The argument above would be weakened if it were true that ..

[pzazz12]

The rate of violent crime in this state is up 30 percent from last year. The fault lies entirely in our court system: Recently our judges' sentences have been so lenient that criminals can now do almost anything without fear of a long prison term.
The argument above would be weakened if it were true that

A.85 percent of the other states in the nation have lower crime rates than does this state.
B.white collar crime in this state has also increased by over 25 percent in the last year.
C.35 percent of the police in this state have been laid off in the last year due to budget cuts.
D.polls show that 65 percent of the population in this state oppose capital punishment.
E.the state has hired 25 new judges in the last year to compensate for deaths and retirements.



Help me to answer this.........................

[reply2spg]

C, it is OG question

[lokesh r]

Decrease in number of police officials causes decrease policing. Lesser the policing more the crimes rate. But argument says it is because of leniant judges that the crime rate has risen. But C contradicts what question states.

IMO C.

OA plz..

[paddle_sweep]

I will go with 'C'. Pls post OA.

[arpita@gurome]

A fast way to solve a weaken question is to assume that the answer choices are another premise, the one that weakens the conclusion the most is the answer.

Moving to the question.

Conclusion - The fault of a 30% increase in crime lies with the courts since they are lenient.

Now moving to the answer choices:

A - Not concerned with what is happening in other states, discard
B - Great so what? White collar criminals also get away leniently. Discard.
C - Interesting if 35% of the police force has been laid off, may be the courts are not to blame but it is the small size of the police force. Surely argument is weakened.
D - Talk is about judges and criminals and shooting crime rates not what the population thinks about the chair / injection. Out of scope.
E - So what? all of them could be more or as lenient as the ones who left.

Hence we are left with C, which is the answer.

Hope this helps!