Question 1

Provide some examples of the practical application of rational choice theories in criminology. Why have these theories been so popular?

Accepted Answer

These theories are popular because they provide very clear and easy-to-apply practices that will reduce crime. Two examples are environmental redesign and situational crime prevention (SCP). See Figure 12.7 (in the text) for examples of SCP. Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is another example. This approach involves changing the environment to reduce opportunities for crime. Crime mapping and hot-spot policing are other examples. Some would suggest very punitive policies also follow from these theories, but a careful reading of work in this area suggests this is not correct. There is no good evidence that increasing punishments change people's propensity to offend.

Question 2

Which of the following concepts is not used to map micro-spatial offending patterns?

Accepted Answer

A)  Nodes 
B)  Paths 
C)  Activity space 
D)  Alleys 
E)  Awareness space 
A)  Nodes 
B)  Paths 
C)  Activity space 
D)  Alleys 
E)  Awareness space D

Question 3

Broken windows theory argues that crime results from public disorder and can be managed through community policing and increases to social programs for the poor.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  False

Question 4

Which of the following was not a major influence on the rational choice theories?

Accepted Answer

A)  The expected utility principle 
B)  The hedonistic calculus 
C)  Urban planning studies 
D)  Social ecology 
E)  The frustration-aggression hypothesis 
A)  The expected utility principle 
B)  The hedonistic calculus 
C)  Urban planning studies 
D)  Social ecology 
E)  The frustration-aggression hypothesis

Question 5

According to Cohen and Felson's routine activities theory, crimes cannot occur without:

Accepted Answer

A)  presence of victims, absence of law enforcement personnel, and criminals. 
B)  valuable property, space, time, and bad acts. 
C)  targets of victimization, police, and law breakers. 
D)  suitable targets, absence of capable guardians, and motivated offenders. 
E)  public fear, apathetic law enforcement, and career criminals. 
A)  presence of victims, absence of law enforcement personnel, and criminals. 
B)  valuable property, space, time, and bad acts. 
C)  targets of victimization, police, and law breakers. 
D)  suitable targets, absence of capable guardians, and motivated offenders. 
E)  public fear, apathetic law enforcement, and career criminals.

Question 6

Which of the following is true of the rational choice theorists?

Accepted Answer

A)  They support increasing rehabilitation and treatment in prisons. 
B)  They are informed by the work of Karl Marx. 
C)  They attempt to explain the rise in crime rates after World War I. 
D)  They assume that people are naturally selfish and seek to maximize their own pleasure. 
E)  None of the above. 
A)  They support increasing rehabilitation and treatment in prisons. 
B)  They are informed by the work of Karl Marx. 
C)  They attempt to explain the rise in crime rates after World War I. 
D)  They assume that people are naturally selfish and seek to maximize their own pleasure. 
E)  None of the above.

Question 7

The expected utility principle is an idea that originated in social learning theory and was used by rational choice theorists to explain why some people offend more than others.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

Why do rational choice theories explain criminal acts and crimes rather than criminality, criminal motivation, or criminal behavior?

Accepted Answer

Most theories assume that there are moti

Question 9

What are the differences between classical, neoclassical, and postclassical perspectives and the assumptions they make about human nature?

Accepted Answer

Although each perspective embraces a hed

Question 10

Which of the following is false with regard to Brantingham and Brantingham's environmental criminology and pattern theory?

Accepted Answer

A)  They shed light on how criminals select their targets. 
B)  They clarify how criminals learn from their crimes and form mental templates for future crimes. 
C)  They explain why some neighborhoods attract more crime than others. 
D)  They were influenced by routine activities and rational choice theory. 
E)  They make an effort to understand how the dynamics of politics shape national crime patterns. 
A)  They shed light on how criminals select their targets. 
B)  They clarify how criminals learn from their crimes and form mental templates for future crimes. 
C)  They explain why some neighborhoods attract more crime than others. 
D)  They were influenced by routine activities and rational choice theory. 
E)  They make an effort to understand how the dynamics of politics shape national crime patterns.

Question 11

Crime generators are places that emit cues indicating that crime is tolerated in the area and therefore tend to draw criminals.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

Hot-spot policing has been found to have little empirical support.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Rational choice theories cannot explain:

Accepted Answer

A)  changes in crime rates over time. 
B)  the underlying motivation to commit crime. 
C)  the dynamics of criminal acts. 
D)  criminal decision making. 
E)  offender search patterns. 
A)  changes in crime rates over time. 
B)  the underlying motivation to commit crime. 
C)  the dynamics of criminal acts. 
D)  criminal decision making. 
E)  offender search patterns.

Question 14

Explain what the expected utility principle is and how it has been applied in criminological theories

Accepted Answer

The expected utility principle states th

Question 15

Bounded rationality:

Accepted Answer

A)  suggests that attachments to other people influence how criminals make decisions. 
B)  refers to a form of decision making that is not affected by outside factors. 
C)  is a type of limited rationality that attempts to account for external factors that might influence decision making. 
D)  assumes that offenders make decisions with great care and plan out their crimes carefully. 
E)  explains an offender's motivation to commit crime. 
A)  suggests that attachments to other people influence how criminals make decisions. 
B)  refers to a form of decision making that is not affected by outside factors. 
C)  is a type of limited rationality that attempts to account for external factors that might influence decision making. 
D)  assumes that offenders make decisions with great care and plan out their crimes carefully. 
E)  explains an offender's motivation to commit crime.

Question 16

Virtually all research in criminology has supported broken windows theory.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

List three critiques leveled against rational-choice theories.

Accepted Answer

One issue is the assumption of rationali

Question 18

Rational choice theories adhere to classical school logic and were influenced by economics theories.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 19

A key practical ramification of the rational choice theories includes:

Accepted Answer

A)  diversion programs. 
B)  anger management programs. 
C)  drug courts. 
D)  restorative justice. 
E)  target hardening. 
A)  diversion programs. 
B)  anger management programs. 
C)  drug courts. 
D)  restorative justice. 
E)  target hardening.

Question 20

There is little evidence that increases to the severity of punishment lead to lower crime rates.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Provide some examples of the practical application of rational choice theories in criminology. Why have these theories been so popular?

Which of the following concepts is not used to map micro-spatial offending patterns?

Broken windows theory argues that crime results from public disorder and can be managed through community policing and increases to social programs for the poor.

Which of the following was not a major influence on the rational choice theories?

According to Cohen and Felson's routine activities theory, crimes cannot occur without:

Which of the following is true of the rational choice theorists?

The expected utility principle is an idea that originated in social learning theory and was used by rational choice theorists to explain why some people offend more than others.

Why do rational choice theories explain criminal acts and crimes rather than criminality, criminal motivation, or criminal behavior?

What are the differences between classical, neoclassical, and postclassical perspectives and the assumptions they make about human nature?

Which of the following is false with regard to Brantingham and Brantingham's environmental criminology and pattern theory?

Crime generators are places that emit cues indicating that crime is tolerated in the area and therefore tend to draw criminals.

Hot-spot policing has been found to have little empirical support.

Rational choice theories cannot explain:

Explain what the expected utility principle is and how it has been applied in criminological theories

Bounded rationality:

Virtually all research in criminology has supported broken windows theory.

List three critiques leveled against rational-choice theories.

Rational choice theories adhere to classical school logic and were influenced by economics theories.

A key practical ramification of the rational choice theories includes:

There is little evidence that increases to the severity of punishment lead to lower crime rates.

Basic Principles of Theorizing and Mapping

The Seven-Step Model and Early Explanations of Criminality

Biological Positivist Theories

Psychological Positivist Theories

Psychological Process Theories

Differential Association and Social Learning Theories

Control Theories

Labeling Theories

Social Disorganization Theories

Social Strain and Anomie Theories

Conflict Theories

Integrated and General Theories

Biosocial Theories

Developmental and Life Course Theories

Conclusion

Filters

Exam 12: Rational Choice Theories

Provide some examples of the practical application of rational choice theories in criminology. Why have these theories been so popular?

Which of the following concepts is not used to map micro-spatial offending patterns?

Broken windows theory argues that crime results from public disorder and can be managed through community policing and increases to social programs for the poor.

Which of the following was not a major influence on the rational choice theories?

According to Cohen and Felson's routine activities theory, crimes cannot occur without:

Which of the following is true of the rational choice theorists?

The expected utility principle is an idea that originated in social learning theory and was used by rational choice theorists to explain why some people offend more than others.

Why do rational choice theories explain criminal acts and crimes rather than criminality, criminal motivation, or criminal behavior?

What are the differences between classical, neoclassical, and postclassical perspectives and the assumptions they make about human nature?

Which of the following is false with regard to Brantingham and Brantingham's environmental criminology and pattern theory?

Crime generators are places that emit cues indicating that crime is tolerated in the area and therefore tend to draw criminals.

Hot-spot policing has been found to have little empirical support.

Rational choice theories cannot explain:

Explain what the expected utility principle is and how it has been applied in criminological theories

Bounded rationality:

Virtually all research in criminology has supported broken windows theory.

List three critiques leveled against rational-choice theories.

Rational choice theories adhere to classical school logic and were influenced by economics theories.

A key practical ramification of the rational choice theories includes:

There is little evidence that increases to the severity of punishment lead to lower crime rates.

Basic Principles of Theorizing and Mapping

The Seven-Step Model and Early Explanations of Criminality

Biological Positivist Theories

Psychological Positivist Theories

Psychological Process Theories

Differential Association and Social Learning Theories

Control Theories

Labeling Theories

Social Disorganization Theories

Social Strain and Anomie Theories

Conflict Theories

Integrated and General Theories

Biosocial Theories

Developmental and Life Course Theories

Conclusion

Filters