PUP 3002 Final Exam Questions with
Verified Answers
What are the two major data sources that measure crime? - ANSWER-FBI's Uniform
Crime Report (UCR)
National Crime Victimization Surveys (NCVS)
What does the UCR do, what are its measurement errors? - ANSWER--Established
in 1930. Data is voluntarily submitted to it by about 17,000 local law enforcement
agencies
-Measurement error: some agencies may interpret the FBI's guidelines differently or
not report certain crimes for political reasons
-Measurement error: many victims do not report crime
What does the NCVS do? - ANSWER--Managed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Established in 1972
-A large survey of randomly selected American households regarding crime
victimization.
-Generally, finds more crime than reported in the UCR
What did Becker (1968) argue? - ANSWER-Becker (1968) argued that crime is a
function of:
-the punishment associated with being arrested and convicted
-the probability of being arrested and convicted
-the return or benefit from crime, which is also weighed
How does Prospect Theory differ from typical expected utility theory? - ANSWER-
Incorporates human psychology into expected utility theory; very similar
State the equation for crime as a rational choice. - ANSWER-Expected Utility (Crime)
= Probability (Not Caught) * Utility of Not Caught + Probability(Caught) * Utility
Caught
Define expected utility theory. - ANSWER-Used by Becker to define the rationality
behind criminal behavior; weighing the costs.
What was Becker's argument? - ANSWER-Crime is a function of 3 things:
1. Probability of being caught
2. Benefit from the crime
3. Punishment associated with the arrest
Define the variables of the utility of not being caught. - ANSWER--People tend to
commit crimes because they want monetary value, prestige, etc.
-Personal costs are factored in.
-Variables
,*Will committing a crime hurt one's self (Tell Tale Heart; Crime and Punishment)
*One's valuation of personal harm can be predicted by several variables:
mental illness; empathy; morals
-Social Groupings: Is this simply part of my group identity? Does helping the group
make this okay?
Define the variables of the utility of being caught. (costs for getting caught) -
ANSWER-Individuals who commit a crime experience three types of costs:
1. Punishment by the state—fines, imprisonment
2. Social costs—mom yells at you, partner leaves you
3. Economic opportunity costs—what are you giving up to commit these crimes
Define the variables of the probability of being caught. - ANSWER--For deterring
crime, what is even more important than actual punishment is a person's perception
that they will be caught and convicted.
*How many cops are in the area?
*Do I possess the skill set to get away with it?
Is there a pattern in the probabilities of committing crimes? - ANSWER-The expected
probability of committing a crime are different from individual to individual, but
TRENDS are identifiable
How do we deter crime from happening? - ANSWER--We must deter individuals
from viewing crime as a 'rational choice.'
-Strategies:
*Reduce the perceived benefits of crime
*Increase the probability of getting caught
*Increase the cost of crime
How do the perceived benefits of crime relate to the economy? - ANSWER-Crime is
often seen as a way to make money. Individuals that have less opportunity to make
money through legal means have greater incentive to resort to crime
When the economy is good, more (and better) jobs are available.
When the economy increases, crime tends to decrease
Remember, crime is more appealing to those who earn less money
As we know, education and wage rate tend to be strongly related. Those with better
education tend to have jobs that make more money, decreasing their rate of
committing crime.
Those with more education, even when unemployed, have a higher probability of
getting a good job in the future
They have less incentive to commit crime in fear of screwing up their chances of
unemployment
Crime can be affected by what three factors? - ANSWER-The known punishment,
the probability of being caught, the benefit from the act.
What are the steps to increase the cost of crime via public education? - ANSWER-
**Education is one of the greatest deterrents.
Public education programs are those which emphasize the negative effects of
committing crimes (at the rate of overemphasizing them). If people perceive the
, costs of getting caught/punished as higher, they will have less incentive to commit
crimes. Generally, spawn from some major epidemic (ex. drug rates in the 1980's)
Examples: 'Just Say No'; 'DARE' ; 'MADD'
Efficacy of such groups is mixed. 'Just say no' and 'MADD' seem effective, original
DARE wasn't, but has been improved.
Define 'broken windows' with respect to the probability of getting caught. What are
the solutions? - ANSWER-When individuals perceive the probability of getting caught
as high, they are less likely to commit crimes.
Broken window theory - ANSWER-eliminating signs of disorder signals to
communities that the community is under control. If you minimize small crimes, then
those who are likely to commit more crimes will be less prone to do so in that area
-If you don't, small crimes lead to more serious crimes
-Solution--- police patrols in neighborhoods
So, go after small offenses before bigger problems occur
What does an increase in police accomplish? - ANSWER--Police are law
enforcement agents. Through their presence and work, they aim to stop and deter
crimes, thereby providing order to a community and enhancing the common good.
-More police are associated with a higher level of competency and an increased
probability of catching criminal activity
*Generally, there is support for this hypothesis
What are the externalities of crime, and how are they related to abortion rates? -
ANSWER--Externalities—Effects that are not directly intended
-Positive Externality: They produce a socially desirable consequence
-Negative: The produce a socially undesirable consequence
*Donohue and Levitt (2001) contend that the legalization of abortion as a result of
the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision is central to explaining the crime
decline of the 1990s
-Why? Most abortions occur because the pregnancy is not wanted; unwanted
children are at a higher risk of committing crime
Therefore: legalizing abortion lowered crime rates.
What did Roe V. Wade accomplish? - ANSWER-Women had the right to privacy in
determining whether to seek an abortion.
What are the arguments regarding capital punishment? - ANSWER--The primary
arguments in support of capital punishment are twofold:
*Capital punishment increases the cost of crime, and therefore decreases the
probability it occurs.
*It balances the scales of justice
-The primary arguments against capital punishment are:
*The sentence of capital punishment can be unfairly and incorrectly given out.
*Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crime.
Is capital punishment realistic? What does research say? - ANSWER--Research
tends to support the counter capital punishment arguments. Most research finds that
Verified Answers
What are the two major data sources that measure crime? - ANSWER-FBI's Uniform
Crime Report (UCR)
National Crime Victimization Surveys (NCVS)
What does the UCR do, what are its measurement errors? - ANSWER--Established
in 1930. Data is voluntarily submitted to it by about 17,000 local law enforcement
agencies
-Measurement error: some agencies may interpret the FBI's guidelines differently or
not report certain crimes for political reasons
-Measurement error: many victims do not report crime
What does the NCVS do? - ANSWER--Managed by the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Established in 1972
-A large survey of randomly selected American households regarding crime
victimization.
-Generally, finds more crime than reported in the UCR
What did Becker (1968) argue? - ANSWER-Becker (1968) argued that crime is a
function of:
-the punishment associated with being arrested and convicted
-the probability of being arrested and convicted
-the return or benefit from crime, which is also weighed
How does Prospect Theory differ from typical expected utility theory? - ANSWER-
Incorporates human psychology into expected utility theory; very similar
State the equation for crime as a rational choice. - ANSWER-Expected Utility (Crime)
= Probability (Not Caught) * Utility of Not Caught + Probability(Caught) * Utility
Caught
Define expected utility theory. - ANSWER-Used by Becker to define the rationality
behind criminal behavior; weighing the costs.
What was Becker's argument? - ANSWER-Crime is a function of 3 things:
1. Probability of being caught
2. Benefit from the crime
3. Punishment associated with the arrest
Define the variables of the utility of not being caught. - ANSWER--People tend to
commit crimes because they want monetary value, prestige, etc.
-Personal costs are factored in.
-Variables
,*Will committing a crime hurt one's self (Tell Tale Heart; Crime and Punishment)
*One's valuation of personal harm can be predicted by several variables:
mental illness; empathy; morals
-Social Groupings: Is this simply part of my group identity? Does helping the group
make this okay?
Define the variables of the utility of being caught. (costs for getting caught) -
ANSWER-Individuals who commit a crime experience three types of costs:
1. Punishment by the state—fines, imprisonment
2. Social costs—mom yells at you, partner leaves you
3. Economic opportunity costs—what are you giving up to commit these crimes
Define the variables of the probability of being caught. - ANSWER--For deterring
crime, what is even more important than actual punishment is a person's perception
that they will be caught and convicted.
*How many cops are in the area?
*Do I possess the skill set to get away with it?
Is there a pattern in the probabilities of committing crimes? - ANSWER-The expected
probability of committing a crime are different from individual to individual, but
TRENDS are identifiable
How do we deter crime from happening? - ANSWER--We must deter individuals
from viewing crime as a 'rational choice.'
-Strategies:
*Reduce the perceived benefits of crime
*Increase the probability of getting caught
*Increase the cost of crime
How do the perceived benefits of crime relate to the economy? - ANSWER-Crime is
often seen as a way to make money. Individuals that have less opportunity to make
money through legal means have greater incentive to resort to crime
When the economy is good, more (and better) jobs are available.
When the economy increases, crime tends to decrease
Remember, crime is more appealing to those who earn less money
As we know, education and wage rate tend to be strongly related. Those with better
education tend to have jobs that make more money, decreasing their rate of
committing crime.
Those with more education, even when unemployed, have a higher probability of
getting a good job in the future
They have less incentive to commit crime in fear of screwing up their chances of
unemployment
Crime can be affected by what three factors? - ANSWER-The known punishment,
the probability of being caught, the benefit from the act.
What are the steps to increase the cost of crime via public education? - ANSWER-
**Education is one of the greatest deterrents.
Public education programs are those which emphasize the negative effects of
committing crimes (at the rate of overemphasizing them). If people perceive the
, costs of getting caught/punished as higher, they will have less incentive to commit
crimes. Generally, spawn from some major epidemic (ex. drug rates in the 1980's)
Examples: 'Just Say No'; 'DARE' ; 'MADD'
Efficacy of such groups is mixed. 'Just say no' and 'MADD' seem effective, original
DARE wasn't, but has been improved.
Define 'broken windows' with respect to the probability of getting caught. What are
the solutions? - ANSWER-When individuals perceive the probability of getting caught
as high, they are less likely to commit crimes.
Broken window theory - ANSWER-eliminating signs of disorder signals to
communities that the community is under control. If you minimize small crimes, then
those who are likely to commit more crimes will be less prone to do so in that area
-If you don't, small crimes lead to more serious crimes
-Solution--- police patrols in neighborhoods
So, go after small offenses before bigger problems occur
What does an increase in police accomplish? - ANSWER--Police are law
enforcement agents. Through their presence and work, they aim to stop and deter
crimes, thereby providing order to a community and enhancing the common good.
-More police are associated with a higher level of competency and an increased
probability of catching criminal activity
*Generally, there is support for this hypothesis
What are the externalities of crime, and how are they related to abortion rates? -
ANSWER--Externalities—Effects that are not directly intended
-Positive Externality: They produce a socially desirable consequence
-Negative: The produce a socially undesirable consequence
*Donohue and Levitt (2001) contend that the legalization of abortion as a result of
the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision is central to explaining the crime
decline of the 1990s
-Why? Most abortions occur because the pregnancy is not wanted; unwanted
children are at a higher risk of committing crime
Therefore: legalizing abortion lowered crime rates.
What did Roe V. Wade accomplish? - ANSWER-Women had the right to privacy in
determining whether to seek an abortion.
What are the arguments regarding capital punishment? - ANSWER--The primary
arguments in support of capital punishment are twofold:
*Capital punishment increases the cost of crime, and therefore decreases the
probability it occurs.
*It balances the scales of justice
-The primary arguments against capital punishment are:
*The sentence of capital punishment can be unfairly and incorrectly given out.
*Capital punishment is not an effective deterrent to crime.
Is capital punishment realistic? What does research say? - ANSWER--Research
tends to support the counter capital punishment arguments. Most research finds that
