Calvary Christian Academy

Civics and the Law Honors: Reading Assignment

Does the organization of the United States government provide the nation with the ability to overcome challenges?

10/9: Reading Homework Assigned

10/10: John 1-5 & Content Quiz (15 Questions)/Review Day for Block 3
10/11: PSAT
10/12: Review Day
10/13: Test & Reading Assignment Due

Student Name: Warren Hasson

Instructions: Read chapter 7 in your online textbook. Please answer the following questions in your own
words with detailed answers when appropriate to display your understanding. For MC questions, highlight
your answer in yellow.

Chapter Opener:
● Provide three examples of crime that are mentioned in this passage:
Theft, GTA, taking bribes

The Nature of Crimes

● Which of the following best defines a crime?
a. A personal decision that goes against societal norms.
b. Something one does or fails to do that is in violation of a law.
c. An act that is morally wrong but not necessarily against the law.
d. A behavior that is frowned upon but has no set penalty.

● According to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which human right is violated by
theft crimes?
a. Right to freedom of speech
b. Right to a fair trial
c. Right to ownership of one's property
d. Right to education

● Considering the Christian teachings on the Ten Commandments, especially "Thou shalt not steal"
and "Thou shalt not kill," how do these commandments align with the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights (UDHR) in terms of protecting individual rights and promoting harmony in society?
Identify the portion of the UDHR and what it stands for by researching the text through research.
a.

● Crime has long been a major problem in the United States. Governments at all levels--national,
state, and local--are concerned with preventing crime and with apprehending and prosecuting
criminals. The federal government collects data on crime reports and arrests and makes it
available online. Much of this data is organized according to what are referred to as seven "index
crimes." Figure 7.1 shows recent statistics for such crimes. Analyze the following text and provide
the answer to the following questions.
a. According to the information above, what was the most commonly reported crime in 2017?
i. Larceny/theft
b. What percentage of the total reported crimes resulted in an arrest?
i. 19.7 %
c. Of the index crimes reported, for which crimes were people most likely to be arrested?
Why do you think this is so?
i. Aggravated assault and murder/non-negligent manslaughter; because these are
two of the most serious crimes possible to commit.
d. How can citizens act to help police improve arrest rates?
i. Report all crimes witnessed and give as much detail as possible

● Analyze this data (pie chart) on the right.

From a Christian perspective, why do you
believe this is the case? Furthermore, what is
the solution? Provide a detailed reasoning.
a.
a. Did crimes occur less or more frequently in 2017 than they did in 2009? Do you think these
changes are significant in any single category of crime? What pattern is most evident among all
the categories? Explain your reasons.
i. Less frequently, because the time between crimes reported increased over the years.
b. What are the possible explanations for these changes? Are there any crimes that people might be
reluctant to report? Explain.
i. People reported crimes more, so more people got caught, so fewer people risked the
chance of getting caught. People would be reluctant to report crimes like threatening and
aggravated assault because they would be afraid that the person would come back and
hurt them.
c. Do you think the data in the table accurately reflects the crime problem in your community?
Explain your answers.
i. No, 2017 was six years ago. The crime hopefully has dropped since then.

● When did the term "war on drugs" come into popular use?
a. During the mid-1980s
b. During Barack Obama's presidency
c. In the 1970s when Richard Nixon was president
d. When public opinion polls favored treatment programs over prosecution
● Which of the following is NOT listed as a possible cause of the high crime rate in the United
States?
a. High consumption of fast food
b. Lack of parental guidance
c. Influence of the Internet and television
d. Abuse of alcohol and drugs
● According to the Prison Policy Project's 2018 data, how does the incarceration rate in the United
States compare to that of Scandinavia?
a. The U.S. rate is about double that of Scandinavia.
b. The U.S. rate is about the same as that of Scandinavia.
c. The U.S. rate is about half that of Scandinavia.
d. The U.S. rate is about ten times that of Scandinavia.
● Considering the influence of media on society, how do you think the portrayal of crime in movies,
TV shows, and online platforms might impact the perception and understanding of crime among
your peers?
● What is the primary goal of community policing?
a. To increase the number of arrests in a community.
b. To build closer connections between police and the communities they serve.
c. To reduce the costs of the criminal justice system with the communities they serve.
d. To focus solely on catching drug sellers and users.
● What recommendation does the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) make
regarding drug-control policies?
a. Increase funds for catching drug sellers and users.
b. Mandate longer prison sentences for drug possession.
c. Expand funding for drug treatment and job training.
 d. Focus solely on community policing.
● Click on the link titled “Why People Commit Crimes” under the cases and resources tab of The
Nature of Crimes. Provide the theories and explain why crimes take place from a secular
understanding. How does this align or not align with the Christian understanding of why crimes
take place?

Crime on Campus
● According to the 2016 national data, how many students per 1,000 were crime victims at school?
a. 12 students
b. 69 students
c. 28 students
d. 25 students
● What action did Florida take in response to the Parkland shooting?
a. They banned all firearms.
b. They lowered the age for buying a rifle to 18.
c. They raised the age for buying a rifle from 18 to 21.
d. They implemented mandatory gun training for all students.
● What was the primary reason the faculty senate at Sunshine Community College discussed
expanding the campus security force?
a. Samuel's poor grades
b. Increase in alcohol and drug abuse
c. Samuel's shoplifting incident
d. Samuel's violent video game habits
● What did Eddie do after Samuel told him he "had to take care of something"?
a. He ignored Samuel's statement.
b. He went to find a campus security officer.
c. He confronted Samuel directly in the office.
d. He informed Samuel's parents.
● What did the police discover in Samuel's jacket pocket after the incident?
a. A letter of apology to his parents
b. A list of students he liked
c. A note outlining his plan to shoot people
d. A receipt for the illegal gun purchase
● What type of help is available for victims? Go to this website, watch the YouTube video, and read
about the assistance. Please summarize your findings in the space provided:

Gangs and Crime

● Why have gangs spread to towns and cities of all sizes throughout the country?
a. Due to media attention on gangs.
b. Because of the lure of profits from the sale of illegal drugs.
c. Because of the increase in firearm sales.
d. Due to the rise in unemployment rates.
● What did gangs in the nineteenth century primarily consist of?
a. Young children
b. Unemployed, Middle-aged adults
c. Adults organized along ethnic lines
d. Drug traffickers
● Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of today's gangs as mentioned in the text?
a. All members are involved in criminal activities.
b. They are primarily concerned with status and turf.
c. They operate with sophisticated organizational structures.
d. Some gangs defend certain political beliefs that may be racist or sexist.
● What is one of the reasons gangs use graffiti?
a. To promote community art.
b. To mark their territory.
c. To advertise their upcoming events.
d. To show support for local businesses.
● What percentage of gang members in some high crime areas may be female?
a. 5%
b. 12%
c. 30%
d. 50%
● Why do some people join gangs?
a. To feel a sense of belonging
b. Due to family history of gang involvement
c. To gain protection from other gangs or police
d. All of the above
● What is NOT a suggested method for handling the challenge of gangs?
a. Ignoring the issue and hoping it resolves on its own
b. Providing greater opportunities for young people
c. Mobilizing various community groups to increase awareness
d. Prosecuting gang members for illegal activity
● Which strategy involves identifying gang members and placing them in antigang membership
programs?
a. Prevention
b. Intervention
c. Suppression
d. Prosecution
● What is the purpose of neighborhood watch groups in relation to gangs?
a. To recruit new gang members
b. To regularly remove graffiti and deter gang presence
c. To provide financial support to gangs and help them budget
d. To negotiate between rival gangs
● Research the city where you live and see if there is a gang problem in your community. If not,
what steps should be taken now to prevent such a problem? If there already is a problem, how do
you know it exists? What steps should be taken to deal with it? Explain.
Guns and the Law
● According to the 2017 Gallup poll, what percentage of American households reported owning
guns?
a. 25%
b. 42%
c. 55%
d. 68%
● Find a reliable resource and analyze what percentage owned a gun in 2022. Has this data
changed a lot over time? Explain why you believe this is the case.
a. About 45%
● Before the states adopted the United States Constitution, each state had to fund its own state
militia; the states feared a government ruling over them in this way due to the abuse that had
happened to the colonists under former monarchies. Therefore, it should be no surprise that one
of the principles for the United States Constitution maintains the right to a well-regulated Militia.

Our class has also studied the concept of social contracts and John Locke; in what ways do US
citizens have social contracts with this amendment? Explain.
● In 1989 Florida became the first state to pass a so-called child access prevention law. The
purpose of the law is to limit children's access to guns owned by adults. Florida's law makes it a
crime to store or leave a loaded firearm within the reach or easy access of a minor. For this law,
minor is defined as a person under the age of 16. The law applies only if the minor gains access
to the gun. The law does not apply if the gun is stored in a locked box or secured with a trigger
lock. The gun owner's offense is a misdemeanor if the minor gains access to the gun but a felony
if the minor uses the weapon to harm himself or herself or others. Additional states and cities
have passed similar laws. Under Florida's child access prevention law, what age is considered a
minor?
a. Under 18 years
b. Under 21 years
c. Under 16 years
d. Under 14 years
 ● What is the primary purpose of the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)?
a. To collect taxes from gun sales.
b. To monitor the production of firearms and ensure that ghost guns are removed from the
market and prevent 3D printing.
c. To determine if a gun purchaser is listed in a federal database of persons with criminal
histories or certain mental illnesses.
d. To track the interstate sale of handguns.

Substance Abuse and Crime

● Which of the following statements about alcohol use in the United States is accurate?
a. Alcohol use has always been illegal in the United States.
b. Alcohol use was banned only during the period known as Prohibition.
c. Drinking alcohol is a criminal offense in the United States.
d. The United States has never had any restrictions on alcohol consumption.
● What is a significant consequence of alcohol abuse related to driving?
a. Alcohol abuse has no impact on driving.
b. Drunk driving crashes claimed fewer than 1,000 lives in the United States in 2018.
c. Drunk driving crashes claimed more than 10,000 lives in the United States in 2018.
d. Alcohol improves driving skills and reduces accidents.
● Which of the following statements about blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is accurate?
a. A person is considered intoxicated when their BAC is between 0.05g/dl and
0.08g/dl.
b. BAC indicates the grams per milliliter (g/ml) of alcohol in the blood.
c. A person is considered impaired when their BAC is 0.08g/dl or greater.
d. Thinking and reaction time are not affected by the level of alcohol in the
bloodstream.
● Which of the following statements best describes the situation at Sandra's graduation
party?
a. Sandra's parents provided alcoholic beverages for the guests.
b. Sandra and all her friends were drinking at the party and were arrested when police
arrived.
c. Some guests left the party briefly and then returned, making Sandra suspicious.*
d. Sandra's parents constantly supervised the party.
● Reflect on the six different approaches presented to address the drug epidemic in
Southland. Which approach resonates most with you and why? How do you think the
community would respond to each approach, and what potential challenges might arise
from implementing them?
Victims of Crime
● In recent years, the attempts to provide resources for victims has increased. Which age group are
typically victims of violent crime at rates higher than any other age group?
 a. 12-24
b. 15-26
c. 19-32
d. 17-28
Preventing and Reporting Crime
● Write a summary of what you read in this section.