Understanding Criminology: Crime & Social Construction

Podcast

Play an AI-generated podcast conversation about this lesson

Questions and Answers

Which factor is LEAST likely to contribute to globalization?

Decreased communication technologies. (correct)
Enhanced interconnection of countries.
Increased international media coverage.
The rise of social media platforms.

What is the critical element that transforms an event into a 'criminal event'?

The level of physical harm caused.
The severity of the punishment prescribed by law.
The interpretation and acknowledgement of the event as a crime. (correct)
The inherent nature of the action itself.

Why might crime rates be favored over simple counts of crime incidents (incidence)?

Incidence always reflects the true level of crime.
Rates can help mitigate public panic by providing context. (correct)
Incidence is harder to calculate than rates.
Rates are only useful for small populations.

Which statement best describes the relationship between the True Crime Rate (TRC), Crimes Known to Police (CKP), and the 'dark figure' of crime?

TRC is composed of both CKP and the dark figure. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How does the 'reportability' of a crime MOST directly affect crime statistics?

It influences whether a crime is over-counted or under-counted in official statistics. (B) Signup and view all the answers

If a particular type of crime is considered 'over-represented' in media coverage, what does this likely indicate?

The actual occurrence of the crime may be less frequent than the public perception. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How do official and unofficial measures of crime typically differ in scope?

Official measures are narrower, focusing on data collected by government agencies. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Why are crimes 'cleared by arrest' smaller than crimes known to the police (CKP)?

Crimes cleared by arrest are a subset of CKP crimes, representing only those that have resulted in an arrest. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors contributes most significantly to the mass media's distorted portrayal of crime, criminals, and victims?

The media's need to simplify complex social issues for quick consumption. (D) Signup and view all the answers

The concept of 'Black on Black crime' is often critiqued for what reason?

It avoids focusing on the socioeconomic factors contributing to crime within specific communities. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does mass media's racialization of drug users and dealers typically compare with actual drug usage and sentencing patterns?

Media racialization typically exaggerates the involvement of certain racial groups in drug-related crimes, contrasting with actual usage and often disproportionate sentencing. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What are the two primary methods by which social order is typically enforced?

Through coercion (physical or legal force) and consent. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How is ideology linked to social structure and social dynamics?

Ideology is fundamentally linked to social structure and dynamics, often integrated into our social life and cultural norms without conscious awareness. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'ideological effects' of crime images refer to?

Any outcome resulting from crime images that reveals underlying assumptions about class, race, gender, or other group-based patterns. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How is hegemony primarily maintained, and how does it relate to force?

Hegemony primarily relies on cultural forms and processes but is not incompatible with the use of force. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What is the key difference between hegemonic and counter-hegemonic forces?

Hegemonic forces reinforce existing arrangements, while counter-hegemonic forces challenge them. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How do media depictions, official statistics, and crime myths contribute to the maintenance of hegemony?

By reinforcing existing power structures and norms through repeated representations. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the seeming paradox of implicit bias?

It contradicts our conscious beliefs and values. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In what way does implicit bias function as a cultural phenomenon?

It is shaped and perpetuated by cultural influences such as stereotypes and media. (D) Signup and view all the answers

How does implicit bias relate to the maintenance of social order?

It reinforces existing social hierarchies and norms. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario exemplifies a situation where implicit bias is MOST likely to influence decision-making?

A police officer making a split-second decision during a high-stress encounter. (C) Signup and view all the answers

Considering the impact of implicit bias on the criminal justice system (CJS), which of the following CJS processes is LEAST likely to be affected?

Legislative processes creating laws. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the KEY difference between fast thinking and slow thinking, and how does it relate to implicit bias?

Fast thinking is unconscious, slow thinking is conscious, and fast thinking allows implicit bias to influence decisions. (C) Signup and view all the answers

How does the 'white gaze' function ideologically, historically, and hegemonically?

It imposes a dominant viewpoint that reinforces power dynamics by normalizing whiteness and marginalizing other racial groups. (B) Signup and view all the answers

If an offender commits both robbery and aggravated assault during a single incident, how would the UCR's hierarchy rule affect the reporting of this event?

Only the most serious Part 1 crime is reported. (C) Signup and view all the answers

In what fundamental way does the NCVS differ from the UCR and NIBRS in its approach to collecting crime data?

The NCVS gathers data through victim surveys, capturing crimes not necessarily reported to the police, whereas the UCR and NIBRS rely on police reports. (B) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key advantage of NIBRS over the UCR?

NIBRS includes detailed information on a broader range of offenses and their characteristics compared to the UCR. (C) Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary reason for the incomplete transition from the UCR to NIBRS across all law enforcement agencies in the U.S.?

The implementation of NIBRS requires significant financial investment and procedural changes for law enforcement agencies. (D) Signup and view all the answers

What potential impact could the full-scale adoption of NIBRS have on the perception of crime rates, especially when compared to data from the UCR?

A potential artificial increase in reported crime rates due to the more comprehensive data collection and elimination of the hierarchy rule. (B) Signup and view all the answers

The UCR's Part 1 offenses are based on crimes known to the police. Which of the following is an example of a Part 1 offense?

Assault (D) Signup and view all the answers

If a researcher is interested in understanding the prevalence of domestic violence incidents, which data source would likely provide the most comprehensive information?

The NCVS, because it captures incidents regardless of whether they were reported to the police. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What patterns of crime are more accurately revealed by the NCVS compared to the UCR and NIBRS?

Patterns of crime in terms of gender, age, and race. (A) Signup and view all the answers

How did the modifications to the NCVS in 1992 primarily affect crime statistics related to offenses against women and individuals known to the victim?

They resulted in a notable increase in the reported number of offenses. (A) Signup and view all the answers

What is the most accurate interpretation of the phrase 'theory laden' in the context of crime facts and statistics?

The data is influenced and shaped by existing theories and knowledge. (C) Signup and view all the answers

A researcher develops a new method for measuring recidivism rates. The method yields consistent results across different samples and time periods, but the results don't align with established measures of recidivism. What can be said about this new method?

It is reliable but not valid. (D) Signup and view all the answers

Why is triangulation considered a valuable approach in crime data collection and analysis?

It allows researchers to offset the weaknesses of one measurement method with the strengths of another. (A) Signup and view all the answers

In what way does media bias potentially distort the accuracy of the UCR data regarding crime rates?

The media's coverage of crime may selectively highlight certain types of offenses, thus skewing public perception. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the voluntary nature of participation in the UCR program potentially affect the accuracy of the collected crime data?

It may introduce inconsistencies and underreporting of crime data due to varying levels of participation. (B) Signup and view all the answers

How does the 'hierarchy rule' within the UCR potentially distort crime statistics?

By only counting the most serious crime in an incident, potentially underreporting the total number of crimes. (B) Signup and view all the answers

What primary factor contributes to certain crimes becoming 'invisible' in official crime statistics?

Crimes committed by elites and those with power are less likely to be detected and reported. (A) Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Social Order

The system of norms and values maintaining stability and preventing chaos.

Hegemony

A dominant social order maintained through culture and consent, not just force.