Question 1

Interviewers should attempt to avoid small talk with respondents in order to impress upon them the seriousness of the occasion.

Accepted Answer

Small talk can actually help put respondents at ease and build rapport, creating a more comfortable and open environment for the interview. However, it is important for the interviewer to still maintain a level of professionalism and respect for the respondent's time and privacy.

Question 2

Much of the deep dark figure of crime consists of minor property crime.

Accepted Answer

According to research, a significant portion of crimes reported to law enforcement are property crimes which include burglary, theft, and vandalism. These crimes may not always make headlines but they are still a major part of the overall crime rate.

Question 3

It may be necessary at times for the interviewer to be an undiplomatic boor.

Accepted Answer

In certain situations, an interviewer may need to be direct or blunt to elicit honest responses or to assess how a candidate handles pressure.

Question 4

Victim surveys are usually cheaper than other surveys since they do not require as large a number of respondents.

Accepted Answer

Victim surveys typically require a large number of respondents in order to accurately capture the experiences and perspectives of the population being surveyed. This can increase the cost of the survey relative to other types of surveys that may not require as large a sample size.

Question 5

It is generally impossible to ask questions which require a scaled response over the telephone.

Accepted Answer

It is possible to ask questions which require a scaled response over the telephone, such as asking someone to rate their level of agreement on a scale from 1 to 10.

Question 6

Reverse record checks involve validation of reported behavior on the basis of studying a group whose behavior is already known.

Accepted Answer

Reverse record checks involve studying a group whose behavior is already known to validate reported behavior.

Question 7

Both official statistics and victim surveys underestimate certain crimes such as "victimless" ones.

Accepted Answer

Official statistics and victim surveys often do not capture crimes that are considered victimless, such as drug use or prostitution. Therefore, the total number of crimes in these categories is likely to be underestimated.

Question 8

The purpose of the crime panel with repeat interviews every six months is to bound or provide a benchmark for crime reports.

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the crime panel with repeat interviews every six months is to provide a benchmark for crime reports. By conducting repeat interviews, the panel can track changes in crime rates over time and provide more accurate information for law enforcement agencies and policymakers. This helps to ensure that crime reports are consistent and reliable, and allows for better analysis and evaluation of crime trends.

Question 9

In the randomized response technique the interviewer is not certain of the exact question being answered by the respondent.

Accepted Answer

In the randomized response technique, the interviewer asks a question that has two possible answers, with one answer being potentially embarrassing or sensitive. However, the respondent does not reveal which answer they gave, instead, they randomly choose which answer to give. This way, the interviewer is not certain of the exact question being answered by the respondent.

Question 10

While police statistics are based on the number of incidents, victim surveys are based upon individual victims.

Accepted Answer

Victim surveys collect data from individual victims and their experiences, whereas police statistics primarily reflect the number of incidents reported to law enforcement.

Question 11

The greatest likelihood of refusals is during the first minute of the telephone survey.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that the greatest likelihood of refusals occurs during the opening minutes of a telephone survey. This is because respondents may not be familiar with the survey or may be suspicious of the caller's intentions, leading them to refuse participation. However, refusals can occur at any point during the survey.

Question 12

Random digit dialing procedures enable researchers to overcome the matter of telephone surveys not including new or unlisted numbers.

Accepted Answer

Random digit dialing procedures allow researchers to generate random phone numbers, which may include new or unlisted numbers that would otherwise be missed in a traditional telephone survey.

Question 13

The National Crime Victimization Surveys employed among the most complex and elaborate design, sampling, and estimating schemes ever used on such a large scale in the social sciences.

Accepted Answer

The statement is true. The National Crime Victimization Surveys (NCVS) are renowned for their complex design, sampling methods, and estimating techniques, which enable researchers to obtain reliable victimization data at the national level. The NCVS uses a multistage, stratified sampling design that involves selecting households and individuals within households to participate in the survey. It also includes statistical adjustments to account for non-response bias, sampling error, and other sources of error.

Question 14

The randomized response technique is an excellent means of obtaining unlisted telephone numbers.

Accepted Answer

The randomized response technique is a survey methodology used to obtain sensitive information from respondents while ensuring their privacy and reducing bias. It is not specifically designed to obtain unlisted telephone numbers.

Question 15

Most victim surveys exclude nonresidents and foreign tourists, an omission which tends to underestimate the crime report.

Accepted Answer

Nonresidents and foreign tourists are often excluded from victim surveys, which can lead to an underestimation of crime rates.

Question 16

The Central City Victim Surveys were discontinued by the Department of Justice.

Accepted Answer

The Central City Victim Surveys were discontinued by the Department of Justice.

Question 17

The National Crime Panel surveys employed a stratified multistage cluster sample.

Accepted Answer

The National Crime Panel surveys did employ a stratified multistage cluster sample, as stated in their methodology report.

Question 18

Informal discussions once the formal interview is completed can often obtain important information.

Accepted Answer

Informal discussions can sometimes provide additional insights and information that may not have been covered in the formal interview. Building rapport and having a casual conversation can also help to establish a better connection with the candidate. However, it's important to remember that any information obtained during informal discussions should not be the sole basis for making hiring decisions.

Question 19

The NCVS is conducted for the BJS by the Census Bureau.

Accepted Answer

The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is conducted for the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) by the Census Bureau.

Question 20

The chief finding of initial victim surveys in the 1960s was that there was about twice as much crime as officially recorded by police.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Victim surveys conducted in the 1960s showed that there was about twice as much crime as officially recorded by police. This is known as the "dark figure of crime," which refers to the amount of crime that goes unreported, undetected, or unrecorded by the criminal justice system.

Quiz 6: Survey Research: Interviews and Telephone Surveys

Interviewers should attempt to avoid small talk with respondents in order to impress upon them the seriousness of the occasion.

Much of the deep dark figure of crime consists of minor property crime.

It may be necessary at times for the interviewer to be an undiplomatic boor.

Victim surveys are usually cheaper than other surveys since they do not require as large a number of respondents.

It is generally impossible to ask questions which require a scaled response over the telephone.

Reverse record checks involve validation of reported behavior on the basis of studying a group whose behavior is already known.

Both official statistics and victim surveys underestimate certain crimes such as "victimless" ones.

The purpose of the crime panel with repeat interviews every six months is to bound or provide a benchmark for crime reports.

In the randomized response technique the interviewer is not certain of the exact question being answered by the respondent.

While police statistics are based on the number of incidents, victim surveys are based upon individual victims.

The greatest likelihood of refusals is during the first minute of the telephone survey.

Random digit dialing procedures enable researchers to overcome the matter of telephone surveys not including new or unlisted numbers.

The National Crime Victimization Surveys employed among the most complex and elaborate design, sampling, and estimating schemes ever used on such a large scale in the social sciences.

The randomized response technique is an excellent means of obtaining unlisted telephone numbers.

Most victim surveys exclude nonresidents and foreign tourists, an omission which tends to underestimate the crime report.

The Central City Victim Surveys were discontinued by the Department of Justice.

The National Crime Panel surveys employed a stratified multistage cluster sample.

Informal discussions once the formal interview is completed can often obtain important information.

The NCVS is conducted for the BJS by the Census Bureau.

The chief finding of initial victim surveys in the 1960s was that there was about twice as much crime as officially recorded by police.