Deck 2: Deterrence and Rational Choice Theories

Question 1

Although the deterrence doctrine was stated by classical criminologists more than 200 years ago, research to test the deterrent effect of punishment on different types of offenses did not begin until the 1960s.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The classical criminologists were more interested in providing a rationale for legal and penal reform than in explaining criminal behavior.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The "experiential effect" in deterrence research refers to the finding that experiencing legal sanctions prevents recidivism.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

The conclusion of weak deterrent effects of severity and certainty of legal penalties found in single studies has not been supported by results of later meta-analyses of the findings from many different studies.

Question 5

The expected utility concept in rational choice theory of crime refers to behavior that has some utility for society.

Question 6

Routine activities theory proposes that crime occurs when motivated offenders, guarded targets, and opportunity for reward converge.

Question 7

Routine activities theory is more a theory of criminal victimization than of criminal behavior.

Question 8

Routine activities theory is designed to explain where and when predatory crimes take place.

Question 9

Cohen and Felson explain trends in crime rates over time as a function of shifts in the time people spend in their homes, schools, workplaces, and leisure activities.

Question 10

Routine activities theory sheds little light on how and why individuals become motivated to commit crime.

Question 11

If illegal acts are themselves taken as measures of routine activities, as it is in some studies, then it becomes tautological to hypothesize that routine activities cause illegal acts.

Question 12

Research into the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew suggests that offenders are attracted to targets made vulnerable to crime.

Question 13

The emphasis on informal control in recent work on routine activities theory by Felson clearly distinguishes it from the general sociological view and other criminological theories.

Question 14

While the research evidence provides weak support for deterrence theory, the outcome of such policies as mandated sentencing, longer prison terms, and boot camps over the past two decades has shown fairly clearly that deterrence works in practice.

Question 15

The Scared Straight approach has been successful in deterring at-risk youth from beginning or continuing delinquent and criminal careers.

Question 16

Modern research on deterrence theory has shown that criminal sanctions are correlated with a marginal deterrent effect on crime, but the correlations tend to be low.

Question 17

The practical implications of routine activities theory refer more to the everyday precautions people can take to avoid becoming crime victims than to formal criminal justice policy.

Question 18

Most research on capital punishment has found that the death penalty has little general deterrent effect on rates of homicide.

Question 19

The "narrow" rational choice model, according to Opp, which assumes maximum rationality, has received more empirical support than the "wide" model, which assumes limited rationality and leaves room for soft incentives.

Question 20

Recent evidence from research such as that by De Haan and Vos has found that robbers are motivated primarily by a rational goal of getting money and that non-rational and emotional motivations play little part in the decision to rob.

Question 21

Anwar and Loughran demonstrated that the effects of subjective probabilities of punishment were crime specific.

Question 22

Research provides substantial evidence that good decision making skills are related to both perceptions of risk and the choice to offend.

Question 23

"When rational choice theory is expanded to include variables beyond expected utility from other theories, it is no longer appropriate to call it rational choice theory." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Defend your agreement or disagreement.

Question 24

Discuss deterrence theory in terms of (1) its underlying assumptions about human nature and (2) its hypotheses regarding the role of punishment in social control.

Question 25

Discuss the various types of studies that have been conducted to test deterrence theory, and comment on the strengths and weaknesses of each approach. Conclude your answer by summarizing the overall findings of tests of the deterrence model.

Question 26

Prepare a critical essay on routine activities theory. Include in your essay at least the following issues: What are the key concepts and assertions associated with this theory? In what ways does this perspective broaden our understanding of the factors that need to be considered in fully accounting for crime? In what ways does this theory fall short as an explanation of criminal behavior? What are the strengths, shortcomings, and conclusions of research conducted to test the validity of the theory?

Question 27

In what ways, if any, does rational choice theory represent a modification or expansion of classical deterrence theory?

Question 28

You have been named to a blue-ribbon criminal justice commission impanelled by the governor. The commission is to advise the governor regarding the advisability of lengthening the terms of incarceration associated with drug use/possession in an effort to deter people from using drugs. What sort of advice would you give? What evidence would you draw upon to support your position?

Question 29

Identify the basic concepts and propositions of deterrence theory, and then critically analyze the theory using the criteria outlined in Chapter 1. What kinds of research have been done to test the theory, and what are the major findings of that research? Identify at least two major policies or programs based primarily on deterrence theory, and offer an analysis of the effectiveness of those programs.

Question 30

What does Felson mean by "designing out crime" by individuals, neighborhoods, communities, and businesses? Provide examples.

Question 31

Why is certainty so important in deterrence? Why is severity, and the fear that would accompany severe punishments, not enough to deter rational offenders?

Question 32

How did Beccaria and Bentham determine how severe a punishment should be? How would policymakers use this criteria to determine punishments today?

Question 33

Because routine activity theories looks at both offenders and victims, some of the blame in a criminal incident may be placed on the victim. Do you think a victim is ever responsible for being victimized? Are there certain crimes for which a victim is more responsible for his or her victimization?

Question 34

How could policymakers use knowledge of the experiential effect to reduce recidivism rates?