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 (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What do Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) provide?

<p>Official crime statistics in the U.S. (B)</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 (D)</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 (D)</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 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

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

Which crime is excluded from the classification of forcible rape?

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

What does larceny-theft NOT include?

<p>Theft involving the use of force (D)</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. (C)</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. (B)</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. (D)</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 (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

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

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

<p>Gambling (C)</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 (C)</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. (B)</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. (B)</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. (C)</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. (A)</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. (D)</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. (C)</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. (A)</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. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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

<p>Homicide. (A)</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 (A)</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 (D)</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 (A)</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 (A), The unlawful entry of a structure to commit any theft (C)</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 (B)</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 (B)</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 (C)</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 (D)</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 (C)</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. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

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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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