Criminology: Factors Influencing Crime Reporting

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary reason for the dark figure of crime?

Victims are not believed

Institutional bias

Lack of evidence (correct)

Police culture

Which of the following is an example of a personal factor in rational choice theory?

Security measures

Target availability

Police presence

Money (correct)

What is the attrition rate in the context of the criminal justice system?

The rate of reported crimes

The number of convictions in a given period

The number of offences that do not reach a specific stage (correct)

The rate of unreported crimes

Which of the following is a type of qualitative data collection method?

In-depth interviews with a small sample size Signup and view all the answers

According to Freud's trait theory, what is the id?

Basic human instincts Signup and view all the answers

What is a reason why victims may not report a crime?

Fear of court proceedings Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a situational factor in rational choice theory?

Target availability Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of increasing effort as a crime prevention strategy?

To make crime more difficult to commit Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind the 'Retribution' type of punishment?

To give wrongdoers a deserved punishment Signup and view all the answers

According to the Social Disorganisation Theory, what is the third factor that contributes to crime rates?

Breakdown of traditional values Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the idea that visible signs of crime can lead to more crime?

Broken Windows Theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Superego in the context of morality?

To provide an answer to the question why Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind the 'Deterrence' type of punishment?

To threaten punishment to deter people from committing a crime Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the idea that crime is caused by certain social conditions and pressures?

Social Disorganisation Theory Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of the Ego in the context of morality?

To balance with the demands of society Signup and view all the answers

What is the main idea behind the 'Rehabilitation' type of punishment?

To provide treatment and support to wrongdoers Signup and view all the answers

What is a major limitation of crime data?

It is often based on reported crimes only Signup and view all the answers

Which demographic is NOT one of the 3 key demographics in crime?

Income Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the phenomenon where crimes are not reported or recorded?

Dark figure of crime Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the proportion of crimes that do not result in a conviction?

Attrition rate Signup and view all the answers

What is the study of victims of crime concerned with?

The impact of crime on victims and society Signup and view all the answers

Which factor may contribute to an individual not reporting a crime?

Fear of retaliation Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of criminology as an interdisciplinary science?

On understanding the causes of crime and developing strategies to address it Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the path that a crime takes from commission to sentencing?

Life of crime Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Factors Affecting Crime Reporting and Attrition Rate

Beliefs about police treatment of victims, expectations of ill treatment, lack of confidence about being believed, and fear of court proceedings contribute to underreporting of crime.
Societal-level factors, such as rape myths and rape culture, also influence crime reporting.
Institutional bias, workload pressure, and political influences can lead to poor management of crime recording and contribute to the dark figure of crime.
The dark figure of crime refers to the amount of unreported or unrecorded crime.
The attrition rate is the number of offences that do not reach a specific stage of the criminal justice system, and a higher attrition rate means fewer people are convicted.

Data Collection and Criminology

There are two methods of collecting data: quantitative and qualitative.
Quantitative data involves statistics and uses a large sample size to provide general information.
Qualitative data provides deeper information and uses a small sample size for non-generalised information.
Criminology is an interdisciplinary science that borrows from other disciplines, including criminal statistics, law and society, penology, theory construction, criminal behaviour systems, and victimology.

Theories of Crime

Rational choice theory posits that law-violating behaviour is the product of careful thought and planning, and is influenced by personal and situational factors.
Trait theories, such as Freud's id, ego, and superego, suggest that individual personality traits contribute to criminal behaviour.
The interactionist view suggests that those with social power can impose their values on society as a whole, and define criminal behaviour.

Criminal Law and Justice

The life of crime involves a linear trajectory from crime scene to justice phase, but crimes can fall off at different levels for various reasons.
The purpose of the criminal justice system is to get every crime to the justice phase.
Contemporary criminal law pertains to criminal events and addresses questions such as what is crime, how do we address crime, and what do we do when someone commits a crime.

Accuracy of Crime Data

Crime data is not always accurate due to various outside influences, including underreporting, coverage, and recording rates.
There are three key demographics in crime: race, gender, and age.

Punishments and Theories of Crime

There are five types of punishments: retribution, deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, and restoration.
Social disorganisation theory links crime rates to neighbourhood ecological characteristics, such as poverty, social disorganisation, and cultural transmission.
The broken windows theory suggests that visible signs of crime create more crime.
Strain theories propose that crime is a direct result of frustration and anger among the lower socioeconomic classes, and can be classified into four types.

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Description

This quiz covers the factors that contribute to underreporting of crimes, including police and societal-level factors, rape myths, and institutional biases. Test your understanding of the complex reasons behind crime reporting.