Question 1

Explain how economic need, personal traits, and experience contribute to how criminals structure criminality.

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Question 2

There is little evidence that incapacitating criminals will deter them from future criminality.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that incapacitation may temporarily reduce crime by removing offenders from the community, but it does not necessarily deter them from future criminal behavior. Factors like socio-economic status, education, and family support have been found to have a stronger influence on criminal recidivism.

Question 3

Describe the development of rational choice theory and the philosophers central to the concept of rational choice.

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Question 4

Situational crime prevention may produce unforeseen and unwanted consequences. Discuss what is meant by displacement, extinction, and replacement.

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Question 5

Locking gates, and putting unbreakable glass on storefronts are examples of crime discouragers.

Accepted Answer

Locking gates and putting unbreakable glass on storefronts are examples of crime prevention measures, specifically target hardening, not crime discouragers.

Question 6

Incapacitation theory suggests that placing offenders behind bars during their prime crime years should reduce their lifetime opportunity to commit crime. Not all criminologists buy into this incapacitation effect. Discuss why this is so.

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Question 7

Explain what it means to say that criminals structure crime.

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Question 8

How do certainty, severity, and speed of punishment impact general deterrence? How does the criminal justice system support or hamper these general deterrence factors?

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Question 9

If the punishment for a crime is increased and the effectiveness and efficiency of the criminal justice system are improved, then the number of people engaging in that crime should decline.

Accepted Answer

This statement is based on the theory of deterrence, which suggests that increasing the severity of punishment and improving the efficiency of the criminal justice system can deter individuals from committing crimes. Therefore, if the punishment for a crime is increased and the criminal justice system becomes more efficient and effective, it should result in a decline in the number of people engaging in that crime. However, this may not be true in all cases as there are multiple factors that contribute to crime rates.

Question 10

Sociologist Jack Katz argues that there are immediate benefits to criminality. Explain Katz's view.

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Question 11

What evidence supports the view that crime is rational? Include various types of criminal behaviors in your discussion.

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Question 12

According to the concepts of rational choice, what causes law violating behavior?

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Question 13

Diffusion of benefits occurs when efforts to prevent one crime unintentionally prevent another.

Accepted Answer

Diffusion of benefits is a well-known concept in criminology where crime prevention efforts intended for a particular target area or group also have a positive effect on other areas or groups. This unintended crime prevention effect is called "diffusion of benefits."

Question 14

The theory of specific deterrence holds that criminal sanctions should be so powerful that known criminals will never repeat their criminal acts. Critique this theory. What evidence exists to support specific deterrence?

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Question 15

According to deterrence theory, not only does the actual chance of punishment influence criminality, so too does the perception of punishment.

Accepted Answer

According to deterrence theory, both the actual likelihood and severity of punishment as well as the perceived likelihood and severity of punishment play a role in influencing criminal behavior. Therefore, the statement is true.

Quiz 4: Choice Theory: Because They Want to