Question

Which of the following statements about gender and ethnic differences in adolescent arrest rates is true?

a. Differences in arrest rates may be influenced by the tendency for police to arrest and charge low-SES ethnic minority youths.

b. Gender and ethnic differences in arrests accurately reflect rates of delinquent activity.

c. White adolescent boys and girls actually engage in much higher rates of criminal activity than their ethnic minority peers.

d. Overall, white youths are five times more likely than ethnic minority youths to commit crimes, get arrested, and face serious legal repercussions.

Answer 1

Differences in arrest rates may be influenced by the tendency for police to arrest and charge low-SES ethnic minority youths. Studies have shown racial disparities in the criminal justice system, with black and Hispanic men being more likely to be imprisoned than white men. Factors such as poverty and lack of opportunity also contribute to higher crime rates.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is true about gender and ethnic differences in adolescent arrest rates is option a. Differences in arrest rates may be influenced by the tendency for police to arrest and charge low-SES ethnic minority youths. Studies have shown that there is a racial bias in the criminal justice system, including disparities in police practices and racial profiling. Black men are almost six times as likely to be imprisoned as white men, and Hispanic men and men of other races/ethnicities are more than twice as likely to be imprisoned as white men. This suggests that ethnicity and race do play a role in arrest rates. Additionally, factors such as poverty, lack of opportunity, and poor schools can contribute to higher crime rates. These factors are more prevalent in low socioeconomic status (SES) neighborhoods, which tend to have higher rates of arrests among ethnic minority youths.