Question 1

The likelihood of "continuous threat to society" that expert predictions of risk are supposed to address in capital penalty cases is problematic. All of the following are valid reasons for this, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The answer of The likelihood of "continuous threat to society"...

Question 2

According to the text, research studies find that the rate of reoffense after sexual crimes is _____ than the rate of reoffense after other crimes.

Accepted Answer

Research studies generally find that the rate of reoffense after sexual crimes is lower compared to the rate of reoffense after other types of crimes. This is contrary to common perceptions, which often assume a higher rate of recidivism among sexual offenders.

Question 3

At its high point (in the 1950s), the number of people housed in _____ in the United States reached close to _____ individuals.

Accepted Answer

In the 1950s, the number of people housed in mental asylums in the United States peaked at close to half a million individuals, reflecting the era's reliance on institutionalization for mental health issues.

Question 4

The Supreme Court case of Kansas v. Hendricks (1997) has addressed several challenges about potential constitutional violations of SVP laws. Which one of the following is NOT among these challenges?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court case of Kansas v. Hendricks did not address challenges related to the constitutional right to bear arms in the context of SVP (Sexually Violent Predator) laws. The challenges primarily focused on issues related to double jeopardy, ex post facto laws, and deprivation of liberty without due process.

Question 5

The courts' decisions with regard to civil commitment laws tend to support the idea that psychological experts _____ predict future violence, _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The courts' decisions with regard to civil...

Question 6

Predictions made by psychological experts regarding potential future violence are almost uniformly _____ by the courts.

Accepted Answer

Predictions made by psychological experts regarding potential future violence are typically upheld by the courts, meaning the courts often accept and support these expert predictions.

Question 7

When it comes to sex offender community notification and registration laws, there is _____ scientific evidence that they reduce sexual recidivism. Most critics argue that these laws _____.

Accepted Answer

There is no solid scientific evidence that sex offender community notification and registration laws significantly reduce sexual recidivism. Critics often argue that these laws primarily serve to make the public feel safer without actually enhancing safety.

Question 8

The movement to deinstitutionalize mentally ill patients was brought about by all of the following factors, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The movement to deinstitutionalize mentally ill patients was primarily driven by humanitarian advocacy, the high financial costs of hospitalization, and the advent of antipsychotic medications, which made outpatient treatment more feasible. A shortage of medical professionals was not a driving factor behind deinstitutionalization.

Question 9

Cathy was incarcerated because she has a history of physical and mental abuse of her stepchildren. She has been held in custody for an extended period after her incarceration term ended because she has the possibility of becoming violent, which is also known as:

Accepted Answer

Preventative detention refers to the practice of holding someone in custody due to the potential risk they pose to society, such as the possibility of becoming violent, rather than for a crime they have already committed.

Question 10

According to the text, all of the following statements about people with serious mental illnesses are correct, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Research and evidence suggest that while people with serious mental illnesses might have a slightly increased risk of violent behavior, especially if substance abuse is involved, there is no substantial evidence linking playing video games directly to an increased likelihood of violence among this population. Proper treatment and addressing substance abuse can mitigate risks associated with mental illness.

Question 11

It is basically impossible to calculate the rate of reoffense for sexual offenders correctly. All of the following reasons for that are valid, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

The statement in D is incorrect because typically, the longer recidivism is tracked, the higher the observed reoffense rates may become, as it allows more time for reoffenses to occur and be detected.

Question 12

In Barefoot v. Estelle (1983), the American Psychiatric Association provided an amicus curiae brief stating that expert predictions of violence risk were _____ two out of three times. The Supreme Court held that experts _____ provide their opinion in such cases.

Accepted Answer

The American Psychiatric Association stated that expert predictions of violence risk were incorrect two out of three times, but the Supreme Court held that experts should still provide their opinion in such cases.

Question 13

Placing someone in a psychiatric facility against his or her will is known as:

Accepted Answer

Involuntary civil commitment is the legal process through which an individual with symptoms of severe mental illness is court-ordered into treatment in a psychiatric hospital (or sometimes outpatient treatment) against their will. This is distinct from voluntary admission, criminal commitment (related to crimes committed by individuals deemed to have a mental illness), and deinstitutionalization (the process of releasing individuals from psychiatric hospitals).

Question 14

Violent behaviors are only slightly more likely among people with severe mental illness. According to the text, a much more important factor is _____, which _____ violent behavior even among mentally healthy people.

Accepted Answer

Substance abuse significantly increases the likelihood of violent behavior, not only among those with severe mental illness but also among the mentally healthy population.

Question 15

In many death penalty cases, the sentence is decided based on the _____ standard, which is a probability that the defendant would commit an act of criminal violence and thus presents a continuous threat to society.

Accepted Answer

The correct term is "future dangerousness," which refers to the likelihood that the defendant will pose a threat to society by committing future acts of violence if not sentenced to death. This standard is often used in the sentencing phase of death penalty cases to argue for the necessity of the death penalty as a means to protect society.

Question 16

During most death penalty trials, expert testimony about the defendant's future dangerousness is provided:

Accepted Answer

Expert testimony about a defendant's future dangerousness in death penalty trials is typically provided by psychologists or psychiatrists, who use their expertise to assess and testify about the defendant's potential risk to society.

Question 17

The Supreme Court made it clear in Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) that expert predictions of future dangerousness were _____ in capital sentencing _____.

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court in Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) ruled that expert predictions of future dangerousness were admissible in capital sentencing despite questions about their accuracy. This decision acknowledged the potential inaccuracy of such predictions but still allowed them to be considered in determining a defendant's sentence.

Question 18

Only three states have been responsible for over half of the total executions in the United States since 1976:

Accepted Answer

Texas, Oklahoma, and Virginia have carried out more than half of all executions in the United States since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976, with Texas being the leading state by a significant margin.

Question 19

In Kansas v. Hendricks (1997), the Supreme Court ruled that sexually violent predator civil commitment laws did NOT violate double jeopardy. Double jeopardy means that:

Accepted Answer

Double jeopardy refers to the principle that an individual cannot be punished more than once for the same crime, which aligns with choice B.

Question 20

Community notification requiring states to make personal and private information about known sex offenders available to the public is a result of the enactment of the:

Accepted Answer

Megan's Law requires states to make information about registered sex offenders available to the public. It was enacted in response to the murder of Megan Kanka by a known sex offender who lived in her neighborhood. This law aims to provide communities with information that can protect them from sexual offenders.

Quiz 15: Predicting Violent Behavior: the Psychology of Risk Assessment

The likelihood of "continuous threat to society" that expert predictions of risk are supposed to address in capital penalty cases is problematic. All of the following are valid reasons for this, EXCEPT:

According to the text, research studies find that the rate of reoffense after sexual crimes is _____ than the rate of reoffense after other crimes.

At its high point (in the 1950s) , the number of people housed in _ in the United States reached close to _ individuals.

The Supreme Court case of Kansas v. Hendricks (1997) has addressed several challenges about potential constitutional violations of SVP laws. Which one of the following is NOT among these challenges?

The courts' decisions with regard to civil commitment laws tend to support the idea that psychological experts _ predict future violence, _.

Predictions made by psychological experts regarding potential future violence are almost uniformly _____ by the courts.

When it comes to sex offender community notification and registration laws, there is _ scientific evidence that they reduce sexual recidivism. Most critics argue that these laws _.

The movement to deinstitutionalize mentally ill patients was brought about by all of the following factors, EXCEPT:

Cathy was incarcerated because she has a history of physical and mental abuse of her stepchildren. She has been held in custody for an extended period after her incarceration term ended because she has the possibility of becoming violent, which is also known as:

According to the text, all of the following statements about people with serious mental illnesses are correct, EXCEPT:

It is basically impossible to calculate the rate of reoffense for sexual offenders correctly. All of the following reasons for that are valid, EXCEPT:

In Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) , the American Psychiatric Association provided an amicus curiae brief stating that expert predictions of violence risk were _ two out of three times. The Supreme Court held that experts _ provide their opinion in such cases.

Placing someone in a psychiatric facility against his or her will is known as:

Violent behaviors are only slightly more likely among people with severe mental illness. According to the text, a much more important factor is _, which _ violent behavior even among mentally healthy people.

In many death penalty cases, the sentence is decided based on the _____ standard, which is a probability that the defendant would commit an act of criminal violence and thus presents a continuous threat to society.

During most death penalty trials, expert testimony about the defendant's future dangerousness is provided:

The Supreme Court made it clear in Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) that expert predictions of future dangerousness were _ in capital sentencing _.

Only three states have been responsible for over half of the total executions in the United States since 1976:

In Kansas v. Hendricks (1997) , the Supreme Court ruled that sexually violent predator civil commitment laws did NOT violate double jeopardy. Double jeopardy means that:

Community notification requiring states to make personal and private information about known sex offenders available to the public is a result of the enactment of the:

Quiz 15: Predicting Violent Behavior: the Psychology of Risk Assessment

The likelihood of "continuous threat to society" that expert predictions of risk are supposed to address in capital penalty cases is problematic. All of the following are valid reasons for this, EXCEPT:

According to the text, research studies find that the rate of reoffense after sexual crimes is _____ than the rate of reoffense after other crimes.

At its high point (in the 1950s) , the number of people housed in _____ in the United States reached close to _____ individuals.

The Supreme Court case of Kansas v. Hendricks (1997) has addressed several challenges about potential constitutional violations of SVP laws. Which one of the following is NOT among these challenges?

The courts' decisions with regard to civil commitment laws tend to support the idea that psychological experts _____ predict future violence, _____.

Predictions made by psychological experts regarding potential future violence are almost uniformly _____ by the courts.

When it comes to sex offender community notification and registration laws, there is _____ scientific evidence that they reduce sexual recidivism. Most critics argue that these laws _____.

The movement to deinstitutionalize mentally ill patients was brought about by all of the following factors, EXCEPT:

Cathy was incarcerated because she has a history of physical and mental abuse of her stepchildren. She has been held in custody for an extended period after her incarceration term ended because she has the possibility of becoming violent, which is also known as:

According to the text, all of the following statements about people with serious mental illnesses are correct, EXCEPT:

It is basically impossible to calculate the rate of reoffense for sexual offenders correctly. All of the following reasons for that are valid, EXCEPT:

In Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) , the American Psychiatric Association provided an amicus curiae brief stating that expert predictions of violence risk were _____ two out of three times. The Supreme Court held that experts _____ provide their opinion in such cases.

Placing someone in a psychiatric facility against his or her will is known as:

Violent behaviors are only slightly more likely among people with severe mental illness. According to the text, a much more important factor is _____, which _____ violent behavior even among mentally healthy people.

In many death penalty cases, the sentence is decided based on the _____ standard, which is a probability that the defendant would commit an act of criminal violence and thus presents a continuous threat to society.

During most death penalty trials, expert testimony about the defendant's future dangerousness is provided:

The Supreme Court made it clear in Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) that expert predictions of future dangerousness were _____ in capital sentencing _____.

Only three states have been responsible for over half of the total executions in the United States since 1976:

In Kansas v. Hendricks (1997) , the Supreme Court ruled that sexually violent predator civil commitment laws did NOT violate double jeopardy. Double jeopardy means that:

Community notification requiring states to make personal and private information about known sex offenders available to the public is a result of the enactment of the:

At its high point (in the 1950s) , the number of people housed in _ in the United States reached close to _ individuals.

The courts' decisions with regard to civil commitment laws tend to support the idea that psychological experts _ predict future violence, _.

When it comes to sex offender community notification and registration laws, there is _ scientific evidence that they reduce sexual recidivism. Most critics argue that these laws _.

In Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) , the American Psychiatric Association provided an amicus curiae brief stating that expert predictions of violence risk were _ two out of three times. The Supreme Court held that experts _ provide their opinion in such cases.

Violent behaviors are only slightly more likely among people with severe mental illness. According to the text, a much more important factor is _, which _ violent behavior even among mentally healthy people.

The Supreme Court made it clear in Barefoot v. Estelle (1983) that expert predictions of future dangerousness were _ in capital sentencing _.