Deck 2: Crime and Crime Causation

Question 1

Occupational crimes are often profitable and do not come to the public's attention.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The term "anomie" applies to a situation in which the rules or norms that guide behavior have been strengthened or reinforced.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The UCR and NCVS do not provide a clear picture of the amount of crime because of the differences in the way that each measures crime.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Race is a key factor in exposure to crime, in that White citizens are more likely to be victimized than Black citizens.

Question 5

Sexual assault victims are most likely to be assaulted by someone they know.

Question 6

Robberies and other visible crimes are among the least profitable criminal activities.

Question 7

Organized crime has been observed in all American immigrant groups as one of the first steps on the so-called "ladder of social mobility."

Question 8

Classical criminology holds that criminal behavior is irrational.

Question 9

Visible crimes are typically committed by older career criminals.

Question 10

Relatively few political crimes take place in western democracies compared with other countries.

Question 11

The NCVS incorporates a survey of businesses to assess their rate of victimization.

Question 12

It is fairly easy to track crime for criminal justice research purposes because of the wide availability of accurate data.

Question 13

Both the UCR and NCVS indicate that crime in the United States has been decreasing since 1993.

Question 14

An individual whose lifestyle includes visiting nightclubs and staying out late has an increased risk of victimization over someone who stays home in the evenings.

Question 15

Positivist criminologists believe that scientific methods can be effectively used to discover the causes of crime and to treat deviants.

Question 16

Proposals for chemical castration of repeat sex offenders are based upon sociological explanations of crime.

Question 17

Politicians' statements may contribute to fear of crime.

Question 18

Explanations of criminal behavior in the 1970s focused on the influence of the devil on individual behavior.

Question 19

Most people do not report auto theft to the police.

Question 20

Males aged 16-24 are the most crime-prone demographic group.

Question 21

The provision of illicit goods is a category of transnational crime.

Question 22

Relatively little crime is committed by acquaintances and relatives of victims, especially crimes committed against women.

Question 23

Crimes such as murder or assault that are traditionally considered to be wrong in themselves are known as:

A) mala prohibita.
B) misdemeanors.
C) transgressions.
D) mala in se.
E) criminogenic.

Question 24

The provision of illicit goods includes human trafficking, such as transporting sex workers or undocumented immigrants illegally into a country.

Question 25

Crimes such as gambling or prostitution that are not "wrong in themselves" but are prohibited by government, are known as:

A) mala prohibita.
B) misdemeanors.
C) positivist.
D) victimology.
E) mala in se.

Question 26

Transnational crimes are offenses involving a willing and private exchange of illegal goods or services that are in strong demand.

Question 27

Recent data indicates that women's involvement in violent crimes is skyrocketing.

Question 28

Which of the following is an example of an occupational crime?

A) murder
B) espionage
C) illegal drug sales
D) embezzlement
E) prostitution

Question 29

Crimes that threaten the general well-being of society and challenge accepted moral principles are defined as:

A) violent crimes.
B) mala in se crimes.
C) transgressions.
D) public-order crimes.
E) high-visibility crimes.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT an example of a property crime?

A) larceny
B) burglary
C) shoplifting
D) embezzlement
E) disorderly conduct

Question 31

Many victims of crime behave in ways that facilitate their becoming victims.

Question 32

Profit-seeking criminal activities that involve planning, execution, or victimization that crosses national borders are called interstate crimes.

Question 33

Most theories about crime are based on men's behavior.

Question 34

Control theories emphasize that individuals exhibit criminal behavior due to the social processes inherent in the criminal justice system.

Question 35

Victimology surfaced in the 1950s as a field of criminology that studied the role of the victim in the criminal act.

Question 36

The type of crime, often termed "street crime" or "ordinary crime," involving criminal acts that are the least profitable and least protected is also known as:

A) political crime.
B) crimes without victims.
C) visible crime.
D) organized crime.
E) occupational crime.

Question 37

Which of the following is an example of a visible crime?

A) murder
B) espionage
C) public drunkenness
D) price fixing
E) treason

Question 38

Everyone has an equal chance of becoming a victim of crime.

Question 39

Life course theories of criminal behavior attempt to identify important developmental pathways to criminal behavior.

Question 40

Victimology is a field of criminology that examines the role the victim plays in precipitating a criminal incident and also examines the impact of crimes on victims.

Question 41

Which of the following offenses fall into the category of cyber crime?

A) distributing illegal pornography via the Internet
B) sending spam in order to obtain bank account and credit card numbers
C) emailing viruses meant to corrupt computer systems
D) hacking into a bank account to steal money
E) all of these can be classified as cyber crime

Question 42

According to U.S.Department of Justice statistics, which of the following demographic groups is least likely to become a victim of violent crime?

A) middle-aged Asian men and women
B) white female juveniles
C) African American men and women over 65 years of age
D) white men and women over 65 years of age
E) men and women living on college campuses

Question 43

Which of the following statements concerning instruments of crime measurement is TRUE?

A) The UCR is the most accurate.
B) The NCVS is the least accurate.
C) Both the UCR and the NCVS are equally accurate.
D) Both the UCR and the NCVS are distorted because of the differences in crime measurement
E) The UCR and the NCVS, if taken together, create an accurate picture.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is TRUE concerning the UCR?

A) The UCR provides a useful but incomplete picture of crime levels
B) The UCR is an accurate compilation of criminal statistics
C) Because it is compiled at the federal level the UCR is more reliable than data compiled at the state level
D) The UCR is compiled at the local level under direction of state governments
E) The UCR is unreliable and generally of little practical use

Question 45

Which of the following statements concerning race and crime victims is TRUE?

A) Most violent crime is interracial.
B) Whites are most likely to be victims of violent crime.
C) Most victims and offenders are from different social classes.
D) Whites are not fearful of being victimized by black strangers.
E) African-Americans and other minorities are most likely to be victims of violent crimes.

Question 46

______________ involves a network of activities, usually cutting across state and national borders which range from legitimate businesses to shady deals with labor unions.

A) Political crime
B) Crimes without victim
C) Visible crime
D) Organized crime
E) Occupational crime

Question 47

A source of crime data from interviews conducted to gather on unreported as well as reported crimes is called:

A) the National Crime Victimization Survey.
B) the National Burglary Registry.
C) the Uniform Crime Reports.
D) the National Incident-Based Reporting System.
E) the Bureau of Information Systems.

Question 48

Of the following crimes, which crime are people least likely to report?

A) homicide
B) motor vehicle theft
C) rape
D) robbery
E) aggravated assault

Question 49

The concept that much more crime occurs than is reported to police is known as which of the following?

A) invisible crime
B) the dark figure of crime
C) lost crime
D) hidden crime
E) unreported crime

Question 50

Supporters of tough crime-control policies use which of the following as justification for their support?

A) Crime causes poverty.
B) Laws must ensure strict and certain penalties.
C) Longer prison sentences removes hardened criminals from the community.
D) Police must have resources and legal backing to pursue criminals.
E) All of the above are justifications used to support tough crime-control policies.

Question 51

Which of the following is a statistical summary of crimes reported by the police to the FBI?

A) the NCVS
B) the DBR
C) the UCR
D) the NIBRS
E) the BIS

Question 52

Which individuals are at highest risk of victimization for violent crime, according to the lifestyle-exposure model?

A) older, white females
B) middle-aged, African American males
C) young, African American males
D) middle-aged, white males
E) young, white females

Question 53

Which of the following statements is NOT true concerning the costs of crime?

A) Crime generates economic costs, such as medical expenses.
B) Crime has been shown to balance with economic advantages, such as the creation of criminal justice system jobs.
C) Crime may contribute to lower economic productivity.
D) Crime may have emotional costs, such as a diminished quality of life.
E) Crime often generates psychological costs.

Question 54

Of the following, which is NOT a question that victimology advocates would seek to focus attention?

A) What are the negative effects of mandatory sentencing on offenders?
B) Who is victimized?
C) What is the impact of crime?
D) What happens to victims in the criminal justice system?
E) What roles do victims play in causing the crimes they suffer?

Question 55

According to Cole and Smith, which is NOT an explanation for the recent drop in both violent and property crime?

A) the aging of the baby boomers
B) increased use of security systems
C) a dramatic decline in the use of crack cocaine
D) greater awareness of the societal costs of crime
E) aggressive police efforts to keep handguns off the streets

Question 56

Which of the following has research shown as being a risk factor in exposure to crime?

A) low-income city dwellers
B) age
C) race
D) gender
E) all of the above are considered risk factors

Question 57

According to UCR and other government sources, over the past 30 years the rate of violent crime has:

A) remained about the same.
B) generally and consistently decreased.
C) generally trended upward.
D) showed a sharp and consistent increase.
E) been immeasurable.

Question 58

Why does the NCVS not measure homicide?

A) Homicide is excluded from the NCVS as a Part I offense.
B) Homicide victims cannot be surveyed.
C) Not all homicides are identified as such, so rates are unreliable.
D) Homicide is measured by the UCR.
E) There is little physical evidence of homicide.

Question 59

Which of the following is TRUE concerning female victims of rape?

A) About three-quarters of sexual assaults against women are perpetrated by an acquaintance of the victim.
B) Most women do not take protective measures to avoid being attacked by strangers.
C) Many women place themselves at risk of assault due to behavioral patterns.
D) Most rapes occur in outside areas away from the victim's home.
E) Pepper spray and other weapons are excellent deterrents against sexual assaults.

Question 60

According to the lifestyle exposure model, which of the following groups is most likely to be victimized?

A) elderly white females
B) elderly white males
C) elderly black females
D) young black males
E) young white males

Question 61

Which of the following is NOT considered a factor in biological explanations of crime?

A) environment
B) nutrition
C) genetic predisposition
D) IQ
E) neurology

Question 62

Psychological explanations of crime include which of the following?

A) genetics
B) free will
C) antisocial personalities
D) gender
E) nutrition

Question 63

Which of the following is NOT one of the social process theories?

A) learning theories
B) theory of differential association
C) critical criminology
D) control theories
E) labeling theories

Question 64

The classical school of criminology was heavily influenced by the philosopher:

A) Cesare Beccaria.
B) Sigmund Freud.
C) Adam Smith.
D) Edwin Sutherland.
E) Socrates.

Question 65

According to Sigmund Freud's theory of personality, which stage of life is held to be most significant?

A) fetal development
B) early childhood
C) adolescence
D) middle age
E) old age

Question 66

Many victims of crime behave in ways that facilitate crimes, such as:

A) taking proper precautions, such as traveling in a group.
B) behavior which may provoke a criminal act.
C) showing a willingness to help others.
D) traveling in high crime areas alone or at night.
E) ​disdaining from drug and alcohol use.

Question 67

Longitudinal studies that follow individuals from childhood to adulthood in order to identify the factors associated with beginning, avoiding, continuing, or ceasing individual behavior are called:

A) critical theories.
B) life course theories.
C) victimology.
D) criminogenics.
E) experiential learning.

Question 68

Which of the following arguments does NOT explain the current trend in female arrest and conviction rates?

A) With the expansion of job opportunities available to women, fewer women need to resort to crime to support themselves.
B) As women and men become more equal, gender differences in criminality decrease.
C) The increase in job opportunities available to women also increases their opportunities to commit crime.
D) Women are less likely to receive preferential treatment from police and prosecutors than in the past.
E) All of these arguments contribute to explaining the current trend in female arrest and conviction rates.

Question 69

____________ theories draw from multiple disciplines with differing perspectives to create a larger model for explaining criminal behavior.

A) Integrated
B) Strain
C) Control
D) Psychological
E) Life course

Question 70

Which statement about the role of the victim of crime is NOT accurate?

A) Many victims of crime have lifestyles that make crime more likely.
B) The use of illegal drugs increases victimization.
C) Victims of crime are often the target of more crime.
D) The victim of crime often plays no role in being victimized.
E) ​None of the above.

Question 71

Which of the following statements does NOT reflect a major principle of classical criminology?

A) Criminal behavior is rational.
B) People who commit crimes weigh the costs and benefits.
C) Fear of punishment keeps most people in check.
D) Punishment should be tailored to each individual person.
E) The criminal justice system must be predictable, with laws and punishments known to the public.

Question 72

The concept of anomie refers to:

A) the process by which offenders are labeled as criminal.
B) a breakdown in the rules or norms of a society.
C) the biological factors that increase the likelihood of crime.
D) political influences on crime policy.
E) the conflict between economic classes.

Question 73

The concept of anomie refers to:

A) the process by which offenders are labeled as criminal.
B) a breakdown in the rules or norms of a society.
C) the biological factors that increase the likelihood of crime.
D) political influences on crime policy.
E) the conflict between economic classes.

Question 74

Which type of criminology studies the body, mind, and environment of the offender using the scientific method?

A) classical
B) neoclassical
C) positivist
D) victimology
E) criminogenic

Question 75

_________________ theories postulate that criminal behavior occurs when the bonds that tie an individual to society are broken or weakened.

A) Control
B) Labeling
C) Feminist
D) Integrated
E) Anomie

Question 76

The social process theory which holds that all members of society have the capacity to commit crime, but that most are restrained by social norms, is known as:

A) labeling theory.
B) learning theory.
C) control theory.
D) normal theory.
E) political theory.

Question 77

Researchers who focus on the genetic predispositions to criminal behavior are working under these theoretical perspectives of behavior.

A) classical theories
B) psychological theories
C) sociological theories
D) life course theories
E) biological theories

Question 78

____________________ theories view criminality as normal behavior, believing that everyone has the potential to become a criminal depending on influences.

A) Social conflict
B) Life course
C) Social process
D) Integrated
E) Pessimistic

Question 79

Which of the following is TRUE concerning the general fear of crime in American society?

A) Fear limits freedom.
B) Fear creates anxieties that affect well-being.
C) Many Americans adjust their daily activities to prevent victimization.
D) Television has a strong influence on American views of crime risks.
E) All of the above are true.

Question 80

Which of the following is NOT a burden placed on individual crime victims?

A) jury duty
B) psychological effects
C) insensitive treatment by justice system officials
D) legal costs
E) medical costs