GLOSSARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Z

N

National Crime Information Center (NCIC)    A centralized computer-based database that is the U.S. counterpart to the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC).

National Crime Survey    The ongoing victimization study conducted jointly by the Justice Department and the U.S. Census Bureau that surveys victims about their experiences with law violation.

natural areas    Pioneering research in sociology conducted at the Chicago School looked at the social ecology of the city and how social forces operating in urban areas create criminal interactions resulting in some neighbourhoods becoming natural areas for crime.

negative affective states    According to Agnew, the anger, depression, disappointment, fear, and other adverse emotions that derive from strain.

neighbourhood policing    A style of police management that emphasizes community-level crime-fighting programs and initiatives.

neurological    Pertaining to the brain and central nervous system.

neurophysiology    The study of brain activity which looks at neurological and physical abnormalities acquired during the fetal or perinatal stage which is thought to control behaviour.

neuropsychological theory    The theory that people with identical IQ scores can have very different patterns of mental strengths and weaknesses (e.g., verbal skill, spatial perception) that can influence behaviour. See also learning disabilities.

neurosis    An syndrome in psychodynamic theory, which posits that people suffer when they experience feelings of mental anguish and are afraid they are losing control of their personalities.

neuroticism    A personality trait marked by unfounded anxiety, tension, and emotional instability.

neurotics    People who fear that their primitive id impulses will dominate their personality.

neutralization theory    1) Neutralization theory looks at the ability to overcome social norms and controls. This approach holds that offenders adhere to conventional values while "drifting" into periods of illegal behaviour. In order to drift, people must first neutralize legal and moral values. 2) the view that delinquents often use linguistic constructions (i.e., excuse or rationalization) to reduce the guilt resulting from their delinquent behaviour (denial of responsibility or injury, or blaming the victim or the accusers). See also excuse; justification

niche    A way of adapting to the prison community that stresses finding one's place (niche) in the system rather than fighting for one's individual rights.

90-degree rule    A basic police procedure during encounter situations that requires officers to space themselves during the encounter so as to avoid a cross-fire situation should firearms be used.

nolle prosequi    The term used when a prosecutor decides to drop a case after a complaint has been formally made. Reasons for a nolle prosequi include insufficient evidence, reluctance of witnesses to testify, police error, and office policy.

nolo contendere    No contest. An admission of guilt in a criminal case with the condition that the finding cannot be used against the defendant in any subsequent civil cases.

nonintervention    A justice philosophy that emphasizes the least intrusive treatment possible. Among its central policies are decarceration, diversion, and decriminalization. Less is better.

norm resistance    In a branch of conflict theory, this refers to how interaction between authorities and subjects eventually produces open conflict between the two groups.

norms    See Morals

O

oath-helpers    During the Middle Ages, groups of 12 to 25 people who would support the accused's innocence.

obitiatry    According to Jack Kevorkian, the practice of helping people take their own lives.

obscenity    According to current legal theory, sexually explicit material that lacks a serious purpose and appeals solely to the prurient interest of the viewer. While nudity per se is not usually considered obscene, open sexual behaviour, masturbation, and exhibition of the genitals is banned in most communities.

occasional criminal    Unlike the professional criminal, does not derive a significant income from crime.

occupational crime    Violation of legal norms governing lawful occupational endeavours.

white-collar crime    A crime committed by a person of respectability and high status in the course of their occupation. See also culture of competition; enterprise crime; workplace domain.

offender-specific crime    Refers to the fact that criminals are not people who engage in random acts of antisocial behaviour; they analyse whether they have the prerequisites for committing a criminal act, including their skills, motives, needs, and fears.

official crime    Criminal behaviour that has been recorded by the police.

oleoresin capsicum (pepper spray)    An aerosol irritant used for compliance control that causes extreme irritation to mucous membranes but has no long-term physiological effects on the human body.

operational field training    The portion of police training in which the recruit, under the guidance of a senior officer (a mentor or training officer), learns to apply the basic principles and skills learned at the training centre.

opportunist robber    Someone who steals small amounts when a vulnerable target presents itself.

oral evidence    Evidence in case investigations provided by witnesses, suspects, and victims and that includes sworn statements and confessions. Also known as testimonial evidence.

organized crime    Crime committed by a gang, eg. Drug trafficking.

ORION    A computer program developed by the Vancouver Police Department Geographic Profiling Section that merges geographic information system data with information from other sources, including psychological profiles, aerial photos, and motor vehicle licensing information.

outer containments    Aspects of the individual's social environment (e.g., primary groups) that help to ensure that delinquent behaviour does not occur. See also Containment theory; Inner containments

overt pathway    In the study of the course of criminal careers, this refers to the escalation of aggressive acts beginning with aggression (annoying others, bullying) leading to physical (and gang) fighting and on to violence (attacking someone, strongarming, forced theft).