Deck 5: The Social Ecology of Crime

Question 1

Who were the first to suggest the importance of place as having something to do with crime?

A) Guerry & Quetelet
B) Hirschi & Hindelang
C) Wilson & Samenow
D) Yochelson & Samenow

Answer 1

Guerry & Quetelet

Question 2

According to social ecology theory, places that have high crime rates usually exhibit all but which of the following?

A) High rates of area poverty
B) Low educational levels
C) Stability over long periods of time
D) More "defective" people likely to commit crime

Answer 2

More "defective" people likely to commit crime

Question 3

What does the term "macro" level refer to in criminology?

A) A theory that contains another theory inside it
B) The best ideas or concepts
C) The community or societal levels
D) That level which dominates other levels

Answer 3

The community or societal levels

Question 4

Researchers of social disorganization in Chicago during its early history were most concerned with which of the following?

A) Political activism
B) Population growth and immigration
C) Harm to the plant environment
D) The low rates of crime in some neighborhoods

Question 5

The zone identified by Shaw and McKay as having the highest crime rates was called?

A) The city center zone
B) The transitional zone
C) The working-class zone
D) The commuter zone

Question 6

What is it called in social disorganization theory when residents complain and organize about problems in their neighborhood?

A) Endemic protest
B) Collective efficacy
C) Anomie
D) Cultural transmission

Question 7

According to routine activities theory, which of the following is NOT one of the three necessary elements for crime to occur?

A) A motivated offender
B) A suitable target
C) Ineffective guardianship
D) Societal conflict or instability

Question 8

Which component of routine activities theory holds or posits that if nobody in an area wants to commit a crime, then crime cannot occur?

A) Motivated offender
B) Suitable target
C) Guardianship
D) Societal conflict

Question 9

The unavailability of witnesses refers most closely to what aspect or component of routine activities theory?

A) Motivated offender
B) Suitable targets
C) Guardianship
D) Societal conflict

Question 10

Cohen and Felson (1979) tied their notion of "routine activities" into what else?

A) The psychopathology of offenders
B) A diversity understanding of neighborhoods
C) Primary concern for the victim's behavior
D) The role of relevant social changes

Question 11

Which of the following would most likely be an ideological criticism of routine activities theory?

A) It doesn't adequately capture the psychodynamics of risks and rewards.
B) It doesn't offer any useful policy recommendations.
C) It tries to do too much, crossing both macro- and micro-levels of analysis.
D) It can be seen as a "victim-blaming" theory.

Question 12

Which of the following represents a common theme with both social disorganization theories and routine activities theory?

A) Neither one proposes any offender rehabilitation ideas
B) Neither one has attracted much research interest
C) Both suffer from ethnocentric bias and a lack of objectivity
D) Both claim to have found the definitive answer to what causes crime

Question 13

What theory argues that crime results when social institutions fail?

A) Routine activities
B) Social disorganization
C) Social learning
D) Differential association

Question 14

Which of the following factor(s) was used to explain differences in crime rates across neighborhoods in the city of Chicago?

A) Population change
B) Immigration
C) Industrial growth
D) All of the above

Question 15

What did Shaw and McKay observe that happened to the crime rates as you moved further away from the city's core?

A) Increased
B) Decreased
C) Stayed the same
D) More than doubled

Question 16

Which of the following best characterizes the trends in Chicago's crime rates over time according to social disorganization theorists as new groups moved into high crime areas?

A) Decreased
B) Increased
C) Stayed the same
D) More than doubled

Question 17

What concentric zone was characterized as having the lowest crime rates in Chicago?

A) Zone 1
B) Zone 2
C) Zone 3
D) Zone 4

Question 18

Which theorist is associated with offering what they described as the "code of the streets?

A) Robert Sampson
B) Henry McKay
C) Elijah Anderson
D) Charles Tittle

Question 19

Who were two of the theorists partly responsible for the reemergence of social disorganization in the literature?

A) Gottfredson & Hirschi
B) Bursik & Grasmick
C) Tittle & Ward
D) Piquero & Bouffard

Question 20

Stewart et al. (2007) found that street code attitudes had what type of effect on individuals' victimization rates?

A) increased
B) decreased
C) only influenced whites' rates
D) had no effect

Question 21

Social ecology theories usually de-emphasize the importance of individuals and put the emphasis on the social or environmental setting.

Question 22

Shaw and McKay's ideas in criminology were unique for their time and did not borrow from any earlier theorists.

Question 23

Shaw and McKay's research found that when one ethnic group moved out (of a neighborhood) and another succeeded it, the crime rates were significantly different.

Question 24

It is believed that poverty is not in itself a cause of crime, but is, instead, a facilitator of social disorganization.

Question 25

Other things being equal, an offender is most likely to commit a crime when there is some value in it, according to routine activities theory.

Question 26

Routine activities theory asserts that crime occurs when there is a convergence of motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian.

Question 27

Park and Burgess argued that, driven by economic forces and competition, cities grew outward in concentric rings from the central business district.

Question 28

TVs and radios were suitable targets according to Cohen and Felson's (1979) research.

Question 29

Felson believed that social ties have no effect on guardianship.

Question 30

According to social disorganization theory, Zone 2 is where the majority of crime occurs.

Question 31

Shaw and McKay suggested that regarding crime in Chicago, the most important factor that mattered was race and ethnicity.

Question 32

Burgess and associates identified the commuter zone as the major area of concern.

Question 33

The Chicago School focused on the social structure of cities and neighborhoods.

Question 34

According to social disorganization theory, neighborhood watch programs would likely be successfully implemented in cohesive neighborhoods.

Question 35

According to Felson (routine activities theory), the suitability of a target is dependent upon the target's monetary value, inertia, visibility, and customer demand.

Question 36

A _______________ theory seeks to explain variation in crime rates versus variation in individual offending.

Question 37

According to social disorganization theory communities that have a lot of population turnover or what is referred to as _______________ tend to have higher crime rates.

Question 38

_______________ refers to the process whereby community residents begin to complain to community leaders about problems in the area and begin to organize neighborhood watch programs, homeowner's associations and the like.

Question 39

_______________ theory assumes that large-scale social change can be either more or less conducive to crime.

Question 40

Sampson and colleagues contend that communities need to develop greater amounts of _______________ in order to reduce crime in the community.

Question 41

The social disorganization theory focused on explaining why ________ had higher crime rates and not why _________ committed more crime than others.

Question 42

__________ is the study of how human relationships are affected by a particular environment.

Question 43

Routine activities theory was inspired by scholars such as Hawley who observed human life follows a definite structures in _______, ________, and _________.

Question 44

__________ refers to the fact that some valuable property is simply too difficult to move to be an attractive target.

Question 45

__________ is Sampson and Grove's term for the combination of social cohesion and informal social control in a neighborhood

Question 46

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-rhythm

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 47

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Transitional zone

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 48

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Differential social organization

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 49

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Residential instability

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 50

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Inertia

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 51

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Ineffective guardianship

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 52

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Code of the street

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 53

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Collective efficacy

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 54

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Central business district

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 55

Match the term with the appropriate description and/or definition

-Racial/ethnic heterogeneity

A) Area in the Chicago city that contained numerous railroads, slaughterhouses, large factories, and stockyards for hogs and cattle
B) Refers to the absence of anyone or anything in an area capable of making the crime more risky
C) Element that refers to communities where many different cultures and races lived in close proximity
D) Term that describes the notion about residents trusting one another, informal social control, and social cohesion
E) A system of rules that many people living in these areas abide by
F) One element used to describe the structure of human life, specifically how things people do occur with regularity
G) Refers to the area at the center of the Chicago city where houses were being demolished to make room for factories and crime was common
H) Term that refers to the phenomenon of crime resulting as a by-product of the culture
I) Refers to size and bulk of a target
J) Term used to describe communities with high volume of population turnover

Question 56

Using Sampson, Raudenbush, and Earls' collective efficacy notion, suggest what residents can do to develop collective efficacy to reduce crime in a community where no one talks to one another or participates in social institutions.

Question 57

Discuss the theoretical origins of social disorganization theory.

Question 58

Describe the characteristics of each of the "concentric zones" as first proposed by Park and Burgess.

Question 59

What are some policies and programs that are consistent with the implications of social disorganization theory?

Question 60

List and describe each characteristic of the acronym VIVA. These characteristic are used to understand which targets are tempting to nearby criminal offenders. Therefore, provide an example relating to each characteristic that would increase a target's suitability to an offender.