Three-Strikes Law California’s controversial “three-strikes law” requires judges to sentence anyone convicted of three felony offenses to life in prison. Supporters say that this decreases crime both because it is a strong deterrent and because career criminals are removed from the streets. Opponents argue (among other things) that people serving life sentences have nothing to lose, so violence within the prison system increases. To test the opponents’ claim, researchers examined data starting from the mid-1990s from the California Department of Corrections. “Three Strikes: Yes” means the person had committed three or more felony offenses and was probably serving a life sentence. “Three Strikes: No” means the person had committed no more than two offenses. “Misconduct” includes serious offenses (such as assaulting an officer) and minor offenses (such as not standing for a count). “No Misconduct” means the offender had not committed any offenses in prison. a. Compare the proportions of misconduct in these samples. Which proportion is higher, the proportion of misconduct for those who had three strikes or that for those who did not have three strikes? Explain. b. Treat this as though it were a random sample, and determine whether those with three strikes tend to have more offenses than those who do not. Use a 0.05 significance level.
Three-Strikes Law California’s controversial “three-strikes law” requires judges to sentence anyone convicted of three felony offenses to life in prison. Supporters say that this decreases crime both because it is a strong deterrent and because career criminals are removed from the streets. Opponents argue (among other things) that people serving life sentences have nothing to lose, so violence within the prison system increases. To test the opponents’ claim, researchers examined data starting from the mid-1990s from the California Department of Corrections. “Three Strikes: Yes” means the person had committed three or more felony offenses and was probably serving a life sentence. “Three Strikes: No” means the person had committed no more than two offenses. “Misconduct” includes serious offenses (such as assaulting an officer) and minor offenses (such as not standing for a count). “No Misconduct” means the offender had not committed any offenses in prison. a. Compare the proportions of misconduct in these samples. Which proportion is higher, the proportion of misconduct for those who had three strikes or that for those who did not have three strikes? Explain. b. Treat this as though it were a random sample, and determine whether those with three strikes tend to have more offenses than those who do not. Use a 0.05 significance level.
Solution Summary: The author compares the proportions of misconduct in a group of prisoners sentenced under the three-strike law and those without it.
Three-Strikes Law California’s controversial “three-strikes law” requires judges to sentence anyone convicted of three felony offenses to life in prison. Supporters say that this decreases crime both because it is a strong deterrent and because career criminals are removed from the streets. Opponents argue (among other things) that people serving life sentences have nothing to lose, so violence within the prison system increases. To test the opponents’ claim, researchers examined data starting from the mid-1990s from the California Department of Corrections. “Three Strikes: Yes” means the person had committed three or more felony offenses and was probably serving a life sentence. “Three Strikes: No” means the person had committed no more than two offenses. “Misconduct” includes serious offenses (such as assaulting an officer) and minor offenses (such as not standing for a count). “No Misconduct” means the offender had not committed any offenses in prison.
a. Compare the proportions of misconduct in these samples. Which proportion is higher, the proportion of misconduct for those who had three strikes or that for those who did not have three strikes? Explain.
b. Treat this as though it were a random sample, and determine whether those with three strikes tend to have more offenses than those who do not. Use a
0.05
significance level.
Despite the availability of several modes of transportation, including metro and ride-booking services, most people in the Washington, D.C., area continue to drive their own cars to get around (The Washington Post, June 6, 2019). According to a survey, 62% of area adults use their own cars daily. Suppose only 38% of the area’s adults under 35 use their own cars daily. It is known that 43% of the area’s adults are under 35.
What is the probability that a Washington, D.C., area adult is under 35 and uses his/her own car daily?
If a Washington, D.C., area adult uses his/her own car daily, what is the probability that he/she is under 35?
Are cigarettes bad for people? Cigarette smoking involves tar, carbon monoxide, and nicotine (measured in milligrams). The first two are definitely not good for a person's health, and the last ingredient can cause addiction.
Brand
Tar
Nicotine
CO
Brand
Tar
Nicotine
CO
AlpineBenson & HedgesBull DurhamCamel LightsCarltonChesterfieldGolden LightsKentKoolL&MLark LightsMarlboroMerit
14.116.029.88.04.115.08.812.416.614.913.715.17.8
0.861.062.030.670.401.040.760.951.121.021.010.900.57
13.616.623.510.25.415.09.012.316.315.413.014.410.0
MultiFilterNewport LightsNowOld GoldPall Mall LightsRaleighSalem UltraTareytonTrueViceroy Rich LightVirginia SlimWinston Lights
11.49.01.017.012.815.84.514.57.38.615.212.0
0.780.740.131.261.080.960.421.010.610.691.020.82
10.29.51.518.512.617.54.915.98.510.613.914.9
Use the data in the table above to make a stem-and-leaf display for milligrams of tar per cigarette smoked. (Enter NONE in any unused answer blanks.)
Milligrams of Tar per Cigarette…
For which reason is it a problem when journalists only report on one study?
a.
It can lead people to think journalists are scientists.
b.
It can cause people to interrogate a study’s validities.
c.
It can lead people to value one study over decades of previous research.
d.
It can make journalists look bad.
Elementary Statistics: Picturing the World (7th Edition)
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