aragonn wrote:
Prison overcrowding has forced the early release of hundreds of criminals back into the population of Metro City. This explains the increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
Which of the following, if true, jeopardizes the conclusion drawn in the argument above?
A. The prisoners released early were first time offenders who had never committed violent crimes.
B. The parole board that released the criminals was under significant pressure to do so.
C. All prisoners released early are required to report to probation officers.
D. In an attempt to lower the incidence of violent crime, police officers will work overtime.
E. The population of Metro City would like to stop the early release of any criminals.
Question Explanation:
Conclusion: This explains the increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
Premise: Prison overcrowding has forced the early release of hundreds of criminals back into the population of Metro City.
Assumptions: (1) It’s not a coincidence. It’s not a coincidence that there is an increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
(2) There’s no other cause. There’s no other cause for the increase in violent robberies.
This is a weaken question as evidenced by the phrase which of the following…jeopardizes the conclusion. The passage contains a causality reasoning pattern, attributing the increase in violent robberies to the early release of hundreds of criminals back into the population of Metro City.
The standard assumptions of a causality reasoning pattern are that it’s not a coincidence and there’s no other cause. Because this is a weaken question, the correct answer will provide a reason that demonstrates that the increase in violent robberies was either a coincidence or potentially caused by other factors. Evaluate the answer choices, looking for one that reflects this idea.
Choice A: Correct. If the prisoners released early were first time offenders who had never committed violent crimes, then it is unlikely that they caused the increase in violent robberies after they were released. Thus, the increase was either a coincidence or caused by other factors.
Choice B: No. Whether the parole board…was under significant pressure is out of scope. This does not weaken the conclusion that the early release of hundreds of criminals…explains the increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
Choice C: No. Whether prisoners released early are required to report to probation officers is out of scope. This does not weaken the conclusion that the early release of hundreds of criminals…explains the increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
Choice D: No. The fact that police officers will work overtime is out of scope. This does not weaken the conclusion that the early release of hundreds of criminals…explains the increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
Choice E: No. The fact that the population of Metro City would like to stop the early release of any criminals is out of scope. This does not weaken the conclusion that the early release of hundreds of criminals…explains the increase in violent robberies since the early releases began.
The correct answer is choice A.