Chapter 2 Knowledge Check

Chapter 2

Quiz yourself using the following chapter review questions to check how well you can recall the material.

Review Questions

1. ________ crimes are those behaviors that are perceived to disrupt or threaten public order, peace, and safety in society. These offenses typically violate social norms, codes of conduct, or community standards rather than directly harming individuals or their property.
2. Which of the following best describes serial murder?
   1. The deliberate killing of multiple victims in a single location and time frame.
   2. A series of killings committed by an individual over a short period of time, with no clear interval between events.
   3. The killing of three or more people by an individual over a period of time, with separate events at different times.
   4. The killing of multiple victims by an individual during one event, in multiple locations.
3. True or false: The National Youth Gang Survey (NYGS) only focuses on collecting data about individual gang members rather than gang-related crimes.
4. ________  violence is characterized by impulsive and uncontrolled behavior driven by intense emotions such as rage, anger, or frustration.
5. True or false: The National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) includes only 10 major offenses, similar to the Uniform Crime Report (UCR).
6. ________ research focuses on collecting and analyzing numerical data to identify patterns and correlations in criminal behavior.
7. Which of the following is a key benefit of the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)?
   1. It only collects data on crimes reported to law enforcement.
   2. It helps measure unreported crimes or “dark figures” of crime.
   3. It provides a comprehensive analysis of arrests made by law enforcement agencies.
   4. It offers detailed information on the characteristics of the victims, but not the offenders.
8. The ________  was developed in 1930 to monitor and quantify crime rates across the United States by collecting data from local and state police departments.
9. True or false: The misrepresentation and misinterpretation of data are seldom taken into account when using national crime data to inform policies, programs, and crime theories.
10. Which of the following is a critical consideration when interpreting national crime trends?
    1. Relying solely on statistical data
    2. Ignoring qualitative and contextual factors
    3. Considering factors such as changes in laws, population density, and weather conditions
    4. Focusing only on trends that show a consistent decrease in crime
11. Which of the following is a key factor contributing to the increase in crime rates during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s?
    1. Increased focus on community policing
    2. Growth in socio-economic inequality and urbanization
    3. Higher levels of public education and awareness
    4. Greater emphasis on rehabilitation programs
12. True or false: The increase in motor vehicle theft during the early 2020s can be partly attributed to economic downturns, where individuals resorted to stealing vehicles for resale or parts as a means of generating income.
13. What additional factors could national crime databases collect that would further improve the context and understanding of crime?
    1. Social and economic disruptions
    2. Mental health and substance abuse
    3. Law enforcement resource availability
    4. All of the above
14. Why might a change in the definition of a crime, like the UCR’s change to the definition of rape in 2013, influence crime data?
    1. Expanding the definition to also include males broadens the scope of individuals who could be counted as victims, leading to an increase in reported cases.
    2. Changes in specific wording of the definition, such as omitting the use-of-force standard, makes it difficult to compare previous data with the new data.
    3. A broader definition can result in an increase in reported incidents, making it harder to interpret long-term trends.
    4. All of the above.
15. True or false: Prostitution is classified as a public decency crime due to its perceived threat to public morality and disruption of social norms.

Answer Key

1. Public order crimes refer to behaviors that disturb public peace and safety, without necessarily harming individuals or property.
2. Serial murder involves an individual killing at least three people over a period of time, with separate events occurring at different times.
3. False. The NYGS collects data on both gang members and gang-related crimes, providing a comprehensive view of gang activity.
4. Expressive violence is driven by intense emotions and results in impulsive actions.
5. False. The NIBRS includes 49 Group A offenses and 10 Group B offenses, providing more comprehensive data than the UCR.
6. Quantitative
7. It helps measure unreported crimes or “dark figures” of crime.
8. Uniform Crime Report / UCR
9. False. Data misrepresentation and misinterpretation are serious concerns when using national crime data, as they can lead to biased conclusions and the creation of ineffective or harmful policies.
10. Considering factors such as changes in laws, population density, and weather conditions. It is essential to consider qualitative and contextual factors, such as changes in laws, population density, and weather conditions, when analyzing crime trends.
11. Growth in socio-economic inequality and urbanization. Socio-economic inequality and urbanization are key factors that contributed to the increase in crime rates during this period, as these factors often lead to social discontent and higher crime levels.
12. True. During times of economic uncertainty, crime rates in certain areas may rise as people face financial hardship. Motor vehicle theft, in particular, can increase during economic downturns as individuals may resort to stealing vehicles for resale, parts, or other purposes. The global COVID-19 pandemic during this time likely created an environment where auto thefts rose, as people sought ways to generate income or acquire goods illicitly. Therefore, the rise in auto theft during the early 2020s can be partly attributed to economic hardships, pushing some individuals to engage in vehicle theft as a means of generating income or obtaining goods.
13. All of the above. This is the correct answer because a complete understanding of crime trends involves analyzing multiple factors. Social and economic disruptions, mental health/substance abuse issues, and law enforcement resource availability all contribute to shaping crime patterns. Collecting data on all of these aspects can provide a much clearer and more accurate picture of why crime rates fluctuate and help inform more effective policies and interventions.
14. All of the above. All of these factors contribute to the influence of the revised definition on crime data. Expanding the definition to include more victims, changing the wording regarding the use-of-force standard, and broadening the scope of incidents all led to an increase in reported cases and made long-term trend analysis more challenging.
15. False. Prostitution is commonly classified as both a public order crime and a public decency crime. As a public decency crime, it is seen as a violation of societal norms and a threat to public morality. Simultaneously, as a public order crime, it involves illegal activities like trafficking and exploitation, which disrupt community peace, undermine public safety, and contribute to lawlessness.