Question 1

Criminologists and economists estimate that the average criminal commits _______crimes per year.

Accepted Answer

A) 1 to 5 
B) 5 to 10 
C) 10 to 180 
D) 200 to 1000 
A) 1 to 5 
B) 5 to 10 
C) 10 to 180 
D) 200 to 1000

Question 2

A rational criminal model assumes

Accepted Answer

A) criminals commit crimes because they have few legal opportunities. 
B) will commit fewer crimes if the likelihood of getting caught rises. 
C) will commit fewer crimes if the severity of punishment rises. 
D) all of the options are correct. 
A) criminals commit crimes because they have few legal opportunities. 
B) will commit fewer crimes if the likelihood of getting caught rises. 
C) will commit fewer crimes if the severity of punishment rises. 
D) all of the options are correct.

Question 3

Suppose you are a mayor of a city with a police force of 100 and an annual budget of $8 million. Now suppose your police chief asks for an additional officer with an additional annual expenditure of $50,000 for salary, benefits and equipment. If you are thinking like an economist, you will agree to the request if the chief can demonstrate that

Accepted Answer

A) crime will be reduced. 
B) the total amount spent on police protection is worth $8,050,000. 
C) the average amount of safety produced per officer is more than $50,000. 
D) the additional officer will produce at least $50,000 worth of extra safety annually. 
A) crime will be reduced. 
B) the total amount spent on police protection is worth $8,050,000. 
C) the average amount of safety produced per officer is more than $50,000. 
D) the additional officer will produce at least $50,000 worth of extra safety annually.

Question 4

The present value analysis of the death penalty

Accepted Answer

A) shows that the death penalty is quite cost effective in its punishment and economists, almost universally, embrace it for that reason. 
B) shows that the death penalty is quite cost effective in its punishment though for a variety of reasons economists are split on the wisdom of the policy. 
C) shows that the death penalty is not cost effective in its punishment and economists, almost universally reject it for that reason. 
D) shows that the death penalty is not cost effective in its punishment though for a variety of reasons economists are split on the wisdom of the policy. 
A) shows that the death penalty is quite cost effective in its punishment and economists, almost universally, embrace it for that reason. 
B) shows that the death penalty is quite cost effective in its punishment though for a variety of reasons economists are split on the wisdom of the policy. 
C) shows that the death penalty is not cost effective in its punishment and economists, almost universally reject it for that reason. 
D) shows that the death penalty is not cost effective in its punishment though for a variety of reasons economists are split on the wisdom of the policy.

Question 5

The magnitude of intangible losses can sometimes be estimated by investigating the average

Accepted Answer

A) annual incomes of police detectives and private investigators. 
B) dollar amounts paid by insurance companies as reimbursement for property losses. 
C) annual costs borne by victims of white collar crimes such as embezzlement. 
D) dollar amounts individuals willingly pay to reduce their chance of being a victim. 
A) annual incomes of police detectives and private investigators. 
B) dollar amounts paid by insurance companies as reimbursement for property losses. 
C) annual costs borne by victims of white collar crimes such as embezzlement. 
D) dollar amounts individuals willingly pay to reduce their chance of being a victim.

Question 6

Of the following explanations for while crime fell from 1990 to 2014 which does the Brennan Center suggest had an impact in the 1990s but not after?

Accepted Answer

A) Lower rates of incarceration. 
B) The decrease in the number of police. 
C) Longer effective sentences. 
D) CompStat usage. 
A) Lower rates of incarceration. 
B) The decrease in the number of police. 
C) Longer effective sentences. 
D) CompStat usage.

Question 7

Which of the following reasons offered for why crime fell in the 1990s does the Brennan Center suggest had no impact?

Accepted Answer

A) Higher rates of incarceration. 
B) Longer effective sentences. 
C) The increase in the number of police. 
D) The increased use of gun buyback programs. 
A) Higher rates of incarceration. 
B) Longer effective sentences. 
C) The increase in the number of police. 
D) The increased use of gun buyback programs.

Question 8

Of the following explanations for while crime fell from 1990 to 2014 which does the Brennan Center suggest had an impact in the 1990s but not after?

Accepted Answer

A) Higher rates of incarceration. 
B) The decrease in the number of police. 
C) Shorter effective sentences. 
D) CompStat usage. 
A) Higher rates of incarceration. 
B) The decrease in the number of police. 
C) Shorter effective sentences. 
D) CompStat usage.

Question 9

Crime in the U.S. is committed disproportionately by

Accepted Answer

A) legal immigrants. 
B) minorities. 
C) Asian-Americans. 
D) whites. 
A) legal immigrants. 
B) minorities. 
C) Asian-Americans. 
D) whites.

Question 10

When whites are murdered it is typically at the hands of

Accepted Answer

A) other whites. 
B) blacks. 
C) an equal division of blacks and whites. 
D) the races in rough proportion to their population. 
A) other whites. 
B) blacks. 
C) an equal division of blacks and whites. 
D) the races in rough proportion to their population.

Question 11

If the poverty rate increases because of a general decline in the economic standing of lower income people, the rational criminal model would predict

Accepted Answer

A) increased crime. 
B) have no effect on crime. 
C) decreased crime. 
D) reduced social worker caseloads. 
A) increased crime. 
B) have no effect on crime. 
C) decreased crime. 
D) reduced social worker caseloads.

Question 12

The realization that only a small portion of criminals commit the majority of crimes suggests that as you devote more resources to the criminal justice system the

Accepted Answer

A) total cost always decreases. 
B) total benefit quickly decreases. 
C) marginal benefit quickly increases. 
D) marginal cost sharply increases. 
A) total cost always decreases. 
B) total benefit quickly decreases. 
C) marginal benefit quickly increases. 
D) marginal cost sharply increases.

Question 13

The magnitude of intangible losses can sometimes be estimated by investigating the average

Accepted Answer

A) compensation awarded by juries in civil cases of wrongful death and personal injury. 
B) dollar amounts paid by insurance companies as reimbursement for property losses. 
C) annual costs borne by victims of white collar crimes such as embezzlement. 
D) annual incomes of police detectives and private investigators. 
A) compensation awarded by juries in civil cases of wrongful death and personal injury. 
B) dollar amounts paid by insurance companies as reimbursement for property losses. 
C) annual costs borne by victims of white collar crimes such as embezzlement. 
D) annual incomes of police detectives and private investigators.

Question 14

The proper economic method of selecting a sentence length would be to

Accepted Answer

A) compare the reduction in the total cost of (marginal cost)crime being perpetrated by the offender if released a year earlier with the reduction in incarceration costs (marginal benefit)for that shorter sentence. 
B) compare the total cost of crime being perpetrated by the offender if released a year earlier with the incarceration costs for that shorter sentence. 
C) compare the average cost of crime being perpetrated by the average offender if released a year earlier with the average incarceration costs for that shorter sentence. 
D) poll pro bono defense attorneys and follow their recommendation. 
A) compare the reduction in the total cost of (marginal cost)crime being perpetrated by the offender if released a year earlier with the reduction in incarceration costs (marginal benefit)for that shorter sentence. 
B) compare the total cost of crime being perpetrated by the offender if released a year earlier with the incarceration costs for that shorter sentence. 
C) compare the average cost of crime being perpetrated by the average offender if released a year earlier with the average incarceration costs for that shorter sentence. 
D) poll pro bono defense attorneys and follow their recommendation.

Question 15

Crime victims in the U.S. are disproportionately

Accepted Answer

A) whites. 
B) minorities. 
C) Asian-Americans. 
D) legal immigrants. 
A) whites. 
B) minorities. 
C) Asian-Americans. 
D) legal immigrants.

Question 16

Which of the following is not an example of a crime contemplated by the rational criminal model?

Accepted Answer

A) Rape. 
B) Car theft. 
C) Insurance fraud. 
D) Murder for hire. 
A) Rape. 
B) Car theft. 
C) Insurance fraud. 
D) Murder for hire.

Question 17

The economic intuition behind the connection between abortion and crime rates is based on the idea that

Accepted Answer

A) women who choose abortion do not want the child and, if compelled to raise it would be poorer and do a poorer job at parenting, increasing the likelihood the child would grow up to be a criminal. 
B) the Supreme Court decision removing most limits on abortion made the country more peaceful. 
C) women instinctively know when a child will grow up to be a criminal and are more likely to abort those they believe will grow up to be criminals. 
D) abortion is a moral prerogative of women. 
A) women who choose abortion do not want the child and, if compelled to raise it would be poorer and do a poorer job at parenting, increasing the likelihood the child would grow up to be a criminal. 
B) the Supreme Court decision removing most limits on abortion made the country more peaceful. 
C) women instinctively know when a child will grow up to be a criminal and are more likely to abort those they believe will grow up to be criminals. 
D) abortion is a moral prerogative of women.

Question 18

Of the following explanations for while crime fell from 1990 to 2014 which does the Brennan Center suggest had an impact in the 1990s but not after?

Accepted Answer

A) Higher rates of incarceration. 
B) The increase in the number of police. 
C) Longer effective sentences. 
D) All of these. 
A) Higher rates of incarceration. 
B) The increase in the number of police. 
C) Longer effective sentences. 
D) All of these.

Question 19

An example of the type of crime that is contemplated by the rational criminal model is

Accepted Answer

A) rape. 
B) drug dealing. 
C) spousal abuse. 
D) school shooting. 
A) rape. 
B) drug dealing. 
C) spousal abuse. 
D) school shooting.

Question 20

An example of the type of crime that is contemplated by the rational criminal model is

Accepted Answer

A) rape. 
B) spousal abuse. 
C) car theft. 
D) school shooting. 
A) rape. 
B) spousal abuse. 
C) car theft. 
D) school shooting.

Exam 28: The Economics of Crime

Criminologists and economists estimate that the average criminal commits _______crimes per year.

A rational criminal model assumes

The present value analysis of the death penalty

The magnitude of intangible losses can sometimes be estimated by investigating the average

Of the following explanations for while crime fell from 1990 to 2014 which does the Brennan Center suggest had an impact in the 1990s but not after?

Which of the following reasons offered for why crime fell in the 1990s does the Brennan Center suggest had no impact?

Of the following explanations for while crime fell from 1990 to 2014 which does the Brennan Center suggest had an impact in the 1990s but not after?

Crime in the U.S. is committed disproportionately by

When whites are murdered it is typically at the hands of

If the poverty rate increases because of a general decline in the economic standing of lower income people, the rational criminal model would predict

The realization that only a small portion of criminals commit the majority of crimes suggests that as you devote more resources to the criminal justice system the

The magnitude of intangible losses can sometimes be estimated by investigating the average

The proper economic method of selecting a sentence length would be to

Crime victims in the U.S. are disproportionately

Which of the following is not an example of a crime contemplated by the rational criminal model?

The economic intuition behind the connection between abortion and crime rates is based on the idea that

Of the following explanations for while crime fell from 1990 to 2014 which does the Brennan Center suggest had an impact in the 1990s but not after?

An example of the type of crime that is contemplated by the rational criminal model is

An example of the type of crime that is contemplated by the rational criminal model is

Economics: the Study of Opportunity Cost

Supply and Demand

The Concept of Elasticity and Consumer and Producer Surplus

Firm Production, Cost, and Revenue

Perfect Competition, Monopoly, and Economic Versus Normal Profit

Every Macroeconomic Word You Ever Heard: Gross Domestic Product, Inflation, Unemployment, Recession, Depression

Interest Rates and Present Value

Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply

Fiscal Policy

Monetary Policy

Federal Spending

Federal Deficits, Surpluses, and the National Debt

The Housing Bubble

The Recession of 2007-2009: Causes and Policy Responses

Is Economic Stagnation the New Normal

Is the Fiscalsky Falling: An Examination of Unfunded Social Security, Medicare, and State and Local Pension Liabilities

International Trade: Does It Jeopardize American Jobs

International Finance and Exchange Rates

The European Debt Crisis

Economic Growth and Development

Nafta, Gatt, Wto: Are Trade Agreements Good for Us

The Line Between Legal and Illegal Goods

Natural Resources, the Environment, and Climate Change

Health Care

Government-Provided Health Insurance: Medicaid, Medicare, and the Child Health Insurance Program

The Economics of Prescription Drugs

So You Want to Be a Lawyer: Economics and the Law

Antitrust

The Economics of Race and Discrimination

Income and Wealth Inequality

Farm Policy

Minimum Wage

Ticket Brokers and Ticket Scalping

Rent Control

Economics of K-12 Education

Economics of College and University Education

Poverty and Welfare

Head Start

Social Security

Personal Income Taxes

Energy Prices

If We Build It, Will They Come and Other Sports Questions

The Stock Market Crashes

Unions

Walmart: Always Low Prices and Low Wages- Always

The Economic Impact of Casino Gambling

The Economics of Terrorism

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