Question 1

The Hierarchical rule states that only the most serious offense gets reported.

Accepted Answer

The Hierarchical Rule in crime reporting dictates that when multiple offenses are committed during a single incident, only the most serious offense is recorded for statistical purposes.

Question 2

A major weakness of self-reported data that researchers are concerned with is memory decay.

Accepted Answer

Memory decay refers to the process by which memories weaken or fade over time, which can lead to inaccuracies in self-reported data as participants may not accurately recall past events or experiences.

Question 3

The Uniform Crime Reports are released every month.

Accepted Answer

The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) are published annually by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Question 4

Theories of crime causation often are grounded in crime statistics.

Accepted Answer

Theories of crime causation frequently rely on crime statistics to identify patterns, trends, and correlations that help explain why crimes occur, thereby grounding these theories in empirical evidence.

Question 5

Macro-level studies seek to understand why individuals commit crime

Accepted Answer

Macro-level studies focus on large-scale social processes and structures, such as economic factors or societal norms, to understand crime rates and trends in society, rather than individual motivations.

Question 6

The UCR can be used by law enforcement agencies for political manipulation.

Accepted Answer

The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program collects crime data, and if misrepresented or selectively reported, it can be used to influence public perception or policy for political purposes.

Question 7

Aggravated assault is classified as a non-Index crime in the Uniform Crime Reports.

Accepted Answer

Aggravated assault is classified as an Index crime in the Uniform Crime Reports, which means it is part of the major crimes that are used to gauge the overall crime rate.

Question 8

A strength of NIBRS is that is fully implemented across the US and easy to maintain.

Accepted Answer

NIBRS (National Incident-Based Reporting System) is not fully implemented across the US, as participation is voluntary and varies by state and agency. Additionally, its detailed data collection requirements can make it complex and challenging to maintain.

Question 9

Part II offenses on the UCR are the lesser and non-violent offenses.

Accepted Answer

Part II offenses in the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program are considered less serious than Part I offenses and include non-violent crimes such as fraud, vandalism, and drug offenses.

Question 10

How well a test measures what it is supposed to measure is referred to as validity.

Accepted Answer

Validity refers to the degree to which a test accurately measures what it is intended to measure.

Quiz 3: Crime Statistics and the Distribution of Crime