Exam 2: What Is Crime

Marxist conflict theorists are furthest away from the view that law should define the content of crime. Instead, they argue that any behavior that causes ___________ is a crime.

The conflict approach refers to definitions of crime that reflect the ideas of the society as a whole. It assumes that all members of society agree on what should be considered crime, such as homicide and rape. Conflict definitions constitute a set of universal values.

Harm caused by acts or conditions that are legal but produce similar consequences to those produced by illegal acts is referred to as ____________.

____________ criminology is considered to be the framework for reconnecting crime and its control with the society from which it is conceptually and institutionally constructed by human agents. 'Crime is both in and of society.'

What are the two types of conflict discussed within Sellin's cultural conflict theory? What are any similarities and differences between these two types?

Most criminologists have traditionally relied on the legal conception of crime, which defines crime as behavior in violation of criminal law and liable for sanctioning by the criminal justice system.

The ___________ approach to the definition of crime is based on the belief that society is composed of different interest groups. These various groups are in competition with one another, and the competition is most pronounced between the powerful and powerless.

Crimes are not produced by legislation alone. Judicial interpretation also determines what is or is not crime.

The ___________ approach to the definition of crime reflect the ideas of the society as a whole. It assumes that all members of society agree on what should be considered crime.

Why might the legal definition of criminology be too limited in scope? What are some of the arguments made about defining criminology from the legal perspective?

Most criminologists have traditionally relied on the legal conception, which defines crime___________ as behavior in violation of criminal law and liable for sanctioning by the criminal justice system.

To solve the problems with Hagan's crime pyramid, Henry and Lanier have redesigned the visual structure of this depiction of crime by making it a double pyramid or what they call the crime ___________.

___________ theorists believe that criminology should not merely focus on crime but also include violations of culture norms, that is, behaviors that are considered standard for a specific cultural group.

In addition to being based on wealth and power, groups in society form around culture, prestige, status, morality, ethics, religion, ethnicity, gender, race, ideology, human rights, the right to own guns, and so on. Each group may fight to dominate others on issues. Approaches to defining crime that take account of these multiple dimensions are known as ____________ theories.

____________ crimes are 'acts bad in themselves.' They are inherently evil; universally recognized as being crimes.

According to constitutive criminologists, ________________.

Mala prohibita crimes are acts that are 'bad in themselves. These acts are inherently evil and universally recognized as being crimes.

What is defined as crime by the legal code varies from location to location and changes over time.

_____________ is a perspective that rejects claims that any body of knowledge is true or can be true.

___________ theory is a perspective that rejects claims that any body of knowledge is true or can be true. Instead, its advocates believe that "claims to know" are simply power plays by some to dominate others.