Criminal Law Concepts and Statistics
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following crimes is categorized as a mala in se crime?

  • Robbery (correct)
  • Traffic offense
  • Drug possession
  • Prostitution

    • What does the term 'dark figure of crime' refer to?

  • Crimes reported by law enforcement agencies
  • Crimes unknown to police and not reported in statistics (correct)
  • Crimes that victimize government employees
  • Crimes categorized under robbery and larceny

    • Which system is primarily used in the U.S. for the collection of incident-based crime data?

  • National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) (correct)
  • Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)
  • Dark Figure Reporting System (DFRS)
  • National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

    • Which of the following represents a term for acts that are criminal solely due to government prohibition?

    <p>Mala prohibita</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) provide?

    <p>Official crime statistics in the U.S.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the term 'misdemeanant' refer to?

    <p>A person found guilty of a crime that is not a felony</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which agency is partly responsible for conducting the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)?

    <p>U.S. Census Bureau</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes a victimless crime?

    <p>A crime characterized by government prohibition without direct victimization</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which offense is characterized by an unlawful attack intended to cause severe bodily injury?

    <p>Aggravated assault</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of crime is NOT included in the definition of robbery?

    <p>Taking property by deceit or fraud</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which crime is excluded from the classification of forcible rape?

    <p>Statutory rape without force involved</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does larceny-theft NOT include?

    <p>Theft involving the use of force</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What best describes the process by which households are rotated in and out of the sampling for the NCVS?

    <p>Households are removed randomly after three years.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary distinction between misdemeanors and felonies?

    <p>The severity of the offense determines the possible punishment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is true about mala in se offenses?

    <p>They are considered wrongs in themselves.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following crimes could potentially vary in classification depending on the specific circumstances involved?

    <p>Battery</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Historically, the distinction between felonies and misdemeanors originated from which legal tradition?

    <p>Common Law of England</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is classified as a mala prohibita offense?

    <p>Gambling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the legal classification for acts that are criminal merely due to government prohibition?

    <p>Mala prohibita</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a significant criticism of the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)?

    <p>It only counts the most serious crime in a series of crimes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) differ from the UCR?

    <p>NIBRS collects data on individual incidents rather than summarized totals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What critical information does the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) aim to provide?

    <p>Information on crimes that have gone unreported.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which benefit of participating in the NIBRS is emphasized?

    <p>It provides detailed crime data that can improve law enforcement strategies.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What aspect of the NCVS is essential in understanding crime trends?

    <p>It provides insights on victims and the circumstances surrounding crimes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a concern raised about the UCR?

    <p>It differentiates between attempted and completed crimes.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a potential limitation of the NIBRS mentioned?

    <p>It is currently not universally implemented throughout all jurisdictions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How has crime data collection evolved from the UCR to the NIBRS?

    <p>From incident summary data to incident-based data collection.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following crime categories does the NCVS specifically not measure?

    <p>Homicide.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following definitions accurately describes criminal homicide?

    <p>The willful killing of one human being by another</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of offenses does forcible rape include under the FBI's definition?

    <p>Attempts or assaults to rape regardless of the victim's age</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of robbery, what is a key element that differentiates it from theft?

    <p>Force or threat of force must be involved</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is included in the definition of burglary according to the FBI?

    <p>Attempted forcible entry into a building</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following crimes falls under the category of larceny-theft?

    <p>Shoplifting a pair of shoes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary distinction in the type of property involved in 'motor vehicle theft' as defined by the FBI?

    <p>Self-propelled vehicles running on land surface</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What constitutes arson according to the professional definitions used by the FBI?

    <p>Malicious burning of property, regardless of intent to defraud</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which crime would be excluded from the classification of larceny-theft?

    <p>Embezzlement of funds from an employer</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What criteria must be met for a crime to be classified as robbery?

    <p>The offense must involve a victim under threat</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following statements correctly describes the criteria for a crime to be designated as a Part I offense by the FBI?

    <p>It should be both serious and commonly reported to law enforcement.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Common Law Felonies

    • Nine recognized common law felonies: Murder, robbery, manslaughter, rape, sodomy, larceny, arson, mayhem, and burglary.

    Dark Figure of Crime

    • Crimes unknown to police
    • Not included in official crime statistics

    Felon

    • A person convicted of committing a felony.

    Mala In Se

    • Latin for "wrongs in themselves"
    • Crimes inherently bad

    Mala Prohibita

    • Acts criminal because prohibited by the government
    • Not inherently wrong

    Misdemeanant

    • A person convicted of committing a misdemeanor.

    National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)

    • Major national survey
    • Measures the dark figure of crime
    • Conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau

    National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

    • Incident-based reporting system used by law enforcement agencies in the United States
    • Collects and reports data on crimes

    Omission

    • Failure to perform a legally required action

    Crime Rate

    • Number of crimes per 100,000 residents

    Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)

    • Official U.S. crime statistics
    • Collected and compiled by the FBI

    Victimless Crimes

    • Crimes without a direct victim
    • Examples include prostitution and gambling

    Violation

    • Acts contrary to law
    • Do not reach the level of a misdemeanor
    • Example: Traffic offenses

    Index Crimes

    • The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) designates certain crimes as Part I or index offenses.
    • The FBI considers these crimes serious and frequently reported.
    • The FBI defines the following crimes as Part I offenses:
      • Criminal homicide
      • Forcible rape
      • Robbery
      • Aggravated assault
      • Burglary (breaking or entering)
      • Larceny-theft (except motor vehicle theft)
      • Motor vehicle theft
      • Arson

    Index Crimes

    • The FBI designates certain crimes as "Part I offenses" or "index crimes"
    • Considered serious and frequently reported
    • These crimes are tracked and measured by the FBI to understand crime trends
    • Part I offenses encompass a specific set of crimes

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    Description

    Explore key elements of common law felonies and important concepts in criminal law, such as mala in se and mala prohibita. This quiz also touches on crime statistics and reporting systems in the U.S., including NCVS and NIBRS.

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