Question 1

In the UCR system,the crime rate is calculated using which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The crime rate in the UCR system is calculated using the incidents reported to the police minus unfounded incidents. This is because unfounded incidents are those that are determined to be false or baseless, and therefore should not be included in the overall crime rate calculation. Only incidents that are actually reported to and recorded by the police should be used to calculate the crime rate.

Question 2

Under the seriousness rule of the UCR,what happens if there are several crimes committed in one incident?

Accepted Answer

Only the most serious crime is counted under the seriousness rule of the UCR. This means that if several crimes are committed in one incident, only the most severe crime is recorded in the UCR.

Question 3

What information does a victimization survey gather?

Accepted Answer

Victimization surveys gather personal experiences of victimization and fear of crime. They are used to collect data on crime from individual victims, including the types of crimes they experienced, the circumstances of the crime, and their feelings of safety and security. Personal stories of crimes committed for which they were not caught would be a part of this. Experiences that friends or family members have had as victims of crime may be included, but the primary focus is on individual experiences. Predictions about future trends in crime rate are not typically included in victimization surveys.

Question 4

Which of the following is a limitation of victimization surveys?

Accepted Answer

Victimization surveys cannot accurately capture crimes where victims are unaware they have been victimized, as these rely on self-reporting by the victims.

Question 5

The "dark figure of crime" refers to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The "dark figure of crime" refers to the amount of crime that goes unreported or unknown, meaning the actual amount of crime may be much higher than what is officially recorded. This term highlights the limitations of relying on official crime statistics to fully understand the extent of crime in a society.

Question 6

Which of the following best represents the difference between the UCR1 and UCR2 systems?

Accepted Answer

UCR1 collects summary data for separate criminal offences, while UCR2 collects more detailed information on each incident, the victims, and the accused persons.

Question 7

Which of the following best represents why crime rate statistics are cited more frequently than the actual number of crimes experienced by a jurisdiction?

Accepted Answer

The crime rate allows for a comparison between different cities and over time. It takes into account the population of the jurisdiction, making it a standardized measurement that can be used to compare crime rates between cities and over time. Additionally, crime rates can be adjusted for factors such as population size and demographics, providing a more accurate representation of the prevalence of crime in a community.

Question 8

Which of the following factors most consistently impacts the UCR data?

Accepted Answer

Police discretion and public pressure to crack down on certain crimes can have a significant impact on the UCR data because it can lead to an increase in the number of reported crimes even if the actual crime rate has not changed. This can especially be seen in high-profile cases, such as mass shootings or gang violence, where there may be increased public pressure to address the issue. The other factors listed are less likely to consistently impact UCR data.

Question 9

Which of the following makes up the statistics in the Uniform Crime Reports?

Accepted Answer

The Uniform Crime Reports compile official data reported by law enforcement agencies across the country.

Question 10

Despite the challenges with self-report studies,there are some benefits to conducting them.Which of the following is one such benefit?

Accepted Answer

Self-report studies can offer insights into the motivations and techniques of offenders, which might not be captured through other data collection methods.

Question 11

Two people assault three victims during the same incident.Under the UCR system,how many offences will be recorded?

Accepted Answer

Each victim is considered a separate offense, so there will be three offenses recorded. It doesn't matter if two people are involved in the assault, the number of offenses is based on the number of victims.

Question 12

According to the text,what impact does the seriousness rule have when offences are recorded in the Canadian Uniform Crime Reporting system?

Accepted Answer

The seriousness rule in the Canadian Uniform Crime Reporting system means that when multiple offenses are committed during a single criminal event, only the most serious offense is recorded. This approach reduces the total number of crimes reported (deflating the total crime count) but results in a higher proportion of the crimes that are recorded being serious ones (inflating serious crime as a proportion of the total).

Question 13

A person steals money from a victim,assaults the victim,locks the victim in a car trunk and drives him to a remote field,and finally kills the victim,all during the same incident.Which of these crimes actually is counted in the UCR system?

Accepted Answer

Only the homicide would be counted in the UCR system as it is the most serious offense committed during the incident. The other crimes (theft, assault, kidnapping) would only be counted as additional details or factors of the homicide.

Question 14

How can a social movement such as #MeToo impact crime statistics?

Accepted Answer

The #MeToo movement can influence crime statistics by encouraging more reporting of sexual crimes, which can increase the number of reported crimes. Additionally, it may change how police handle sexual assault cases, leading to different crime recording practices. However, it is important to note that not all communities may be impacted in the same way and some may see no change in crime statistics at all.

Question 15

Drug offences declined in 2016.How can this trend be explained?

Accepted Answer

Cultural shifts and legislative changes could lead to changes in police discretion regarding drug enforcement, potentially resulting in a decline in reported drug offences.

Question 16

Which of the following statements best reflects the impact of cybercrime on crime statistics?

Accepted Answer

Cybercrime is often underreported and may be replacing some traditional offline crimes, such as theft and fraud. This can lead to an inaccurate portrayal of crime statistics. While data mining techniques may provide more information on victim characteristics, this does not necessarily reflect the impact of cybercrime on crime statistics as a whole. The idea that cybercrime only targets teenagers is also untrue, as individuals of all ages can be victims.

Question 17

According to the 2014 General Social Survey,which group reports the highest rate of violent victimization?

Accepted Answer

According to the 2014 General Social Survey, 20- to 24-year-olds reported the highest rate of violent victimization.

Question 18

Which of the following statements about crime counts is correct?

Accepted Answer

Official crime rate statistics, such as those from the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), often underestimate the actual level of crime because not all crimes are reported to or recorded by the police. This discrepancy can occur for various reasons, including victims choosing not to report crimes and differences in law enforcement practices.

Question 19

How often are victimization surveys conducted as part of Canada's General Social Survey?

Accepted Answer

Victimisation surveys are conducted every 5 years as part of Canada's General Social Survey. They provide important data on the incidence, prevalence, and characteristics of various types of victimization experienced by Canadians.

Question 20

The term "gross counts of crime" refers to which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Gross counts of crime refer to all violations of federal, provincial, and municipal statutes and bylaws, not just Criminal Code violations. Therefore, option C is the correct choice.

Quiz 4: Counting Crime