True / False
1. Robberies and other visible crimes are among the least profitable criminal activities.
a. True
b. False
2. Visible crimes are typically committed by older career criminals.
a. True
b. False
3. Occupational crimes are often profitable and do not come to the public’s attention.
a. True
b. False
4. Organized crime has been observed in all American immigrant groups as one of the first steps on the so-called “ladder
of social mobility.”
a. True
b. False
5. Relatively few political crimes take place in western democracies compared with other countries.
a. True
b. False
6. It is fairly easy to track crime for criminal justice research purposes because of the wide availability of accurate data.
a. True
b. False
7. 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.
a. True
b. False
8. Most people do not report auto theft to the police.
a. True
b. False
9. The NCVS incorporates a survey of businesses to assess their rate of victimization.
a. True
b. False
10. Males aged 16-24 are the most crime-prone demographic group.
a. True
b. False
11. Both the UCR and NCVS indicate that crime in the United States has been decreasing since 1993.
a. True
b. False
12. 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.
a. True
b. False
13. Race is a key factor in exposure to crime, in that White citizens are more likely to be victimized than Black citizens.
a. True
b. False
14. Sexual assault victims are most likely to be assaulted by someone they know.
a. True
b. False
15. Politicians’ statements may contribute to fear of crime.
a. True
b. False
16. Explanations of criminal behavior in the 1970s focused on the influence of the devil on individual behavior.
a. True
b. False
17. Classical criminology holds that criminal behavior is irrational.
a. True
b. False
18. Positivist criminologists believe that scientific methods can be effectively used to discover the causes of crime and to
treat deviants.
a. True
b. False
19. Proposals for chemical castration of repeat sex offenders are based upon sociological explanations of crime.
a. True
b. False
20. The term “anomie” applies to a situation in which the rules or norms that guide behavior have been strengthened or
reinforced.
a. True
b. False
21. Control theories emphasize that individuals exhibit criminal behavior due to the social processes inherent in the
criminal justice system.
a. True
b. False
22. Life course theories of criminal behavior attempt to identify important developmental pathways to criminal behavior.
a. True
b. False
23. Most theories about crime are based on men’s behavior.
a. True
b. False
24. Recent data indicates that women’s involvement in violent crimes is skyrocketing.
a. True
b. False
25. Victimology surfaced in the 1950s as a field of criminology that studied the role of the victim in the criminal act.
a. True
b. False
26. Relatively little crime is committed by acquaintances and relatives of victims, especially crimes committed against
women.
a. True
b. False
27. 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.
a. True
b. False
28. Many victims of crime behave in ways that facilitate their becoming victims.
a. True
b. False
29. Transnational crimes are offenses involving a willing and private exchange of illegal goods or services that are
in strong demand.
a. True
b. False
30. The provision of illicit goods is a category of transnational crime.
a. True
b. False
31. The provision of illicit goods includes human trafficking, such as transporting sex workers or undocumented
immigrants illegally into a country.
a. True
b. False
32. Profit-seeking criminal activities that involve planning, execution, or victimization that crosses national borders are
called interstate crimes.
a. True
b. False
33. Everyone has an equal chance of becoming a victim of crime.
a. True
b. False
Multiple Choice
34. 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.
35. 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.
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.
37. 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.
38. Which of the following is an example of a visible crime?
a. murder
b. espionage
c. public drunkenness
d. price fixing
e. treason
39. Which of the following is an example of an occupational crime?
a. murder
b. espionage
c. illegal drug sales
d. embezzlement
e. prostitution
40. Which of the following is NOT an example of a property crime?
a. larceny
b. burglary
c. shoplifting
d. embezzlement
e. disorderly conduct
41. ______________ 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
42. 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
43. 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.
44. 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
45. 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
46. 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
47. 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
48. 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.
49. 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.
50. 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
51. 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.
52. 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
53. 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.
54. 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
55. 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.
56. 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?
57. 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
58. 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
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.
60. 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.
61. 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
62. 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.
63. 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.
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.
65. 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
66. 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
67. 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
68. 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
69. Psychological explanations of crime include which of the following?
a. genetics
b. free will
c. antisocial personalities
d. gender
e. nutrition
70. 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.
71. 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.
72. ____________________ 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
73. 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