Question

Define or explain each of the following terms. Each response should consist of three or four sentences or several points (point form are acceptable).

1. The dark figure of crime

2. The Uniform Crime Report

3. The General Social Survey

4. Telescoping and memory fade

5. The Crime Severity Index

6. The effect of the Internet on crime measurement

7) According to Chapter 4, Measuring Crime, there are four different theoretical perspectives on the measurement of crime: structuralist, positivist, constructionist, and integrationist. Demonstrate your knowledge of the theoretical assumptions or underpinnings of each of these four perspectives, and list what each of these perspectives says about how crime is identified, interpreted, and counted.

8) Chapter 4, Measuring Crime questions whether there has been a "crime drop," or a "crime swap." Demonstrate your knowledge of this debate by outlining which crimes may have dropped (and why), which crimes may have increased (and why), what is meant by the term "crime swap," and why policing practices might affect the available statistics regarding increases or decreases in crime rates.

CHAPTER 5

Define or explain each of the following terms. Each response should consist of three or four sentences or several points (point form are acceptable).

1. Protective mechanisms

2. Primary, secondary, and tertiary victims

3. Strobl’s self and other victimization classification

4. Victimology

5. Risk factors for violent victimization

6. Resilience and victimization

7) List and explain the five reasons (discussed in Chapter 5) why we should avoid blaming victims for their own victimization.

8) Chapter 5 describes the differences between victimology and criminology. What are those differences, and how are they manifested in the criminal justice system?

Answer 1

Answer: 1. the dark figure of crimes refers to the amount of unreported or undiscovered criminal activity in society. It represents crimes that go unreported to the police or other authorities and those that are not detected or investigated.

2. the uniform crime report(UCR) is a program administered by the federal bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the united states. it is a widely used system for collecting and analyzing crime statistics from law enforcement agencies nationwide. The UCR collects data on various types of crimes, including but not limited to murder, robbery, assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

3. The General Social Survey (GSS) is a comprehensive and nationally representative survey conducted in the United States. It collects data on a wide range of social issues and attitudes to provide insights into the social characteristics, trends, and changes in American society. The GSS is conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. It has been conducted since 1972 and typically involves face-to-face or telephone interviews with a large sample of individuals. The survey covers various topics, including demographics, education, employment, family dynamics, political beliefs, social relationships, and attitudes toward issues such as crime, religion, race, and gender. The GSS data is widely used by researchers, policymakers, and social scientists to study social trends and patterns, understand public opinion, and inform policy decisions. It offers a valuable resource for examining social changes and identifying shifts in attitudes and behaviors over time. The GSS is recognized for its rigorous methodology, large sample size, and ability to provide reliable and representative data on a broad range of social issues. The survey has contributed significantly to the understanding of American society and its ongoing transformations.

4. telescoping and memory fade are both phenomena related to accurately recalling past events and experiences. Telescoping refers to the tendency of individuals to misremember the timing of events, often perceiving more recent events as occurring further back in time and older events as more recent. Memory fade, on the other hand, refers to the natural decay or weakening of memory over time. Memories can become less vivid and detailed as time passes, making it more challenging to remember specific details or events accurately

5. The Crime Severity Index (CSI) is a statistical measure used in Canada to assess the relative seriousness of different types of crimes. It provides a way to compare the severity of various offenses and track changes in crime rates over time. The CSI takes into account both the volume and the relative seriousness of reported crimes. It assigns weights to different crime categories based on their perceived impact on society. More severe crimes receive higher weights, reflecting their greater impact and potential harm. The index considers factors such as the frequency of the offense and the average sentence length associated with it. By combining these weighted crime categories, the CSI provides a single numeric value that represents the overall severity of reported crimes in a particular jurisdiction or across the country. This index allows for comparisons between different regions and time periods, providing insights into trends and patterns of crime severity. The Crime Severity Index is a useful tool for policymakers, law enforcement agencies, and researchers to understand the relative seriousness of crimes and to inform policy decisions and resource allocation in addressing crime-related issues.