Answers To Critical Thinking Questions In The Text
1. Do you agree that public order crimes such as prostitution and illegal gambling are “victimless” crimes? Why or why not?
ANS: They are not victimless crimes because the prostitute, especially very young prostitutes can be victims of crime, such as violence. Also these public order crimes can create an environment in which property and violent crimes are likely to occur. Also, prostitutes, especially from foreign countries, may be forced into prostitution.
2. Assume that you are a criminologist who wants to determine the extent to which high school students engage in such risky behavior as abusing alcohol and illegal drugs, carrying weapons, and contemplating suicide. How would you go about gathering data?
ANS: I would draw a representative sample of high school students in a certain city and give them an anonymous self-report.
3. Research shows that when levels of single-family mortgage foreclosures rise in a neighborhood, so do levels of violent crime. Explain the correlation between these two sets of statistics. Why is it false to say that single-family mortgage foreclosures cause violent crime to occur?
ANS: If single-family foreclosures would cause violent crime then violent crime would have to occur every time there are single-family mortgage foreclosures. This is not the case. It is however possible that foreclosures lead to abandoned houses that may be used for criminal activities. If there are many empty houses, there is less supervision, or control. According to control theory, a lack of control will encourage criminal activity.
4. Why might someone who subscribes to rational choice theory believe that increasing the harshness of a penalty for a particular crime would necessarily lead to fewer such crimes being committed?
ANS: Rational choice believes that harsher punishment will deter the individual criminal and the public in general because they will fear the punishment. The theory assumes that people rationally weigh the cost and benefits of a certain behavior. If the punishment is harsh enough, then the costs will outweigh the benefits and people will refrain from crime.
5. Research shows that female college students who have been the victim of rape or attempted rape are at unusually high risk of repeat victimization if they engage in binge alcohol drinking. What victim services should colleges provide to reduce the chances that this group of women will be revictimized?
ANS: Services should include educating women about the consequences of alcohol use and vulnerability to sexual assault. Victims should also receive long-term psychological care and be integrated into a self-help group.
