Deck 2: The Nature and Extent of Crime

Question 1

What shortcoming in the UCR is addressed by the National Crime Victimization survey?

A)the "Sampling Rule"
B)the non-clearance issue
C)the "Hierarchy Rule"
D)the nonreporting issue

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Franklin Zimring and Gordon Hawkins believe the _____ is the single most significant factor separating the crime problem in the United States from that of the rest of the developed world.

A)degree of economic opportunity
B)proliferation of handguns
C)abortion rate
D)immigrant population

Answer 2

B

Question 3

When evaluating the three primary sources of crime data, the crime patterns and trends:

A)are often quite dissimilar.
B)are often quite similar.
C)are incapable of providing an accurate picture of crime.
D)are not consistent over time.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The NCVS annually samples more than 42,000 _________ and 78,000 individuals age 12 or older in order to estimate crime victimization.

A)juveniles
B)households
C)police departments
D)offenders

Question 5

The reporting accuracy of self-report studies is impacted by:

A)the "missing cases" phenomenon.
B)the "overreporting" phenomenon.
C)the "small cohort" phenomenon.
D)the "known group" phenomenon.

Question 6

According to UCR data, what is known about today's property crime rate?

A)The property crime rate has dropped more than 10% in the past decade.
B)The property crime rate has increased by nearly 33% in the past decade.
C)The property crime rate has significantly fluctuated in the past decade.
D)The property crime rate has remained relatively stable in the past decade.

Question 7

A validity concern associated with the NCVS involves:

A)victims overreporting crime.
B)its large sample size.
C)interviewing household members under the age of 12.
D)police officers who fail to disclose crimes in which they are involved.

Question 8

According to the 2008 Monitoring the Future survey:

A)the crime problem is the same as indicated by the UCR.
B)the crime problem is the same as indicated by the NCVS.
C)the crime problem is less than the UCR and NCVS indicate.
D)the crime problem is greater than the UCR and NCVS indicate.

Question 9

While self-report studies can be used to examine the offense history of prison inmates and drug users, most self-report studies have focused on:

A)adult crime.
B)youth crime.
C)hate crime.
D)school crime.

Question 10

Most criminologists believe that homicide data are the most accurate and valid UCR statistics. What do data indicate about homicide rates?

A)Between 1991 and 2008, homicide rates increased 40%
B)Between 1991 and 2008, homicide rates dropped 40%.
C)Between 1991 and 2008, homicide rates increased 14%.
D)Between 1991 and 2008, homicide rates dropped 14%

Question 11

People living in poverty are believed to engage in disproportionate amounts of _____ crimes, such as rape and assault, as a result of their rage, anger, and frustration against society.

A)deliberate
B)expressive
C)instrumental
D)defensive

Question 12

How does today's violent crime rate compare to the violent crime rate in 1991?

A)Today's violent crime rate has increased by nearly 20%.
B)Today's violent crime rate has increased by nearly 40%.
C)Today's violent crime rate has decreased by nearly 20%.
D)Today's violent crime rate as decreased by nearly 40%.

Question 13

The Uniform Crime Report is a primary source of crime data collected by the:

A)National Institute of Justice.
B)Bureau of Justice Statistics.
C)Federal Bureau of Investigation.
D)Office of Juvenile Justice.

Question 14

Survey research involves _____ - the process of selecting for study a limited number of subjects who are representative of entire groups sharing similar characteristics, called the population.

A)locating
B)measuring
C)sampling
D)sectioning

Question 15

Referring to the ecology of crime, which of the following settings has the highest violent crime rate?

A)an urban area in the northeast
B)a rural area in northeast
C)an urban area in the south
D)a rural area in the south

Question 16

The UCR contains data on Part I (index) and Part II (non-index) crimes, although Part II crimes include Part I crimes. Which of the following is not a Part I offense?

A)hate crime
B)arson
C)forcible rape
D)aggravated assault

Question 17

Referring to the ecology of crime, when is crime most likely to happen?

A)on July 1st with a temperature of 80 degrees
B)on September 15th with a temperature of 75 degrees
C)on April 28th with a temperature of 65 degrees
D)on February 14th with a temperature of 40 degrees

Question 18

When looking to the future, what social factor is seen as having a moderating influence on the potential growth of the crime rate?

A)decreasing racial conflict
B)decreasing unemployment
C)increasing moralistic cultural values
D)increasing materialism

Question 19

Regardless of economic and marital status, which factor has the greatest influence on crime rates and trends?

A)age
B)gender
C)race/ethnicity
D)temperature

Question 20

The UCR expresses data as raw figures, crime rates, and changes in the number and rate over time. How are crime rates expressed in the UCR?

A)rates per 1,000 total U.S. population
B)rates per 10,000 total U.S. population
C)rates per 100,000 total U.S. population
D)rates per 1,000,000 total U.S. population

Question 21

Crime peaks in adolescence and then declines rapidly thereafter. What is the peak age for property crime?

A)14
B)16
C)18
D)20

Question 22

_____ suggests that as the African-American population increases, so does the amount of social control directed at them. This type of racism could account for the higher rates of minority crime in UCR data.

A)Police control theory
B)Racial threat theory
C)Racial control theory
D)Police threat theory

Question 23

The Bureau of Justice Statistics collects data from local law enforcement agencies and publishes them yearly in its Uniform Crime Report (UCR).

Question 24

Which of the following statements lends support to liberal feminist theory?

A)Females comprise a greater percentage of the overall population.
B)Females commit less serious crime than males.
C)Female arrest rates are increasing.
D)Females acquire language skills faster than males.

Question 25

Some criminologists believe that the key to desistance and aging out is linked to human biology. What biological process accounts for desistance and aging out?

A)the level of hormone activity in the brain
B)developing a sense of delayed gratification
C)developing a long-term life view
D)starting a family

Question 26

In Wolfgang et al.'s famous study of male juvenile delinquents, what percentage were chronic offenders?

A)6 %
B)10%
C)16%
D)20%

Question 27

The National Crime Victimization Survey addresses the nonreporting of crime issue inherent in the UCR.

Question 28

As the number of guns in the population increases so too do violent crime rates.

Question 29

Most reported crimes occur during the months of April and May.

Question 30

UCR data associate social class with crime, indicating higher crime rates in inner- city, high-poverty areas. An alternative explanation for the association between social class and crime is ____, not actual criminal behavior patterns.

A)social stereotyping
B)population diversity
C)law enforcement practices
D)unemployment and under-employment

Question 31

The age structure of the population has a significant influence on crime trends.

Question 32

While people are disturbed by media accounts of violent incidents, in reality media reports simply reflect the significant increase in violent crimes since 1991.

Question 33

The "Hierarchy Rule" impacts the validity of the National Crime Victimization Survey.

Question 34

Critics of self-report studies frequently suggest that expecting people to candidly admit illegal acts is unreasonable.

Question 35

Which of the following is not a key predictive factor for chronicity?

A)getting arrested before age 15
B)adequate parental supervision and control
C)low intellectual development
D)parental drug involvement

Question 36

Wolfgang et al.'s second cohort study tracked males and females. What percentage of chronic offenders were female?

A)1 %
B)3%
C)6%
D)9%

Question 37

Discovery of the chronic offender has forced criminologists to consider _____ in their explanations of crime.

A)marriage and employment
B)supervision and control
C)persistence and desistence
D)age and gender

Question 38

Property crime rates have declined in recent years, dropping more than 10 percent during the past decade.

Question 39

Those living in poverty engage in disproportionate amounts of expressive crimes, such as rape and assault.

Question 40

The view of crime suggesting that the social and economic roles of women in society control their crime rates is termed:

A)liberation theory.
B)the femininity hypothesis.
C)the masculinity hypothesis.
D)liberal feminist theory.

Question 41

Patterns in the crime rate seem to be linked to temporal and ecological factors. Identify and discuss these factors.

Question 42

Describe Wolfgang, Figlio, and Sellin's cohort studies and discuss the findings that emerged from their pioneering research.

Question 43

Explain why crime is considered a lower-class phenomenon. Why is this so?

Question 44

The weight of recent research suggests that serious crime is more prevalent in socially disorganized lower class areas.

Question 45

Discuss and compare the Uniform Crime Report and the National Crime Victimization Survey. What are the differences in the way data are collected for these primary crime data sources?

Question 46

Racial and ethnic differentials in crime rates are tied to economic and social disparity.

Question 47

Racial threat theory contends that as the percentage of African-Americans in the population increases, so does the amount of social control that the justice system aims at blacks.

Question 48

Chronic offenders eventually age out of crime.

Question 49

Explain the concept of "early onset" and discuss the factors that cause chronicity.

Question 50

Identify and discuss the problems associated with the validity of crime data collection using victimization surveys and self-report studies.

Question 51

Explain how the economy, abortion, gun availability, and drug use influence crime patterns and crime rates.

Question 52

Several factors explain gender differences in the crime rate. Identify and discuss these factors.

Question 53

What do the UCR and NCVS indicate about the recent trends in crime rates? Include violent and property crimes in your response.

Question 54

Wolfgang and his associates' second cohort study found that six percent of female delinquents were chronic offenders.

Question 55

Discuss the age structure of society and the concept of "aging-out." How do age and aging-out impact crime rates?