Question 1

How is criminology different from criminal justice science as a field of study?

Accepted Answer

Criminology is primarily concerned with the study of crime, including its causes, responses by law enforcement, and methods of prevention, whereas criminal justice encompasses the system through which crimes and criminals are detected, detained, tried, and punished.

Question 2

Contemporary criminology began during what time period?

Accepted Answer

Contemporary criminology is considered to have begun during the late 18th century age of Enlightenment, when thinkers started to systematically consider the causes of criminal behavior and the nature of justice.

Question 3

Which philosophers emphasized free will over blind faith and superstition?

Accepted Answer

All of the above philosophers, Rousseau, Voltaire, and Locke, emphasized the importance of free will, reason, and individual rights over blind faith and superstition, contributing significantly to Enlightenment thinking.

Question 4

What type of justice system existed prior to an emphasis on reasoning in the evolution of criminology?

Accepted Answer

The family-revenge model, also known as the blood feud or vendetta, was a form of justice where families took it upon themselves to avenge wrongs against their members. This system was prevalent before the development of a more formal legal system based on reasoning and evidence.

Question 5

Which group believed that isolation, labor, and Bible reading would result in repentance, or rehabilitation?

Accepted Answer

Philadelphia Quakers believed that isolation, labor, and Bible reading would lead to repentance or rehabilitation. This belief influenced the creation of the penitentiary system, notably the Eastern State Penitentiary, which emphasized solitary confinement as a form of penance.

Question 6

Which historical legacy of the Classical School continues to push for the achievement of deterrence as an objective of the criminal justice system?

Accepted Answer

Neoclassicism, as a continuation of the Classical School, emphasizes rationality and free will, advocating for deterrence as a key objective in the criminal justice system.

Question 7

Which of the following is an example of a principle underlying the concept of deterrence?

Accepted Answer

All of the above (Certainty, Severity, Celerity) are principles underlying the concept of deterrence, emphasizing that punishment must be certain, swift, and severe enough to discourage undesirable behavior.

Question 8

Determinism takes the position that human behavior may be caused by biological, psychological, and/or ______________ factors.

Accepted Answer

Determinism posits that human behavior is influenced by various factors, including biological, psychological, and environmental elements. These environmental factors can be physical, social, or cultural, impacting how individuals act and make decisions.

Question 9

During what time period did the Chicago School begin to influence criminological thought?

Accepted Answer

The Chicago School began to influence criminological thought during the period of 1920-1940, focusing on the social and environmental factors contributing to crime.

Question 10

Which of the following concerns the process of actually identifying how you are going to measure theoretical concepts?

Accepted Answer

Operationalization is the process of defining how to measure a theoretical concept in a research study, turning abstract concepts into measurable observations.

Question 11

Criminality refers to the ____________________ of offending among and between social groups.

Accepted Answer

Criminality refers to the extent and frequency of offending among and between social groups, indicating how often and to what degree crimes occur within these groups.

Question 12

Which of the following is an example of a research question that primarily addresses the dependent variable of criminality, not locale?

Accepted Answer

C) focuses on the relationship between gender (male vs. female) and criminality, directly addressing the dependent variable of criminality without focusing on a specific location or locale.

Question 13

Correlation speaks to the _____________ of two variables, or the direction and strength of fluctuation in a dependent variable by an independent variable.

Accepted Answer

Correlation refers to the covariance between two variables, indicating how one variable changes in relation to another. This includes both the direction (positive or negative) and the strength of their relationship.

Question 14

Which of the following statements would represent an example of where a positive correlation would most typically be found?

Accepted Answer

A positive correlation means as one variable increases, the other variable also increases. In this context, as a social group's level of drug use increases, their level of involvement in crime is also likely to increase.

Question 15

Criminology is focused on:

Accepted Answer

Criminology primarily aims to understand the nature, causes, and consequences of criminal behavior in the individual and in society. It is more concerned with the sociological and psychological aspects of crime than with the practical aspects of law enforcement or forensic science.

Question 16

Of the following, which is most likely to make a theory scientific?

Accepted Answer

Falsifiable statements are a key criterion for a theory to be considered scientific. This means the theory can be tested and potentially proven wrong, which is fundamental to the scientific method.

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT one of the four elements required for causation in the context of scientific theorizing?

Accepted Answer

The four elements required for causation in scientific theorizing typically include a logical basis for believing a causal relationship exists (B), a time sequence of cause and effect elements (C), and correlation indicating strength and direction of influence (D). An appropriate locale for locating a sample to study (A) is important for conducting research but is not considered one of the core elements required for establishing causation.

Question 18

Which of the following make up the criteria necessary to be met in order for a program, treatment modality, or practice to be considered evidence based?

Accepted Answer

Evidence-based practices require a foundation of scientific evaluation demonstrating effectiveness, previous implementation and delivery to ensure practical applicability, and successful replication to confirm results across different contexts or populations.

Question 19

Micro-level is to macro-level as:

Accepted Answer

The micro-level typically refers to an individual or small group interactions, while the macro-level refers to broader societal or structural contexts. Thus, "individual is to society" best captures the relationship between micro- and macro-levels.

Question 20

Durkheim and Parsons are attributed to the development of which theoretical perspective?

Accepted Answer

Durkheim and Parsons are key figures in the development of functionalism, a theoretical perspective that views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. Durkheim's work on social cohesion and Parsons' on social order and systems theory are foundational to functionalist sociology.

Quiz 1: Theoretical Criminology: An Introductory Overview