Deck 2: The Crime Picture Theories and Trends

Question 1

James, a 17-year-old boy who lives in a high-crime neighborhood, decides to drop out of school and work for the town's drug lord. James believes that this is the easiest way to make money. In the context of anomie , which of the following factors most likely led to James's choice of employment?

A) James's physiological attributes
B) The seduction of crime
C) An unequal social structure
D) James's genetic conditioning

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to the believers of _____, severe punishment can deter criminal activity by adding another variable to the decision-making process.

A) the enslavement theory of addiction
B) the rational choice theory
C) trait theory
D) strain theory

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to criminologists focusing on sociology, which of the following is the most important variable in predicting criminal behavior?

A) Level of education
B) Neighborhood conditions
C) Mental illnesses
D) Genetic disposition

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Four months after giving birth to her son, Sarah tried to kill the infant by smothering him with a pillow. During the trial, Sarah pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder charge and cited postpartum psychosis as her defense. In the context of trait theories, which of the following is most likely responsible for this form of mental illness in Sarah?

A) Financial changes after childbirth
B) Hormonal changes after childbirth
C) Early childhood experiences
D) Inadequate childcare support

Question 5

Which of the following theories is based on Emile Durkheim's concept of anomie ?

A) Social control theory
B) Strain theory
C) Social disorganization theory
D) Trait theory

Question 6

Which of the following theories is a cornerstone of the American criminal justice system?

A) A mediated reference theory
B) The enslavement theory of addiction
C) The rational choice theory
D) Learning theory

Question 7

According to the rational choice theory, an individual is likely to commit a crime if he or she:

A) possesses the practical and emotional skills necessary to participate in illegal activity.
B) feels a disconnect from society because of the breakdown or absence of social norms.
C) cannot reach his or her financial and personal goals through legitimate means.
D) perceives the benefits of committing the crime to be greater than the potential costs.

Question 8

Which of the following statements is true of persons suffering from schizophrenia?

A) They are likely to weigh the benefits against the costs before committing a crime.
B) They are less likely to exhibit violent behavior.
C) They are less prone to erratic, uncontrollable behavior.
D) They are at an unusually high risk for committing suicide or harming others.

Question 9

Which of the following statements best defines the rational choice theory of crime?

A) It is a theory that considers criminal behavior to be the predictable result of a person's interaction with his or her environment.
B) It holds that wrongdoers act as if they weigh the possible benefits of criminal or delinquent activity against the expected costs of being apprehended.
C) It is the assumption that crime is the result of frustration felt by individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal goals through legitimate means.
D) It holds that certain biological or psychological traits in individuals could incline them toward criminal behavior.

Question 10

Strain theory and the concept of anomie seem to suggest that the unequal structure of society is, in part, to blame for criminal behavior. This argument forms the bedrock of _____.

A) biological theories
B) choice theories
C) psychological theories of crime
D) social conflict theories of crime

Question 11

In the context of correlation and causation, which of the following statements is true?

A) Causation means that two variables do not tend to vary together.
B) Correlation does not equal cause.
C) There is no correlation between drug abuse and criminal behavior.
D) Drug abuse causes crime.

Question 12

According to social disorganization theory, one of the factors that leads to crimes in high-crime neighborhoods is:

A) a mandate to finish high school.
B) the absence of anomie .
C) concentrations of two-parent families.
D) chronic unemployment.

Question 13

_____ refers to the relationship in which a change in one variable creates a recognizable change in another variable.

A) Correlation
B) Causation
C) Extrapolation
D) Variance

Question 14

Which of the following statements is true of the scientific method?

A) It suggests that correlation equals cause.
B) It is used to prove that a given prediction will be correct.
C) It is used to test the accuracy of a hypothesis.
D) It accounts for every contingency.

Question 15

_____ operate under the assumption that individuals have traits that make them more or less predisposed to criminal activity.

A) Psychological theories of crime
B) Choice theories
C) Social conflict theories of crime
D) Sociological theories

Question 16

In the context of social disorganization theory, which of the following factors contributes to increased levels of antisocial behavior in high-crime neighborhoods?

A) Concentrations of two-parent families
B) A lack of social controls
C) A mandate to finish high school
D) Rigid societal norms

Question 17

In the context of the scientific method, a _____ is a proposition that can be tested by researchers or observers to determine if it is valid.

A) hypothesis
B) presumption
C) conjecture
D) law

Question 18

In the context of psychology and crime, which of the following is a basic assumption of social psychology?

A) People are able to justify improper or even criminal behavior by convincing themselves that it is actually acceptable behavior.
B) People find it much easier to justify improper behavior when they are acting alone rather than when they are acting in groups.
C) The criminal instinct is pervasive only in people from low socioeconomic communities.
D) The way people view themselves is independent of how they think others view them.

Question 19

Elevated testosterone levels in males have been associated with traits of _____.

A) hypersensitivity
B) aggression
C) compliance
D) diffidence

Question 20

_____ is based on the assumption that crime is the result of frustration felt by individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal goals through legitimate means.

A) Social control theory
B) Strain theory
C) Social disorganization theory
D) Trait theory

Question 21

_____ holds that although everybody has the potential to commit crimes, most people are dissuaded from doing so because they care about the opinions of their family and peers.

A) Social conflict theory
B) Social disorganization theory
C) Strain theory
D) Control theory

Question 22

According to the _____, addicts are not criminals, but mentally or physically ill individuals who are forced into acts of petty crime to "feed their habit."

A) medical model of addiction
B) due process model of criminal justice
C) criminal model of addiction
D) crime control model of criminal justice

Question 23

According to practitioners of life course criminology, which of the following factors is the strongest predictor of future criminal behavior?

A) Poverty
B) Illiteracy
C) Risk factors that exist in early childhood
D) Lack of training necessary for financial success

Question 24

Unlike the medical model of addiction, the criminal model of addiction holds that drug abusers and addicts should be:

A) rehabilitated rather than punished.
B) treated as mentally ill individuals.
C) penalized through fines and not incarcerated.
D) punished the same as those who commit non-drug-related crimes.

Question 25

The justice system tends to favor the _____ over the medical model of addiction.

A) life-process model of addiction
B) disease model of addiction
C) criminal model of addiction
D) enslavement theory of addiction

Question 26

The United States' most far-reaching and oft-cited set of national crime statistics is known as the _____.

A) Uniform Crime Reports
B) National Crime Victimization Survey
C) Interstate Identification Index
D) American Crime Survey

Question 27

Which of the following is one of the measurements used by local law enforcement agencies to help compile the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)?

A) The number of inmates released
B) The estimation of the number of unreported crimes
C) The number of persons arrested
D) The extent of criminal victimization

Question 28

According to Sutherland's theory of differential association, an individual is more likely to mimic criminal behavior if he or she:

A) exhibits traits of misconduct at a young age.
B) rationally chooses a life of crime.
C) is exposed to dominant values that favor criminal behavior.
D) is genetically predisposed to antisocial, deviant behavior.

Question 29

Identify a true statement about drug abusers.

A) Evidence shows that they are genetically predisposed to experiment with drugs.
B) Most users of illegal substances are abusers.
C) More than 90 percent of first-time drug users become dependent on illicit drugs.
D) They have a disparate impact on the drug market.

Question 30

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi, low self-control can usually be attributed to:

A) poor parenting.
B) poverty.
C) low literacy rates.
D) genetics.

Question 31

According to social conflict theories, which of the following is a reason the poor commit property crimes?

A) A genetic predisposition to criminal behavior
B) The desire for the same financial rewards as everybody else
C) The social acceptance of delinquent behavior
D) A general disregard for the criminal justice system

Question 32

Raphael, an adolescent, is impulsive and has a quick temper. He developed these behavioral problems as a child, and his parents did not attempt to change them. Consequently, he grew up with very low self-control. According to the continuity theory of crime, Raphael's behavior patterns are:

A) likely to change if he goes to college and finds a good job.
B) not likely to change irrespective of positive developments later in life.
C) likely to change if he develops a healthy personal relationship.
D) not likely to continue once he is past adolescence.

Question 33

Social process theories function on the basis that:

A) the potential for criminal behavior exists in everyone and will be realized depending on an individual's interaction with various institutions and dynamics of society.
B) capitalism is responsible for high levels of violence and crime because of the disparity of income that it encourages.
C) deviant behavior is more likely in communities where social institutions such as the family, schools, and the criminal justice system fail to exert control over the population.
D) crime is the result of frustration felt by individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal goals through legitimate means.

Question 34

Which of the following crimes would be classified as a drug-related offense?

A) Possession of marijuana
B) Theft to get money to buy illegal drugs
C) Production of methamphetamine
D) Prostitution to fund drug abuse

Question 35

The _____ held that individuals are exposed to the values of family and peers such as school friends or co-workers.

A) rational choice theory
B) theory of differential association
C) self-control theory
D) continuity theory of crime

Question 36

Which of the following models holds that illegal drug abusers and addicts endanger society with their behavior and should be punished the same as persons who commit non-drug-related offenses?

A) The medical model of addiction
B) The enslavement theory of addiction
C) The criminal model of addiction
D) The disease model of addiction

Question 37

In the context of the drug-crime relationship, identify a drug-defined offense.

A) Distribution of illegal drugs
B) Theft to get money to buy illegal drugs
C) Gang violence between rival drug dealers
D) Welfare fraud to fund drug abuse

Question 38

If a particular illegal drug was legalized and treated in the same manner as alcohol and tobacco, _____.

A) possessing the drug would be considered an infraction
B) only persons who are legally authorized to buy controlled substances would be able to buy the drug
C) persons over the age of twenty-one would be able to buy the drug for recreational use
D) the drug would no longer be a regulated drug

Question 39

The _____ holds that once negative behavior patterns have been established, they cannot be changed.

A) rational choice theory
B) continuity theory of crime
C) theory of differential association
D) enslavement theory of addiction

Question 40

Sons of fathers who have been incarcerated are at an increased risk of delinquency and arrest. The given statement exemplifies:

A) strain theory.
B) social conflict theories.
C) the continuity theory of crime.
D) the theory of differential association.

Question 41

Identify a true statement about Part II offenses.

A) They are measured by witness statements.
B) They include crimes that cannot be classified as misdemeanors.
C) They are more common than Part I offenses.
D) They are not recorded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Question 42

Which of the following statements is true of the rights of a crime victim?

A) Legally, the victim has no say in the prosecution of the offender.
B) The victim has the right to interfere with the rights of the accused.
C) Legally, the victim has the right to object to the final verdict.
D) The victim cannot be a witness against the suspect in court.

Question 43

The Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004 (CVRA) gives victims the right to:

A) be present at court hearings.
B) refuse to testify.
C) object to verdicts in court.
D) challenge the rights of the accused.

Question 44

Which of the following statements is true of Part I offenses?

A) They are more common than Part II offenses.
B) They are least likely to be covered by the media.
C) They are usually not reported by the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR).
D) They are used to give a general idea of the crime picture in the United States in any given year.

Question 45

In the context of race and crime, which of the following statements is true about African Americans?

A) African Americans are less likely to be homicide offenders than whites.
B) African Americans make up over 25 percent of the American population.
C) African Americans are particularly susceptible to gun violence.
D) African Americans are less likely to be homicide victims than whites.

Question 46

Unlike Part II offenses, Part I offenses are:

A) measured only by arrest data.
B) almost always felonies.
C) usually inclusive of misdemeanors.
D) analyzed solely using victim surveys.

Question 47

On her way back from work, Kelly was stopped by a man in a mask. He held her at gunpoint and threatened to shoot her if she did not get out of her car. After she got out of the car, he got into Kelly's car and drove away. In the context of the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR), the given scenario exemplifies a(n) _____.

A) misdemeanor
B) Part II offense
C) Part I offense
D) infraction

Question 48

Statistically, women are:

A) more likely than men to commit murder.
B) more likely than men to be victims of domestic violence.
C) less likely than men to be victims of stalking.
D) less likely than men to report abuse.

Question 49

During the recession, Dylan was laid off from his job as a salesman. He resorted to selling marijuana to high school students in his neighborhood. Based on the prediction of crime trends defined by law professor Franklin Zimring, which of the following is most likely the reason why Dylan resorted to drug peddling?

A) The seduction of crime
B) The scarcity of legitimate employment
C) An absence of social norms
D) A lack of self-control

Question 50

Which of the following is true of victim surveys such as the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)?

A) They focus on collecting data with the help of intermediaries or local police agencies.
B) They involve interviewing participants at least once every month for a period of three years.
C) They provide information about various ways in which crime rates are exaggerated by victims.
D) They provide a better understanding of the actual amount of crime that occurs in the United States.

Question 51

Correlation between two variables means that they tend to vary together.

Question 52

In the _____, local agencies collect data on each single crime occurrence within twenty-three offense categories made up of forty-nine specific crimes called Group A offenses.

A) Interstate Identification Index
B) Uniform Crime Reports (UCR)
C) National Crime Victimization Survey
D) National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

Question 53

African Americans are, as a group, more susceptible to the factors that contribute to criminality because they:

A) have a genetic predisposition to criminal behavior.
B) generally have higher testosterone levels than whites.
C) are more likely than whites to be part of traditional institutions of social control.
D) are more likely than whites to live in poverty and hold low-wage-earning jobs.

Question 54

A hypothesis is an explanation of a happening or circumstance that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning.

Question 55

Which of the following statements best defines the term dark figure of crime?

A) It refers to the number of stereotypical crimes that take place in the United States.
B) It refers to the number of Part I offenses reported annually by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
C) It refers to the number of crimes classified as crimes of moral turpitude by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
D) It refers to the actual amount of crime that takes place in the United States.

Question 56

A research project led by sociologist Ruth D. Peterson found that uniformly higher violent crime rates were prevalent in _____.

A) elite neighborhoods
B) Hispanic communities
C) African American communities
D) disadvantaged neighborhoods

Question 57

Criminal activity in males has been linked to elevated levels of testosterone.

Question 58

Most states require _____, or monetary payment, from offenders to help victims repay any costs associated with the crime and rebuild their lives.

A) restitution
B) anomie
C) alimony
D) bail

Question 59

Many observers assume that men are less likely to report cases of female-on-male domestic violence because:

A) of their fear of being stalked.
B) of the social stigma surrounding it.
C) of the biased justice system.
D) of their fear of not being taken seriously.

Question 60

Unlike victim surveys, self-reported surveys focus on _____.

A) criminologists
B) possible crime victims
C) offenders
D) witnesses

Question 61

In self-reported surveys, persons are asked directly about specific criminal activity to which they may have been a party.

Question 62

Briefly discuss the relationship between class and crime.

Question 63

Part II offenses are far outweighed by Part I offenses.

Question 64

Discuss crime with reference to race and gender. Support your answer with recent statistics.

Question 65

List the victim rights and protections encoded in the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004 (CVRA).

Question 66

In the context of control theory, the stronger the social bonds, the less likely that any individual will commit a crime.

Question 67

Compare the criminal model of addiction with the medical model of addiction.

Question 68

In the context of the drug-crime relationship, theft to get money to buy illegal drugs is an example of the drug-using lifestyle.

Question 69

Part II offenses are recorded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to give a general idea of the "crime picture" in the United States in any given year.

Question 70

How are self-reported surveys useful to criminologists?

Question 71

Self-reported studies invariably show that many more rapes take place than are reported to the police.

Question 72

In the context of the scientific method, describe how a theory is established.

Question 73

Statistically, women are at a lower risk of being victims of domestic violence than men.

Question 74

According to Terrie Moffitt, change is possible for adolescent-limited offenders.

Question 75

What are Part II offenses? How do they differ from Part I offenses?

Question 76

Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay found that residents in high-crime neighborhoods tend to adopt fundamental values and norms from organized communities.

Question 77

According to social disorganization theory, deteriorating buildings and other infrastructures are factors that lead to crime in high-crime neighborhoods.

Question 78

Official crime data seem to indicate that there is no correlation between minority status and crime.