Crisis of Crime

Rachel Means
  • 4.9 (7)
  • EDUCATION

Crisis of Crime aims to educate about criminology and criminal justice reform. Is our Criminal Justice System broken, or working as intended? I suppose it would depend on who you ask. Join me as I explore criminological theory as well as topics such as systemic racism, discrimination, and reforms.

  1. 10/25/2021

    Why Do Women Love True Crime?

    Have you ever wondered why so many women are drawn to true crime? A 2018 study showed that 73% of true crime podcast listeners were women. Is it just a fun past time, or is there something deeper going on? Check out this episode to find out.  Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Sources for this episode: Boling, K., Hull, K. (2018). Undisclosed Information - Serial Is My Favorite Murder. Examining Motivations in the True Crime Podcast Audience. Journal of Radio & Audio Media. Retrieved from: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=s-ErWzUAAAAJ&citation_for_view=s-ErWzUAAAAJ:u5HHmVD_uO8CDiaz, A. (2021). At least nine bodies have been discovered since September during the massive searches for Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie. Daily Mail. Retrieved from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10112443/At-NINE-bodies-discovered-manhunts-Gabby-Petito-Brian-Laundrie.htmlMcNamara, M. (2018) I'll Be Gone in the Dark. HarperCollins: New York, NY. Milan, A. (2021). The racial bias of true crime: Why is murder marketed to white women? Metro.co.uk. Retrieved from: https://metro.co.uk/2021/01/01/the-racial-bias-of-true-crime-why-is-murder-marketed-to-white-women-13615372/ RAINN. (2021). Victims of Sexual Violence: Statistics. RAINN. Retrieved from: https://www.rainn.org/statistics/victims-sexual-violence Tuttle, K. (2019). Why Do Women Love True Crime? The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/books/review/kate-tuttle-true-crime-women.html

    13 min

  2. 10/18/2021

    Radical or Realistic? Postmodern Theories and CRT

    Criminological theories that have been labeled as 'radical' are often thought of as fringe theories or conspiracy theories. Are they really as radical as some would lead you to believe, or do they expose the realistic elements of American's shameful nature? Check out the episode to find out. Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Sources for this episode: •Totenberg, N. (2021). Race, Drugs And Sentencing At the Supreme Court. NPR. Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/2021/06/14/1006264385/race-drugs-and-sentencing-at-the-supreme-court  •History.com Editors. (2021). Jim Crow Laws. History. Retrieved from: https://www.history.com/topics/early-20th-century-us/jim-crow-laws •Madfis, E., Miller, J. M. (2014). The Encyclopedia of Theoretical Criminology. Blackwell Publishing. DOI: 10.1002/9781118517390/wbetc104 •Poortvliet, K. (2021). Postmodern Criminology: Definitions, Theory & Examples. Study. Retrieved from: https://study.com/academy/lesson/postmodern-criminology-definition-theory-examples.html  •Gross, T. (2017). A ‘Forgotten History’ Of How The U.S. Government Segregated America. NPR. Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/2017/05/03/526655831/a-forgotten-history-of-how-the-u-s-government-segregated-america  •U.S. Const. amend. XIII

    18 min

  3. 10/11/2021

    Abortion and Crime - Implications of SB8

    The topic of abortion has been in the public eye recently, especially with Texas passing the Texas Heartbeat Bill (SB8). In this episode, I discuss the consequences of restricting abortion and what's at risk for Texas's future. Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Sources for this episode:  Donohue, J., Levitt, S. (2019). The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime Over the Last Two Decades. Becker Friedman Institute: University of Chicago. Retrieved from: https://bfi.uchicago.edu/wp-content/uploads/BFI_WP_201975.pdf Donohue III, J., Levitt, S. (2001). The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 116(2), 379-420. Tarmann, A. (2000). New Study Claims Abortion is Behind Decrease in Crime. PBR. Retrieved from: https://www.prb.org/resources/new-study-claims-abortion-is-behind-decrease-in-crime/DOJ. (2021) Justice Department Sues Texas over Senate Bill 8. The United States Department of Justice. Retrieved from: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-texas-over-senate-bill-8 Texas Heartbeat Bill, S.B.8, 87th Cong. (2021). https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/86R/billtext/pdf/HB01500I.pdf Rabin, R. (2021) Answers to Questions About the Texas Abortion Law. The New York Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/01/health/texas-abortion-law-facts.html Jagannathan, M. (2019). Nearly half of women who have abortions live below the federal poverty level. MarketWatch. Retrieved from: https://www.marketwatch.com/story/nearly-half-of-women-who-have-abortions-live-below-in-the-federal-poverty-level-2019-05-17 Levitt, D. (2004). Understanding Why Crime Fell in the 1990s: Four Factors that Explain the Decline and Six that Do Not . Journal of Economic Perspectives, 18 (1): 163-190. DOI: 10.1257/089533004773563485 Summers, J. (2014). Rich Kid, Poor Kid: For 30 Years, Baltimore Study Tracked Who Gets Ahead. NPR. Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/08/07/335285098/rich-kid-poor-kid-for-30-years-baltimore-study-tracked-who-gets-ahead

    12 min

  4. 10/04/2021

    Death by 2020 - Why Murders Spiked by 30% Last Year

    2020 saw the largest single-year increase in the murder and non-negligent homicide rate... ever. This episode explores possible reasons for this spike, including motives and criminological theories. Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Sources for this episode: • Eriksson, L., Mazerolle, P. (2013). A general strain theory of intimate partner homicide. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 18(5), 462-470.  • FBI. (2021). Crime Data Explorer. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved from: https://crime-data-explorer.app.cloud.gov/pages/home  • FBI. (2021). News: FBI Releases 2020 Crime Statistics. Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved from: https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2020-crime-statistics  • Fernandez, M. (2021). CDC: Suicides decreased in 2020. Axios. Retrieved from: https://www.axios.com/suicide-decreased-in-2020-pandemmic-mental-health-26196eaf-a245-4d21-85eb-eeb864a24449.html  • Joiner, T.E., Lieberman, A., Stanley, I.H. and Reger, M.A. (2020), "Might the COVID-19 pandemic spur increased murder-suicide?", Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. 12 No. 3, pp. 177-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/JACPR-05-2020-0502 •    Lucas, R. (2021). FBI Shows an Unprecedented Spike in Murders Nationwide in 2020. NPR. Retrieved from: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/27/1040904770/fbi-data-murder-increase-2020

    16 min

  5. 04/26/2021

    Feminist Criminology and What It Missed

    In this episode, I discuss the most popular theories of Feminist Criminology, as well as giving my opinion on what it is lacking - mental health awareness.  Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Venmo: @Rachel_Means Cashapp: @RachelMeans89 Sources for this episode: Cullen, F., Agnew, R., Wilcox, P. (2014). Criminological Theory: Past to Present (5th Edition). New York, NY: Oxford University Press.  Cain, L., Gross, D. (2010). Healing Neen [documentary film]. USA: In the Hallow Films.

    16 min

  6. 04/12/2021

    Who's Responsible for the Bernie Madoff Affair

    In this episode, I discuss the regulatory bodies that were in place who failed to prevent the Bernie Madoff Affair, shared responsibility, and appropriate sanctions for all parties involved.  My Links: Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Venmo: @Rachel_Means Cashapp: @RachelMeans89 Sources for this episode:  Definition. (2017). Ponzi. Dictionary.com, Retrieved from: http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ponzi--scheme  FINRA. (2009). FINRA Defends its Role in Madoff Scandal. Reuters, Retrieved from: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-madoff-finra-sb-idUSTRE50E0EQ20090115  Gaviria, M. (Director). (2009). The Madoff Affair [online video]. United States. PBS International   Moyer, L. (2009). How Regulators Missed Madoff. Forbes, Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/2009/01/27/bernard-madoff-sec-business-wall-street_0127_regulators.html Schlegel, K., Weisburd, D. (1992). White-Collar Crime Reconsidered. Northeastern University Press.  SEC. (2011). General Information on the Regulation of Investment Advisors. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Retrieved from: https://www.sec.gov/divisions/investment/iaregulation/memoia.htm

    19 min

  7. 04/05/2021

    Enron and White-Collar Crime

    In this episode, I discuss different theories that fall under the umbrella of white-collar crime, using former Enron executives as examples. If you are unfamiliar with the Enron Scandal, I would recommend watching the documentary, "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" for a great overview. I briefly describe what happened, but not in great detail. My Links: Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Venmo: @Rachel_Means Cashapp: @RachelMeans89 Sources for this episode: Gibney, A. (Director). (2005). Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room [Motion Picture].  Schlegel, K. & Weisburd, D. (1992). White Collar Crime Reconsidered. Northeastern University Press.

    24 min

  8. 03/22/2021

    Biological Predictors of Criminal Behavior

    In this episode, I discuss the physiological factors that can help predict behaviors associated with antisocial personality disorder - or more commonly known as psychopathic behaviors. My Links: Website • YouTube • TikTok • Twitter • Patreon • Facebook Venmo: @Rachel_Means Cashapp: @RachelMeans89 Sources for this episode: Cullen, F. T., Agnew R., & Wilcox P. (2014). Criminological Theory: Past to Present. New York, NY: Oxford University Press Diffen. (2016). Fraternal Twins vs. Identical Twins. Diffen. Retrieved from http://www.diffen.com/difference/Fraternal_Twins_vs_Identical_Twins Etkin, A. (2015). Different mental disorders linked to same brain-matter loss, study finds. Stanford Medicine. Retrieved from: https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2015/02/different-mental-disorders-cause-same-brain-matter-loss.html Farlex (2016). Medical Dictionary. The Free Dictionary. Retrieved from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Parahippocampal+place+area  Kendler, K. S., Lönn, S. L., Morris, N. A., Sundquist, J., Långström, N., & Sundquist, K. (2014). A Swedish National Adoption Study of Criminality. Psychological Medicine, 44, p. 1913-1925. https://www-cambridge-org.ezproxy.bu.edu/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/18BF148FC7DD248D2ACB5428ECEA6306/S0033291713002638a.pdf/a-swedish-national-adoption-study-of-criminality.pdf MayoClinic. (2021). Antisocial Personality Disorder. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/antisocial-personality-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353928 Niv, S., Ashrafulla, S., Tuvblad, C., Joshi, A., Raine, A., Leahy, R., Baker, L. (2015). Childhood EEG Frontal alpha power as predictor of adolescent antisocial behavior: A twin heritability study. Biological Psychology, 105: 72-76

    17 min
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4.9
out of 5
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About

Crisis of Crime aims to educate about criminology and criminal justice reform. Is our Criminal Justice System broken, or working as intended? I suppose it would depend on who you ask. Join me as I explore criminological theory as well as topics such as systemic racism, discrimination, and reforms.

Information

  • Creator
    Rachel Means
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2021
  • Episodes
    27
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Crisis of Crime
  • Show Website
    Crisis of Crime