• Money
• Money and respect
• Protection
• Social support and companionship
Victim of Gang Violence
24% of homicide victims in Canada were linked to organized crime or street gang
Murders connected to organized crime automatically
Bill C-24 Organized Crime 2002
Participation in Criminal Organization
Media Assignment
1. Does the news article you choose accurately frame/depict crime/criminal justice
research?
2. What is the main message? How is that message being framed?
3.
