LSAT Explanation PT 43, S2, Q8: Criminologist: Increasing the current prison term

LSAT Question Stem

Each of the following, if true, supports the criminologist's claim EXCEPT: 

Logical Reasoning Question Type

This is a Strengthen question. 

Correct Answer

The correct answer to this question is C. 

LSAT Question Complete Explanation

Let's first analyze the argument in the passage. The criminologist claims that increasing the current prison term for robbery will not significantly discourage people from committing robbery. This statement is the conclusion of the argument. The passage does not provide any premises to support this conclusion, so our task is to evaluate the answer choices to see which ones support the criminologist's claim.

The question type for this problem is Strengthen Except, meaning that four of the answer choices will strengthen the argument, while the correct answer will either have no effect or weaken the argument.

An "Evaluate" question for this argument could be, "What factors motivate people to commit robbery, and how do these factors relate to the length of prison terms?"

Now let's examine each answer choice:

a) Many people who rob are motivated primarily by thrill-seeking and risk-taking.

This answer choice strengthens the argument since it suggests that increasing the prison term might not discourage people who are motivated by thrill-seeking and risk-taking. Instead, it might actually provide increased motivation for them to commit robbery.

b) An increase in the prison term for embezzlement did not change the rate at which that crime was committed.

This answer choice also strengthens the argument by providing an analogous situation where increasing the prison term did not have the desired effect of reducing crime rates. This implies that the same might be true for robbery.

c) Prison terms for robbery have generally decreased in length recently.

This answer choice is the correct one because it does not strengthen the argument. It provides information about the recent trend of decreasing prison terms for robbery, but it does not tell us anything about the effect of this trend on robbery rates or the potential impact of increasing prison terms. This information neither supports nor refutes the criminologist's claim.

d) Most people committing robbery believe that they will not get caught.

This answer choice supports the criminologist's claim by suggesting that there is not a strong link between the crime and the punishment. If most people committing robbery believe they will not get caught, then they will not be deterred by the knowledge that people who do get caught must spend more time in prison.

e) Most people committing robbery have no idea what the average sentence for robbery is.

Like answer choice (d), this answer choice also supports the criminologist's claim. If most criminals were unaware of the length of the prison term for convicted robbers, then a longer prison term would not discourage them from committing a robbery.

In conclusion, the correct answer is (c) because it does not strengthen the argument, while the other answer choices provide support for the criminologist's claim that increasing the current prison term for robbery will not significantly discourage people from committing robbery.