Question 1

Which of the following seeks to measure hidden crimes or the "dark figure of crime"?

Accepted Answer

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) seeks to measure the "dark figure of crime," including crimes that are not reported to law enforcement.

Question 2

Which of the following will eventually replace the UCR?

Accepted Answer

NIBRS (National Incident-based Reporting System) is a more detailed and comprehensive crime reporting system than the UCR (Uniform Crime Reporting). It collects data on all crimes reported to law enforcement, as opposed to only the most serious crimes, and provides more detailed information about each incident. NIBRS is currently being phased in as a replacement for the UCR.

Question 3

Men account for approximately ___ percent of violent crime arrests.

Accepted Answer

According to FBI crime statistics, men account for approximately 80% of violent crime arrests in the United States.

Question 4

When is crime generally higher?

Accepted Answer

Crime is generally higher in the summer months due to warmer weather and increased social activities, which can lead to more opportunities for criminal behavior to occur.

Question 5

Which of the following is not a common critique of self-reports?

Accepted Answer

Option A and B are common critiques of self-reports. Option D is also a valid critique as self-reports often focus on street crimes and overlook white-collar offenses. Option C, however, is not a common critique as self-reports can also include unreported crimes and behaviors, not just reported arrests.

Question 6

The primary source of US crime statistics is the _____.

Accepted Answer

The Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) is the primary source of crime statistics in the United States, gathering data from over 18,000 law enforcement agencies throughout the country. The National Crime Data Bank (NCDB) is a database that stores information from the UCR and other sources, but it is not the primary source of crime statistics. Interpol Crime Reports and Victims Crime Review are not sources of US crime statistics.

Question 7

Which of the following trends is supported by both UCR and NCVS data?

Accepted Answer

Both UCR and NCVS data show a decline in crime rates since the early 1990s. This is a trend supported by both sources.

Question 8

Typically,how does a crime become known to the police?

Accepted Answer

The most common way for a crime to become known to the police is for it to be reported by the victim or a witness. It is the responsibility of individuals to report crimes to the police so that they can take action to investigate and potentially apprehend the perpetrator. Crimes may also be noticed by police during routine patrols or investigations, but in many cases, they rely on community members to report suspicious behavior or criminal activity. While crimes may sometimes be reported in the news or on social media, this is not typically how they first come to the attention of law enforcement.

Question 9

Which of the following is a recognized critique of the UCR?

Accepted Answer

Many criminologists argue that the UCR seriously underestimates the number of crimes committed each year. This is because not all crimes are reported to law enforcement, and even when they are, not all of them are recorded in the UCR due to various reasons, such as misclassification, clerical errors, and manipulation by police agencies. This can lead to an inaccurate understanding of crime trends and patterns. While A, B, and D may also be critiques of the UCR, C is considered the most recognized and widely accepted one.

Question 10

Which of the following is considered a "myth" regarding crime rates?

Accepted Answer

Girls are not actually becoming more violent. This is a myth perpetuated by media sensationalism and a misunderstanding of statistics. While the arrest rate for girls has increased for some nonviolent offenses, the overall arrest rate for girls has actually decreased in recent years.

Question 11

Crime rates vary according to location,season and climate,and demographic factors such as gender,race and social class.This is referred to as _____.

Accepted Answer

The term "patterning" refers to the variations in crime rates according to different factors such as location, season, climate, and demographics. Surveying involves collecting data through questionnaires or interviews, trending refers to the direction of changes over time, and graphing involves presenting data visually.

Question 12

According to Sigmund Freud,who would commit crime due to penis envy?

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of penis envy, women are believed to feel inferiority and jealousy towards men due to their perceived lack of a penis. This may lead to feelings of resentment and a desire to commit crimes as a means of compensating for this perceived inadequacy.

Question 13

Which of the following is thought to explain why Japan has a lower crime rate than the US?

Accepted Answer

Japan places a high value on social harmony, which may discourage people from engaging in behavior that could disrupt the peace. This emphasis and respect for community and society likely contribute to their lower crime rate.

Question 14

Which of the following is true regarding those interviewed by the NCVS?

Accepted Answer

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) interviews individuals from approximately 90,000 households to gather information on nonfatal personal crimes (e.g., rape, sexual assault, robbery) and household property crimes (e.g., burglary, theft) both reported and not reported to police. This wide-ranging sample is designed to represent the experiences of the population in the United States. The other options are incorrect because the NCVS does not exclusively interview individuals over the age of 18, does not only interview men, and does not exclude individuals from cities over 100,000.

Question 15

If girls are raised to be less assertive,less dominant,and more gentle and nurturing,crime rates will be lower.This suggests a ____ explanation of lower crime rates.

Accepted Answer

The explanation provided - "If girls are raised to be less assertive, less dominant and more gentle and nurturing, crime rates will be lower" - suggests a sociological explanation of lower crime rates. This is because it highlights the socialization process and the impact of cultural norms and values on behavior.

Question 16

Which country has the highest homicide rate among Western democracies?

Accepted Answer

The United States has the highest homicide rate among Western democracies with a rate of 5.0 homicides per 100,000 people in 2019. Canada, Australia, and Germany all have significantly lower rates, with 1.8, 0.9, and 0.8 homicides per 100,000 people respectively.

Question 17

According to the UCR,most criminals are _____.

Accepted Answer

According to the Uniform Crime Report (UCR), the majority of offenders arrested and reported by law enforcement agencies are classified as white. In 2019, 69.6% of individuals arrested for crimes in the United States were identified as white. African Americans made up 26.1%, while Latinos accounted for 18.8% of arrests. Asians accounted for only a small percentage of arrests at 1.3%. Therefore, the best choice is B, White.

Question 18

As with gender,racial arrests statistics may reflect _____ more than racial differences in actual offending.

Accepted Answer

Police arrest practices can be influenced by factors such as racial profiling and discrimination, which can lead to disproportionate arrests of individuals from certain racial or ethnic backgrounds. This does not necessarily reflect actual differences in offending behavior, but rather biases or systemic issues within law enforcement. Increases or decreases in the number of minority police officers or the implementation of community policing programs may have an impact on these statistics, but they do not address underlying issues of bias or discrimination.

Question 19

Which of the following is a Part II offense?

Accepted Answer

Part II offenses, according to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), include less serious offenses and misdemeanors such as fraud, vandalism, and driving under the influence (DUI). Murder, aggravated assault, and motor vehicle theft are considered Part I offenses, which are more serious crimes.

Question 20

Which of the following is one of the major advantages the NCVS has over the UCR?

Accepted Answer

The major advantage the NCVS has over the UCR is that it involves a very large random sample of the US population. This means that the NCVS is more representative of the general population's crime experiences, whereas the UCR only includes reported crimes to law enforcement agencies.

Quiz 3: The Measurement and Patterning of Criminal Behavior