Chapter 2 Quiz

When scientists study ancestral or evolutionary developments, they are engaging in a branch of biology that deals with traits that are passed from one generation to another through genes. This is the study of __________.

genetics

In the process of the scientific method, which of the following is true of theories and hypotheses?

There must be a hypothesis before there can be an accepted theory.

According to the social disorganization theory, why do people who experience rapid social change ultimately turn to drug use and abuse?

They become disaffiliated from mainstream society.

Why are public order crimes sometimes referred to as victimless crimes?

They often harm only the offender.

Self-reported surveys provide us information on crimes in what way?

They report criminal acts (detected or not) that were perpetrated by the survey taker.

What is the main difference between white-collar crime and organized crime?

While both white-collar crime and organized crime involve illegal activity to obtain a business advantage, only in organized crime are those illegal acts also committed by illegal organizations.

According to the routine activities theory, most criminal acts require all of the following EXCEPT __________.

a sensible motive

Which of the following is NOT one of the three measurements on which the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local law enforcement agencies base their information in compiling the Uniform Crime Report (UCR)?

historical statistical crime data

The Uniform Crime Report (UCR) attempts to measure the overall rate of crime in the United States by organizing __________.

offenses known to law enforcement

According to Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi, what can "low self-control" (a personality trait formed in childhood) usually be attributed to?

poor parenting

Sociologist Jack Katz suggests that the rewards of crime may not only be financial, they may be "__________."

sensual

What is the "dark figure of crime"?

the amount of crime that goes unreported

Which of the following can best be defined as an explanation of a happening or circumstance that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning?

theory

Why might an aging population be a contributing factor to a declining violent crime rate?

Older Americans are less likely to be violent criminals.

Which of the following is NOT true of the repeat victimization theory?

Past victimization is not a strong predictor of future victimization.

Why are self-reported surveys most useful in juvenile facilities or a prison?

The group to be studied is already gathered in an institutional setting.

According to the rational choice theory, when is a person likely to commit a crime?

The perceived benefits are greater than the potential costs.

Which of the following did sociologist Ruth D. Peterson's research project reveal about violent crime rates in the neighborhoods of Columbus, Ohio?

Higher levels of disadvantage within neighborhoods were linked to higher violent crime rates, but the ethnic or racial makeup of neighborhoods were not.

Which of the following is NOT true of drug abuse?

It involves only illicit drugs.

Which of the following is NOT one of the four contributing factors that James Alan Fox uses to explain the recent trend toward declining violent crime rates?

a healthier economy, especially within inner cities

The Uniform Crime Report (UCR) divides the criminal offenses it measures into two major categories. Part I offenses are those crimes that, due to their seriousness and frequency, are recorded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to give a general idea of the "crime picture" in the United States. What are Part II offenses?

all crimes recorded by the FBI that do not fall into the category of Part I offenses

When one person physically attacks another, it is known as ________. When someone merely leads another to believe that he or she will be physically harmed, it is known as __________.

battery; assault

When two variables tend to vary together, what is said to exist between them?

correlation

Drugs and crime are related in three general ways. Which of the following is NOT one of the ways drugs and crime are related?

drug-induced victimization

According to Cohen and Felson, which of the following four items would most likely be stolen?

gold watch