Criminologist: Increasing the current prison

Answer choices

1. A

   Strengthens5% picked this

   Many people who rob are motivated primarily by thrill-seeking

   This indicates that many who commit robbery are motivated by thrill-seeking and risk-taking. A longer sentence increases the risk, so it might increase the thrill of committing robbery, supporting the claim that harsher penalties won't discourage it.

   5%
2. B

   Strengthens8% picked this

   An increase in the prison term for embezzlement did not change the rate at which

   This presents an analogous case where increasing prison terms did not discourage embezzlement, therefore lending support to the claim that a similar approach wouldn't deter robbery.

   8%
3. C

   Correct77% picked this

   Prison terms for robbery have generally decreased in

   Why this is right

   This suggests that prison terms for robbery have generally decreased in length without addressing the impact of increasing them. It doesn't provide information that supports or undercuts the claim about the deterrent effect of longer sentences for robbery. And it almost might suggest to us that prison terms are currently too lax to be a deterrent, but raising them might work.

   Skill tested: Strengthen · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

   77%
4. D

   Strengthens4% picked this

   Most people committing robbery believe that they will not

   This claims that most people who commit robbery believe they won't be caught, so the length of the prison term is irrelevant to them, supporting the idea that increased penalties won't act as a deterrent.

   4%
5. E

   Strengthens6% picked this

   Most people committing robbery have no idea what the average sentence

   This suggests that most people committing robbery are unaware of the prison sentence, indicating they wouldn't be deterred by lengthening it, aligning with the claim that increasing terms won't discourage robbery.

   6%