Deck 3: Classical School of Criminology Thought

Question 1

This is an agreement of citizens promising to abide by the rules or laws set forth by a given society in return for protection. 

A)utilitarian perspective 
B)social contract 
C)hedonistic calculus 
D)conflict principle 

Answer 1

B

Question 2

______ is used as the basis for U.S.policies on punishment for criminal activity because it focuses on individual responsibility.

A)Evolutionary theories
B)Classical School
C)Metaphysical theories
D)Neoclassical perspective

Answer 2

B

Question 3

A government,according to Cesare Beccaria,should strive for the greatest amount of happiness shared by the greatest number of people.This concept is termed ______.

A)free will
B)utilitarianism
C)culpability
D)authoritarianism

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Beccaria set the standard for most modern systems of justice in guaranteeing rights to defendants when he reformed certain practices by doing away with ______.

A)secret accusations
B)public processing
C)formal trials
D)cross-examination of witnesses

Question 5

______ was a form of punishment in which the limbs of a convicted criminal were tied to four horses and ripped from his torso as the horses were made to run in opposite directions.

A)Beheading
B)Flogging
C)Quartering
D)Bleeding

Question 6

Thomas Hobbes wrote:

A)On Crimes and Punishments 
B)The Hedonistic Calculus 
C)Leviathan 
D)The Principles of the Constitution 

Question 7

Classical School theories emphasize individual decision-making regardless of ______.

A)extraneous influences
B)free will
C)culpability
D)deterrence

Question 8

Beccaria was behind all of the following modern-day criminal justice beliefs EXCEPT:

A)cross-examination of witnesses
B)offender should be tried by a panel of his or her peers or fellow citizens
C)court proceedings should remain private
D)laws should be understandable by the public

Question 9

What book,written by Thomas Hobbes,proposed one of the first rational theories as to why people committed crime?

A)Leviathan
B)On Crimes and Punishments
C)Criminals in the Making
D)The Criminal Man

Question 10

U.S.citizens sometimes take for granted the right to a trial by their peers.During Lenin's rule,the bench-trials of the old system in Russia produced a conviction rate of almost ______.

A)100%
B)75%
C)50%
D)25%

Question 11

According to Hobbes,______ motivates individuals to cooperate in the formation of government and inspires them to obey the laws the government creates.

A)compassion
B)fear
C)anger
D)cheerfulness

Question 12

The first rational choice theory that arose during the Age of Enlightenment period was ______.

A)social control theory
B)general behavior
C)deterrence theory
D)none of these

Question 13

When was the concept of human decision making and natural culpability acknowledged?

A)Renaissance
B)Age of Enlightenment
C)Reformatory movement
D)Classical School

Question 14

According to Beccaria,perfecting ______ is the "surest but most difficult way to prevent crimes."

A)punishment
B)taxes
C)family structures
D)education

Question 15

The treatment of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables (Valjean receives a lengthy prison sentence after stealing a loaf of bread for his starving loved ones)is an example of what type of government?

A)utilitarian
B)free will
C)authoritarian
D)culpability

Question 16

All of the following are explanations given by Beccaria against the death penalty EXCEPT:

A)violation of social contract
B)inhumane punishment
C)negative example for society
D)ineffective deterrent

Question 17

A period of the late-17th century to 18th century in which philosophers and scholars began to emphasize the rights of individuals in society is known as ______.

A)classical period of time
B)Age of deterrence
C)Age of Enlightenment
D)none of these

Question 18

In many ancient societies,what was the common response if an individual committed a criminal act?

A)public shaming
B)imprisonment
C)perform an exorcism or surgery
D)restitution

Question 19

Cesare Beccaria is known as all of the following EXCEPT:

A)Father of Criminal Justice
B)Father of the Classical School of Criminology
C)Father of Deterrence Theory
D)Father of Policing

Question 20

One of the unintended outcomes of public trials and punishment was ______.

A)deterrence
B)public backlash
C)involvement in the justice system
D)increases in crime

Question 21

Utilitarianism is the ideal of the greatest happiness shared by the greatest number. 

Question 22

Paradigms before the Enlightenment and contemporary times tended to focus on the human ability to choose one's own behavior and destiny.

Question 23

One of the most common supernatural beliefs of primitive cultures was that the moon,in its fullest state,was a trigger for criminal activity

Question 24

Punishment given to an individual meant to prevent or deter other potential offenders from engaging in such criminal activity in the future is called ______ deterrence.

A)general
B)prevention
C)individual
D)specific

Question 25

All the Enlightenment philosophers had one common belief: punishment.

Question 26

The emphasis on individual responsibility is why the Classical School theories are used as the basis for U.S.policies on punishment for criminal activity.

Question 27

The most important distinction of the Classical School theories is that they emphasize individual decision making regardless of any extraneous influences on a person's free will,such as the economy or bonding with society.

Question 28

The modern example of the Three Strikes Rule is given in relation to what characteristic of punishment?

A)conforming
B)celerity
C)severity
D)certainty

Question 29

The death penalty serves as a very effective deterrent against murder crimes.

Question 30

The characteristic of punishment postulated by Beccaria that he believed to be the most important was ______.

A)conforming
B)celerity
C)severity
D)certainty

Question 31

The book The Origin of Species,written by ______,cast doubt on Classical and Neoclassical theories.This book introduced the concept that other influences of human behavior beyond free will and choice were at play.

A)Jeremy Bentham
B)Cesare Beccaria
C)Thomas Hobbes
D)Charles Darwin

Question 32

For the vast majority of human civilization's history,people believed that criminal activity was caused by either supernatural or religious factors.

Question 33

The vital deterrent characteristics of punishment postulated by Beccaria are all of the following EXCEPT:

A)conforming
B)celerity
C)severity
D)certainty

Question 34

Exorcisms are still used today by some religious institutions,including the Catholic Church.

Question 35

Beccaria supported capital punishment. 

Question 36

When an individual has ______,they are thought to be oblivious to many of the risks that may result from their behavior.

A)unconscious decision making
B)bounded rationality
C)ignorant prudence
D)reasonableness

Question 37

The ______ is the predicted tendency of homicides to increase after an execution,particularly after high-profile executions.

A)excitatory effect
B)barbarity effect
C)brutalization effect
D)deterrent effect

Question 38

Beccaria claimed torture should not be used against defendants.Although some countries still use torture,the former U.S.Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez wrote a memo stating that torture of terrorist suspects by the U.S.military was not to be condoned.

Question 39

Beccaria claimed that torture should not be used against defendants. 

Question 40

Of any other perspective to date,deterrence theory has had the most profound impact on justice systems in our nation

Question 41

According to Hobbes,if a government does not punish those individuals that break their laws,what can happen?

Question 42

All Classical School theories share what important common theme?

Question 43

What was considered the first rational theory of criminal activity? Provide an example.

Question 44

Some of the primitive theories of crime and delinquency accurately predicted who would commit offenses.

Question 45

How has deterrence theory shaped our criminal justice system? Explain what deterrence theory is and give examples of how it has shaped the way we have responded to crime as a nation.

Question 46

Explain the idea of a social contract.Give an example of a liberty we give up in order to maintain acceptance of the social contract.

Question 47

"The impression of pain may become so great that,filling the entire sensory capacity of the tortured person,it leaves him free only to choose what for the moment is the shortest way of escape from pain." Explain what Beccaria was saying in this quote.

Question 48

How can too much or too little severity in punishment lead to more crime? Explain both.

Question 49

Cesare Beccaria believed the social contract should be fair for all (a fair deal).Discuss what this means.

Question 50

Cesare Beccaria states that,"The true measure of crimes is namely the harm done to society." Explain how this statement relates to his ideas concerning free will,the social contract,individual choice,utilitarianism,and Enlightenment ideals overall.

Question 51

How is Classical theory different from Neoclassical theory?

Question 52

According to the Classical School,why do some modern studies find crime to be influenced by a full moon?

Question 53

Beccaria claimed to know the most certain way to reduce crime: "The surest but most difficult way to prevent crimes is by perfecting education."

Question 54

Beccaria states,"Of two men,equally innocent or equally guilty,the strong and courageous will be acquitted,the weak and timid condemned." Is this true of the U.S.modern criminal justice system?

Question 55

What is hedonistic calculus?

Question 56

Describe how you think Beccaria would react to our current criminal justice system's high incarceration,use of the death penalty,incarceration of mentally ill,and racial and social class disparities.

Question 57

The idea of hedonistic calculus was proposed by Beccaria and was an idea from the Classical School of thought.

Question 58

The idea that laws should be more understandable for the public is related to what Enlightenment ideal?

Question 59

The legal term for intent is known as actus reus.

Question 60

Celerity of sentencing is related to the deterrence aspect of punishment,according to Beccaria.