Deck 5: An Introduction to Criminological Theory

Question 1

Which of the following is an example of an effective crime prevention strategy?

A) locking cars to prevent theft
B) playing classical music on college campuses to prevent assault
C) walking the beat in a mall to prevent carjacking
D) barking dogs used to prevent domestic violence

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Theories are __________ explanations of crime and criminal justice behaviors.

A) potential
B) proven
C) empirical
D) understand

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which two researchers are associated with the Chicago Area Project?

A) Sampson and Groves
B) Wright and Daigle
C) Sutherland and Wilson
D) Shaw and McKay

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Research by Shaw and McKay found that the inability to control crime in the zone of transition was caused by all of the following EXCEPT

A) population turnover
B) lethargy
C) racial heterogeneity
D) poverty

Question 5

Which theory is associated with concentric zone theory?

A) biosocial
B) evolutionary androgenic
C) social disorganization
D) rational choice

Question 6

The idea that punishment that is too severe may actually lead to more crime rather than prevent future crime is referred to as

A) deterrence
B) the just desserts hypothesis
C) retribution
D) the brutalization argument

Question 7

A criminological theory that examines the structural features of society are called __________ theories, while theories that examine individual factors and crime are referred to as __________ theories.

A) policy-based, unit-based
B) unit-based, policy-based
C) macro-level, micro-level
D) micro-level, macro-level

Question 8

Which theory can be traced to the father of the classical school of criminology?

A) Deterrence theory
B) Routine activities theory
C) Social disorganization theory
D) Neurological theory

Question 9

Which assumption do rational choice theorists make about behavior?

A) it is irrelevant
B) it is misunderstood
C) it is purposeful
D) it is immoral

Question 10

What is one difference between criminological theories and other social science theories?

A) Criminological theories focus only on crime.
B) Criminological theories are considered hard science.
C) Criminological theories focus on prevention.
D) Criminological theories are empirically based.

Question 11

Which theory views crime as a product of choice?

A) Deterrence theory
B) Routine activities theory
C) Evolutionary theory
D) Social disorganization theory

Question 12

Which statement most accurately summarizes broken windows theory?

A) crime is a matter of free choice
B) Individuals who frequently engage a higher proportion of risky activities are at a higher risk of victimization.
C) Informal social control strategies by residents reduce neighborhood crime rates.
D) Signs of disorder breed additional disorder.

Question 13

Which theory is associated with the crime triangle?

A) routine activities theory
B) broken windows theory
C) social disorganization theory
D) neutralization theory

Question 14

Which theory is best used to explain why people are victimized rather than why offenders commit crime?

A) biological theory
B) lifestyles theory
C) strain theory
D) social control theory

Question 15

A criminal justice professional who doesn't understand criminal justice research is comparable to a

A) professor who doesn't use the internet
B) doctor who doesn't know about various diseases
C) child who is lactose-intolerant
D) student who spends too much time playing video games

Question 16

Research suggests that criminals tend to be

A) mendomorphs
B) endomorphs
C) mesomorphs
D) ectomorphs

Question 17

All of the following are criteria of Cesare Beccaria's effective punishment EXCEPT

A) it must be explained clearly to the recipient
B) it must be swift
C) it must be certain
D) it must outweigh pleasure that the offender would get from committing the crime

Question 18

According to Cesare Lombroso, __________ accounted for one-third of all offenders and had not completely evolved.

A) psychopaths
B) ectomorphs
C) magnum opus
D) atavistic throwbacks

Question 19

All of the following are reasons to examine criminological theories of crime EXCEPT

A) producing punishment
B) preventing crime
C) guiding criminal justice research projects
D) understanding research findings

Question 20

The best criminological theories adhere to the principle of

A) tenacity
B) authority
C) harmony
D) parsimony

Question 21

How did broken windows theory change policing?

A) It provided a framework for understanding the culture of poverty.
B) It demonstrated that crime exists in all types of communities.
C) It instigated the Miranda warning.
D) It suggested that responding to minor crime may reduce serious crime.

Question 22

Which labeling theory hypothesis is derived from conflict theory?

A) The differential enforcement/status characteristics hypothesis
B) the just-world hypothesis
C) the deviance amplification hypothesis
D) the differential association hypothesis

Question 23

Gottfredson and Hirschi suggested that self-control levels come from

A) neurotransmitters in the brain
B) societal reactions to behaviors
C) gender differences
D) parenting practices

Question 24

According to Elijah Anderson, which type of family learns that violence is both necessary and justified in certain situations?

A) street
B) urban
C) decent
D) suburb

Question 25

Which two factors do most conflict theories have in common?

A) Educational inequality and racial disparities
B) Power imbalance and weakened lower class
C) Crime prevention and code of the street
D) Urban renewal and gender biases

Question 26

According to Cohen, why do lower-class children have the cards stacked against them by the time they reach school?

A) they are immersed in the culture of poverty
B) they have already been exposed to and had the opportunity to commit crime
C) they are judged by a set of standards they have never been taught
D) they are products of broken homes rooted in centuries of change

Question 27

The types of values that school children are expected to demonstrate and adhere to in their scholastic endeavors is called the

A) common core
B) differential opportunity theory
C) culture clash
D) middle class measuring rod

Question 28

Emile Durkheim's concept of anomie is synonymous with

A) strain
B) suicide
C) theory
D) strategy

Question 29

Sampson and Laub revised their life course theory to include

A) routine activities
B) turning points
C) transitional events
D) criminal behavior

Question 30

Which of the following is an example of an objective strain?

A) birth of a child
B) loss of a stressful job
C) marriage
D) death of a supportive parent

Question 31

According to John Wright and his colleagues, an entire body of knowledge has been excluded from criminal justice and criminology. What is this body of knowledge?

A) classical theory
B) sociological theory
C) cognitive theory
D) biological theory

Question 32

Trajectories and transitions are central components of which theory?

A) life course theory
B) routine activities theory
C) social control theory
D) self-control theory

Question 33

Throughout adolescence, Earl was often truant from school and frequently drank alcohol. Although he was never arrested, Earl shoplifted and stole money from his parents and friends. At age 20, Earl began working in a restaurant and was eventually promoted to sous chef. Earl is now in culinary school and has not engaged in delinquent behavior for years. According to life course theory, which factor was most important to Earl's desistance from crime?

A) his consumption of alcohol
B) his home environment
C) his job at the restaurant
D) his education

Question 34

Hirschi asserts that individuals are bonded to society through all of the following elements EXCEPT

A) control
B) commitment
C) attachment
D) involvement

Question 35

All of the following are dimensions of learning theory EXCEPT

A) imitation
B) definitions
C) differential reinforcement
D) expressive interactions

Question 36

According to Travis Hirschi, most people don't commit crime because they

A) are afraid of the consequences
B) understand it is wrong
C) are focused on their future
D) have strong bonds to society

Question 37

Emile Durkheim is to __________ theory as Edwin Sutherland is to __________ theory.

A) differential association, biological
B) routine activities, neutralization
C) social strain, learning
D) self-control, labeling

Question 38

The code of the street promotes __________, whereas the code of the suburb promotes __________

A) poverty, education
B) education, poverty
C) peace, violence
D) violence, peace

Question 39

Wilson and Kelling asserted that an unrepaired broken window signals that

A) racial disparity is acceptable
B) nobody cares
C) crime lives here
D) drug use is prevalent

Question 40

A critic of learning theory would say the theory best explains

A) sexual assault
B) drug use
C) homicide
D) child abuse

Question 41

Global position satellite policies are based on situational crime prevention ideals.

Question 42

According to Sampson and Laub, social bonds such as marriage and employment are turning points that may lead some offenders to desist from crime.

Question 43

Research shows that males tend to exhibit lower self-control than females.

Question 44

Research shows that __________ is a stronger predictor of deterrence than severity and swiftness.

Question 45

Cesar Beccaria was a proponent of the death penalty.

Question 46

Differential association reinforcement theory suggests that the more offenders are rewarded for their offending, the more they will continue to engage in those behaviors.

Question 47

The more complex theories become, the more useful they are.

Question 48

According to self-control theory, level of self-control changes according to one's stages of development.

Question 49

Strain theory is traced to Travis Hirschi, a sociologist who wrote extensively about various topics including suicide, crime, and religion.

Question 50

The most popular learning theory in criminal justice is __________ theory.

Question 51

General deterrence focuses on preventing the individual from committing future offenses.

Question 52

Rational choice theory views crime as a product of __________.

Question 53

Cesare Lombroso was the founder of the classical school of criminology.

Question 54

Institutional anomie theory suggests that individuals are socialized to succeed at any cost and everyone has equal opportunity for success.

Question 55

Rational choice theory is useful in explaining why some offenders are __________ who concentrate on specific types of offenses.

Question 56

The middle-class measuring rod is an early example of a biological theory of crime.

Question 57

Cesare Beccaria's theory revolutionized the way __________ was administered and understood.

Question 58

Theories are facts that prove various questions about crime

Question 59

Primary deviance and secondary deviance are components of neutralization theory.

Question 60

Broken windows theory was first introduced by Philip Zimbardo.

Question 61

Messner and Rosenfeld suggest that anomie exists at the __________ level.

Question 62

Identify and briefly explain one biological theory used to explain crime.

Question 63

Denial of __________ refers to situations where juveniles rationalize that the victim deserves the harm that they will experience from the victimization.

Question 64

The fact that criminal penalties for crack use are far higher than are the penalties for cocaine use illustrates __________ theory.

Question 65

The positivist school of criminology adhered to the principle of __________ to explain crime.

Question 66

Identify and briefly describe Hirschi's four elements through which individuals are bonded to society

Question 67

Briefly describe two situational crime prevention strategies.

Question 68

What is the general premise of social disorganization theory?

Question 69

What are the three criteria for effective punishment, according to Cesare Beccaria?

Question 70

Describe one governmental action or policy that either directly or indirectly breeds crime.

Question 71

Routine activities theory is a __________ level theory.

Question 72

Identify the five theoretical frameworks that characterize the theories discussed in the chapter.

Question 73

General strain theory proposes that, while virtually everyone experiences strain at some point in their lives, it is the __________ strain that leads to crime.

Question 74

Describe the three components of the crime triangle.

Question 75

Ruth Triplett suggests that __________labels may have more of an impact on the individual.

Question 76

Define a theory

Question 77

According to Robert Merton, what role does capitalist society play in crime?

Question 78

Rather than addressing causes of crime, some have argued that it is more appropriate to focus on the __________ for offending.

Question 79

Gottfredson and Hirschi suggest that bad __________ strategies lead to low self-control

Question 80

According to life course theory, childhood victimization may be __________ that place individuals on trajectories for either future victimization or future offending.