Question 1

The field that attempts to define, explain, and predict criminal behavior is known as ______.
A) criminalistics
B) applied criminology
C) criminology
D) theology

Accepted Answer

Criminology is the scientific study of the nature, extent, causes, and control of criminal behavior in both the individual and in society. It aims to understand, explain, and predict aspects of crime and criminal behavior, making option C the correct answer.

Question 2

Criminology is concerned with all of the following except for ______.
A) analyzing the phenomena of crime and criminality
B) performing scientifically accurate studies
C) developing sound theoretical explanations of crime and criminal behavior
D) scientific evaluation of physical evidence

Accepted Answer

Criminology focuses on the study of crime and criminal behavior, including its causes, responses by law enforcement, and methods of prevention. It does not typically involve the scientific evaluation of physical evidence, which is more the domain of forensic science.

Question 3

Which of the following statements pertaining to criminology is true?
A) The field of criminology concentrates on the physical evidence of crime.
B) Related areas of inquiry in criminology may include juvenile delinquency and victimology.
C) Societal reaction to criminal activity is not a concern of criminologists.
D) Criminology is occupied with practical, applied concerns, such as technical aspects of policing and correction.

Accepted Answer

Criminology is a broad field that not only focuses on the causes and prevention of crime but also explores related areas such as juvenile delinquency and victimology. It encompasses the study of the criminal justice system, the causes of crime, and the social impact of crime, including how society responds to victims and perpetrators.

Question 4

Most of the modern-day developments in criminology have taken place in which country?
A) England
B) Italy
C) Spain
D) United States

Accepted Answer

The United States has been a significant contributor to modern-day developments in criminology, especially in the areas of criminological theory, research methodologies, and the application of findings to the criminal justice system.

Question 5

Which of the following crimes was considered to be a major problem in the '60s?
A) robbery
B) murder
C) arson
D) skyjacking

Accepted Answer

Skyjacking, or airplane hijacking, was a significant issue during the 1960s, with numerous incidents occurring that drew considerable public and governmental attention.

Question 6

The early writings of ______, including his famous essay, On Crimes and Punishments, led to the reform of criminal law in Western Europe.
A) Auguste Comte
B) Emile Durkheim
C) Edwin Sutherland
D) Cesare Beccaria

Accepted Answer

Cesare Beccaria, an Italian criminologist, philosopher, and politician, wrote "On Crimes and Punishments" in 1764. This work criticized the criminal justice system of the time and proposed reforms that influenced the development of modern criminal law and the abolition of torture and capital punishment in Western Europe.

Question 7

Which stage of the progression of knowledge is the use of philosophy, rationality, and logical argument to explain crime most reflective of?
A) theological
B) metaphysical
C) scientific
D) futuristic

Accepted Answer

The metaphysical stage, as described by Auguste Comte in his theory of the three stages of knowledge development, emphasizes understanding the world through abstract principles, including the use of philosophy, rationality, and logical argument, which would encompass efforts to explain phenomena like crime through these lenses.

Question 8

Criminology is considered a sub-discipline of ______.
A) biology
B) psychology
C) sociology
D) theology

Accepted Answer

Criminology is primarily considered a sub-discipline of sociology, which studies the social aspects of crime, including its causes, consequences, and ways to prevent it. Sociology provides a broad framework for understanding the social structures and processes that influence criminal behavior.

Question 9

According to French sociologist Auguste Comte, the last stage of the progression of knowledge is ______.
A) theological
B) metaphysical
C) scientific
D) postmodernism

Accepted Answer

Auguste Comte, a French sociologist, proposed a law of three stages through which human societies progress in their ways of thinking and explaining the world. According to him, the final stage is the scientific (or positive) stage, where explanations of phenomena are based on scientific knowledge and methods.

Question 10

Prior to the emergence of modern criminal law in the eighteenth century, which of the following was considered the primary basis of social control beyond kinship organization?
A) science
B) education
C) politics
D) religion

Accepted Answer

Religion was the primary basis of social control beyond kinship organization before the emergence of modern criminal law in the eighteenth century. It played a central role in governing behavior and establishing norms within communities.

Question 11

Behavior that is outside the range of normal societal toleration is best described as ______.
A) criminal
B) deviant
C) felonious
D) mala in se

Accepted Answer

Deviant behavior refers to actions that violate the norms or expectations of a society but are not necessarily criminal. It encompasses a broad range of activities that society deems unacceptable or abnormal, but not all deviant behavior is illegal.

Question 12

Definitions of deviance are relative to all of the following except for ______.
A) time
B) place
C) person
D) crime

Accepted Answer

Deviance is defined relative to societal norms and values, which can vary over time, by location, and from person to person. However, crime is a legal definition, not a relative concept; it is defined by law and does not vary based on personal or societal perceptions of deviance.

Question 13

Practices and beliefs that are prized by or believed to be of benefit to the group are referred to as ______.
A) practical beliefs
B) cultural universals
C) societal values
D) cultural values

Accepted Answer

Cultural values are the core principles and ideals upon which an entire community exists. These values guide the behavior and beliefs of individuals within the culture, reflecting what is important to the group as a whole.

Question 14

Which of the following is an example of a person violating a folkway?
A) openly expressing distaste for a meal you are being served at a friend's house
B) copying answers from a friend's homework assignment
C) stealing a car to go joyriding
D) killing a bartender in a botched robbery attempt

Accepted Answer

Folkways are norms for routine or casual interaction. Expressing distaste for a meal at a friend's house violates a folkway because it breaches the customary codes of politeness in social settings, unlike the other options which involve more serious social norms or laws.

Question 15

Mores are ______.
A) norms that are preferred, but carry no serious consequences if broken
B) the comprehensive set of morals in a given society
C) strong norms that carry sanctions/punishment if broken
D) always codified into law

Accepted Answer

Mores are considered strong norms within a society that carry serious consequences or sanctions if they are broken. They represent the moral views and principles of a group, distinguishing right from wrong in a more significant way than folkways or other types of norms.

Question 16

The least serious norms that refer to usages, traditions, customs, or niceties are referred to as ______.
A) values
B) laws
C) mores
D) folkways

Accepted Answer

Folkways refer to the least serious norms that are more about traditions, customs, and everyday practices rather than strict rules or laws. They are considered the norms of everyday life that guide casual interactions.

Question 17

Which of the following represents a formal mode of control?
A) Laws
B) Rules
C) Mores
D) Folkways

Accepted Answer

Laws are formal rules that are created and enforced by a government or other authority.

Question 18

Corporate violence, racism, structured inequality, and systematic wrongdoing by political officials are examples of ______.
A) overcriminalization
B) undercriminalization
C) felonies
D) misdemeanors

Accepted Answer

Undercriminalization refers to the failure of laws to adequately prohibit or penalize actions that cause significant harm to individuals or society, such as corporate violence, racism, structured inequality, and systematic wrongdoing by political officials. These issues often persist due to gaps in the legal system or lack of enforcement, rather than being treated as minor offenses (misdemeanors) or serious crimes (felonies). Overcriminalization, on the other hand, refers to the excessive or inappropriate criminalization of behaviors that are not necessarily harmful to society.

Question 19

______ involves the overextension of criminal law to cover acts that are inappropriately or not responsibly enforced by such measures.
A) Overcriminalization
B) Undercriminalization
C) Deviance
D) Prohibition

Accepted Answer

Overcriminalization refers to the practice of making too many behaviors illegal, often including those that might not warrant criminal punishment or are not effectively regulated through criminal law. This can lead to an excessive burden on legal and penal systems and may criminalize actions that are better addressed through other means.

Question 20

Gambling is an example of an act that is ______.
A) mala in se
B) mala prohibita
C) a violation of all norms
D) considered deviant

Accepted Answer

Gambling is considered "mala prohibita," meaning it is an act that is prohibited by law but not inherently immoral or evil.

Quiz 1: Introduction to Criminology

The field that attempts to define, explain, and predict criminal behavior is known as ______.

Criminology is concerned with all of the following except for ______.

Which of the following statements pertaining to criminology is true?

Most of the modern-day developments in criminology have taken place in which country?

Which of the following crimes was considered to be a major problem in the '60s?

The early writings of ______, including his famous essay, On Crimes and Punishments, led to the reform of criminal law in Western Europe.

Which stage of the progression of knowledge is the use of philosophy, rationality, and logical argument to explain crime most reflective of?

Criminology is considered a sub-discipline of ______.

According to French sociologist Auguste Comte, the last stage of the progression of knowledge is ______.

Prior to the emergence of modern criminal law in the eighteenth century, which of the following was considered the primary basis of social control beyond kinship organization?

Behavior that is outside the range of normal societal toleration is best described as ______.

Definitions of deviance are relative to all of the following except for ______.

Practices and beliefs that are prized by or believed to be of benefit to the group are referred to as ______.

Which of the following is an example of a person violating a folkway?

Mores are ______.

The least serious norms that refer to usages, traditions, customs, or niceties are referred to as ______.

Which of the following represents a formal mode of control?

Corporate violence, racism, structured inequality, and systematic wrongdoing by political officials are examples of ______.

______ involves the overextension of criminal law to cover acts that are inappropriately or not responsibly enforced by such measures.

Gambling is an example of an act that is ______.