The Perception of the General Public Is That the Criminal

question 22

Multiple Choice

The perception of the general public is that the criminal justice system is far too lenient. What does the research evidence suggest about the use of harsher penalties as a method of deterrence?

• A)Harsher penalties are only effective for robbery and theft due to the typical age of the offenders.
• B)Research findings suggest that for violent crimes, harsher penalties are a clear deterrent.
• C)There have not been sufficient studies conducted on this issue to allow conclusions to be drawn.
• D)There does not appear to be solid evidence to suggest that harsher penalties lead to decreased crime rates.

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Definitions:

Caucasian American

A term often used to describe individuals in the United States who are of European descent.

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A process in which an investigator, called an experimenter, devises two different experiences for participants and then studies and compares the outcomes.