Question 1

Get-tough measures, which are designed to reduce delinquency, involve efforts by the juvenile justice system to:

Accepted Answer

Get-tough measures focus on increasing direct control through stricter enforcement and harsher penalties to deter delinquent behavior.

Question 2

According to the text, the major strategy for controlling juvenile crime is:

Accepted Answer

B

Question 3

The strategy of deterrence involves increasing the:

Accepted Answer

Deterrence theory focuses on preventing or controlling criminal behavior through the fear of punishment, emphasizing the certainty and severity of punishment as key factors.

Question 4

According to Agnew and Brezina, punishment is an ineffective specific deterrent because:

Accepted Answer

Agnew and Brezina argue that punishment is an ineffective specific deterrent for several reasons, including the juvenile justice system's ineffective punishment methods, the status some juveniles gain from being punished, and the belief among punished offenders that they can still get away with future crimes. These factors contribute to the overall ineffectiveness of punishment as a deterrent.

Question 5

Studies that compare the subsequent delinquency of juveniles who receive more severe punishments with those who receive less severe punishments are designed to test the strategy of:

Accepted Answer

These studies aim to test specific deterrence, which focuses on whether harsher punishments for individuals reduce their likelihood of reoffending.

Question 6

Based on studies that examine the effectiveness of punishment as a specific deterrent of delinquency, Agnew and Brezina conclude that punishment by the juvenile justice system:

Accepted Answer

Agnew and Brezina's studies suggest that the effectiveness of punishment as a deterrent varies among individuals. Some juveniles might be deterred from delinquency by punishment, while others might actually increase their delinquent behaviors in response to being punished. This indicates the complex nature of punishment as a deterrent and its varying impacts on different individuals.

Question 7

The restorative justice approach to punishment involves:

Accepted Answer

Restorative justice focuses on the offender making amends for the harm caused to the victim, rather than on punishing the offender. This approach emphasizes repairing the harm and restoring relationships.

Question 8

In studies that examine the effect of punishment on general deterrence, certainty of punishment is often measured in terms of:

Accepted Answer

Certainty of punishment in studies on general deterrence is often measured by arrest rates, as they reflect the likelihood of being caught for a crime, which is a direct measure of the perceived risk of punishment.

Question 9

In terms of general deterrence, data suggest that increasing the ___________ greatly reduces delinquency.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In terms of general deterrence, data suggest...

Question 10

One strategy for reducing delinquency involves locking up delinquents for long periods so these juveniles cannot commit crimes on the street. This strategy is known as:

Accepted Answer

Incapacitation refers to the strategy of detaining or locking up individuals who have committed crimes to prevent them from committing further crimes by restricting their physical ability to do so. This approach focuses on removing the offender from society to reduce crime rates.

Question 11

Several researchers claimed that incapacitation would prevent a large amount of crime. It turns out that this claim was greatly exaggerated, in part because researchers failed to consider what is called a:

Accepted Answer

The substitution effect refers to the phenomenon where preventing a potential criminal from committing a crime does not necessarily prevent the crime itself, as another individual may simply take their place. This oversight in considering the substitution effect led to the overestimation of the impact of incapacitation on crime reduction.

Question 12

Selective incapacitation refers to:

Accepted Answer

Selective incapacitation focuses on identifying and incarcerating individuals who are considered high-rate or career criminals, with the goal of reducing crime by incapacitating those most likely to commit it.

Question 13

It is difficult to effectively implement the strategy of selective incapacitation because:

Accepted Answer

Selective incapacitation aims to reduce crime by incapacitating those most likely to commit crimes, but identifying high-rate offenders from low-rate offenders with high accuracy is challenging, making the strategy difficult to implement effectively.

Question 14

Which of the following statements is TRUE about punishments?

Accepted Answer

Punishments can have unintended consequences such as increasing the likelihood of negative treatment by others, reducing various forms of social control, and facilitating the social learning of crime, as they may push individuals into environments or situations where these outcomes are more likely.

Question 15

The rate at which juveniles are confined is:

Accepted Answer

The rate at which juveniles are confined is generally less than half the adult rate, reflecting differences in the legal systems, sentencing, and approaches to juvenile justice.

Question 16

Some criminologists argue that the best way to determine whether people are deterred by the threat of punishment is to:

Accepted Answer

Each option (A, B, C) provides a different aspect of how individuals perceive the threat of punishment, including the certainty and severity of punishment (A), the likelihood of being punished for a specific offense (B), and the expected punishment for a particular offense (C). Together, they offer a comprehensive approach to understanding deterrence.

Question 17

Incapacitation has become the major strategy in the United States for controlling:

Accepted Answer

In the United States, incapacitation has primarily been used as a strategy for controlling adult crime, focusing on imprisonment to prevent offenders from committing further crimes. Juvenile crime often involves different approaches, such as rehabilitation and diversion programs.

Question 18

Data suggest that rehabilitation programs combined with punishment are effective:

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that rehabilitation programs can be effective even when offenders are compelled to participate. The effectiveness of these programs does not solely depend on voluntary participation, as the structured environment and the therapeutic interventions can still lead to positive outcomes in reducing recidivism.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding life sentences and juveniles:

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that mandatory sentences of life without the possibility of parole are unconstitutional for juvenile offenders, emphasizing the need for sentencing to consider the unique circumstances of each juvenile, including their age and potential for rehabilitation.

Question 20

What is one reason why the juvenile court often fails to impose severe sanctions:

Accepted Answer

Juvenile courts often face challenges such as limited evidence, constrained resources for courts and correctional staff, and political reluctance to invest in the juvenile justice system, all of which can hinder their ability to impose severe sanctions.

Quiz 23: The Strategies of Deterrence and Incapacitation