Deck 4: Rational Choice Theory

Question 1

The theory of _________________ holds that criminal sanctions should be so powerful that known criminals will never repeat their criminal acts.

Answer 1

specific deterrence

Question 2

According to Bentham's ___________________________,people choose to act after weighing the costs and benefits and determining that their actions will bring them more pleasure than pain.

Answer 2

utilitarian calculus

Question 3

The basic elements of classical criminology do not include which of the following ideas?

A)Free will
B)Criminal solutions require much effort but hold the promise of a huge payoff
C)Deterrence
D)Severity,certainty and swiftness are needed to ensure punishment works

Answer 3

B

Question 4

__________________ occur when significant others,such as parents,peer,neighbors,and teachers direct their disapproval toward the offender.

Question 5

Crime reduction efforts in one locale may reduce crime in another area.This is known as _________________.

Question 6

Deterrence theorists tend to believe that the ________of punishment seems to have a greater impact than its severity or speed.

Question 7

Beccaria believed that criminals choose to commit crime and that criminal choices could be controlled by:

A)fear of punishment
B)improving economic conditions
C)selective incapacitation
D)situational crime prevention

Question 8

Rational choice theory is rooted in the ____________________ of criminology developed by Cesare Beccaria.

Question 9

Situational inducements which directly precede the commission of a crime,and draw offenders into law violations are labeled _________________.

Question 10

Rational choice theory is rooted in the classical school of criminology developed by:

A)James Q.Wilson
B)Cesare Beccaria
C)Jeremy Bentham
D)Andrew Von Hirsch

Question 11

According to the concept of ___________________________ criminal acts will be avoided if potential targets are guarded securely,the means to commit crime are controlled,and potential offenders are carefully monitored.

Question 12

If petty offenses were subject to the same punishment as more serious crimes,offenders would choose the worst crime.This is known as:

A)marginal deterrence
B)"the tipping point"
C)specific deterrence
D)general deterrence

Question 13

Placing offenders behind bars during their prime crime years should lessen their lifetime opportunity to commit crime.This theory is known as the________________.

Question 14

According to rational choice theory,why might a criminal decide not to commit crime?

A)The criminal has developed a conscience as he/she matured.
B)The criminal has legitimate means to achieve financial success and does not need to commit crime.
C)The criminal perceives the crime is too risky.
D)The criminal has learned that crime is only one of many solutions to their personal problems.

Question 15

If an offender considers such things as the target yield,the effectiveness of police patrol,the presence of occupants and dogs,and possible escape routes,the crime is considered ____________________.

Question 16

__________ is the philosophy of justice that asserts that those who violate the rights of others deserve to be punished.

Question 17

The idea that crime can be prevented or displaced through the use of residential
architectural designs that reduce criminal opportunity is known as__________________.

Question 18

The concept of ____________________________ holds that crime rates are influenced and controlled by the threat of criminal punishment.

Question 19

Beccaria believed that,to deter people from committing more serious offenses,crime and punishment must be_______________.

Question 20

Publishing "John lists" in the newspaper is a situational crime prevention technique intended to induce _______________ for committing the crime.

Question 21

Well-lit housing projects that maximize surveillance reflect Oscar Newman's concept of ____________ that suggests crime can be prevented via the use of residential architectural designs that reduce criminal opportunity.

A)permeability
B)accessibility
C)defensible space
D)target-hardening

Question 22

According to the rational choice approach,law-violating behavior occurs when an offender decides to commit the crime after considering what two types of factors?

A)experiential and exponential factors
B)personal and situational factors
C)background and guardian factors
D)physical and emotional factors

Question 23

General deterrence theory holds that threat of punishment should deter lawbreakers through fear.Which statement is inaccurate as to why some offenders are not deterred?

A)Some offenders cannot think rationally due to mental illness or substance abuse.
B)Some offenders perceive no other options for success other than engaging in crime.
C)Some offenders are immune to deterrent effects because the lure of criminal profit (greed)outweighs their fears.
D)Chronic offenders are impulsive,but consider the legal consequences of their actions so as to decrease the likelihood of apprehension.

Question 24

Guardians who monitor targets,handlers who monitor potential offenders,and managers who monitor places are ____________ who have varying levels of responsibility and research indicates they impact crime rates.

A)crime discriminators
B)crime deterrents
C)crime depressors
D)crime discouragers

Question 25

The three components of deterrence theory are severity,certainty,and speed of legal sanctions (punishment).Of these components,deterrence theorists tend to believe that the _???________ of punishment seems to have the strongest impact.

A)severity
B)certainty
C)speed
D)the impact of the components is equal

Question 26

Most burglars prefer to commit crimes in neighborhoods that contain a greater than usual number of access streets.These neighborhoods are referred to as:

A)accessible neighborhoods
B)permeable neighborhoods
C)arterial neighborhoods
D)open neighborhoods

Question 27

According to __________,crime rates are influenced and controlled by the threat of punishment.

A)specific deterrence
B)general deterrence
C)diffusion of benefits
D)crime displacement

Question 28

When efforts to prevent one crime unintentionally prevent another and when crime control efforts in one locale reduce crime in other non-target areas,this is called:

A)extinction
B)diffusion of benefits
C)crackdowns effects
D)discouragement benefits

Question 29

Policies that convince potential criminals to desist from criminal activities,delay their actions,or avoid a particular target are known as:

A)situational crime prevention
B)crime displacement
C)crime discouragers
D)situational displacement

Question 30

Crime reduction programs may produce a short-term positive effect,but benefits then dissipate as criminals adjust to new conditions.This phenomenon is known as:

A)correction
B)extinction
C)latent effect
D)extinction

Question 31

This occurs when crime control efforts targeting a particular locale help reduce crime in surrounding areas and populations.

A)desistance
B)diffusion
C)discouragement
D)extinction

Question 32

Situational inducements,such as the thrill or relieving stress,which directly precede the commission of a crime,and draw offenders into law violations are called ____________.

A)boosters
B)seductions of crime
C)encouragement
D)edgework

Question 33

The view that criminals evaluate their skills and needs prior to engaging in a crime is:

A)offense specific
B)offender specific
C)target specific
D)risk specific

Question 34

Situational crime prevention is not without its problems.When crime reduction programs re-direct offenders to alternative targets,it is termed:

A)temporary deterrence
B)crime displacement
C)crime shifting
D)temporary displacement

Question 35

Situational crime prevention tactics such as Lojack^® tracking systems are an example of what?

A)increasing difficulty
B)increasing risk
C)reducing rewards
D)reducing deterrence

Question 36

Which of the following is not a crime prevention strategy used today?

A)increasing the effort needed to commit crime
B)increasing the risks for committing crime
C)reducing the rewards for committing crime
D)reducing the shame for committing crime

Question 37

Some crime experts argue that violence is a matter of choice and serves many goals.Which statement is not a goal of violence?

A)Offenders want to control their victim's behavior and life.
B)The perpetrator engages in restorative justice and punishes the person outside the purview of the criminal justice system
C)The attacker wants to deter someone from repeating acts considered hostile or provocative.
D)Violence may be motivated by the need to enhance one's reputation.

Question 38

Some law violators describe the adrenaline rush that comes from successfully executing illegal activities in dangerous situations.This integration of danger,risk,and skill,is for some,a seduction of crime and is referred to as:

A)rushwork
B)edgework
C)riskwork
D)thrillwork

Question 39

According to deterrence theory,if the probability of arrest,conviction,and sanctioning could be increased,crime rates should:

A)remain stable
B)increase
C)decline
D)initially spike,then decline

Question 40

Offenders may react selectively to the characteristics of particular offenses.For instance,the decision to commit a burglary may involve evaluating the target's likely cash yield and the presence of dogs and escape routes.This crime would then be considered:

A)offense specific
B)offender specific
C)target specific
D)risk specific

Question 41

After the famous Minneapolis domestic violence study,other studies and analyses have been conducted.What do these studies indicate regarding the deterrent effect of arrest for domestic abusers?

A)These studies indicate arrest was not a greater deterrence than warning or advising the assailant.
B)These studies indicate that arrest escalates violence in subsequent incidents of abuse.
C)These studies indicate a strong positive effect for arrest.
D)These studies were inconclusive.

Question 42

Rational choice theory has roots in the Chicago School developed by Cesare Beccaria.

Question 43

__________ occur when significant others,such as parents,peer,neighbors,and teachers,direct their disapproval toward the offender.

A)Informal sanctions
B)Symbolic sanctions
C)Delayed sanctions
D)Reactive sanctions

Question 44

The theory of specific deterrence suggests that the harsher the punishment,the less likely the chances of recidivism.Is this so?

A)The majority of offenders are not deterred and reoffend.
B)The majority of offenders are deterred and do not reoffend.
C)This is so but only for first time juvenile offenders.
D)This is so but only for first time adult offenders.

Question 45

The effect of shaming may vary according to what?

A)the age of the offender
B)the level of dysfunction within the family unit
C)the cohesiveness of the community structure
D)the amount of media coverage received

Question 46

The writings of Beccaria influenced the U.S.Constitution and France's Declaration of the Rights of Man.

Question 47

There is little evidence that the fear of apprehension and punishment reduce crime rates.Which of the following is not a reason given to explain this discrepancy?

A)Many criminals suffer personality disorders that impair their judgment and render them incapable of making truly rational decisions.
B)The vast majority of criminals are compulsive and lack the capacity to fear punishment or appreciate consequences of crime.
C)Many offenders are part of the underclass and as such,they perceive few other options for success.
D)Profits from crime are worth the risk of punishment.

Question 48

The view that crime is a matter of rational choice is held by a number of criminologists who believe that the decision to violate any law is made for a variety of personal reasons including greed,revenge,need,anger,lust,jealousy,thrill-seeking,or vanity.

Question 49

The utilitarian calculus,a cost-benefit analysis,is associated with Jeremy Bentham.

Question 50

The Kansas City,Missouri police department's study of patrol effectiveness,convinced criminologists that:

A)The mere presence of patrol officers on the street did not have a deterrent effect.
B)Doubling the amount of patrol officers on the street had a deterrent effect.
C)The mere presence of patrol officers on the street had a deterrent effect but only in high crime neighborhoods.
D)Decreasing the amount of patrol officers on the street increased crime.

Question 51

Evaluations of incarceration strategies reveal that their impact may be less than expected.Which statement is false regarding why incarceration may not work?

A)The more prior incarceration experiences inmates have,the more likely they are to recidivate and return to prison.
B)Most criminal offenses are committed by teens who are unlikely to be sent to prison for a single felony conviction.
C)The associated expense will continue to overburden the prison system,especially as the population ages.
D)As criminals are incarcerated,opportunities for replacements are minimized.

Question 52

The view that proposes placing offenders behind bars during their prime crime years in order to lessen their opportunity to commit crime is known as:

A)preventative incapacitation
B)specific incapacitation
C)opportunity reduction effect
D)incapacitation effect

Question 53

Criminologists argue that "three strikes and you're out" policies will not work for various reasons.Which statement is false?

A)Most three-time losers are on the verge of aging out anyway.
B)Current sentences for violent crimes are already severe.
C)There would be racial disparity in sentencing.
D)The expansion of the prison population will stabilize costs.

Question 54

When deterrence measures convince would be criminals that the risk of committing a particular crime is just too great,offenders adapt in various ways.Of the following,which is not one of those ways?

A)The offender reduces the number of crimes committed.
B)The offender commits more serious crimes,assuming if caught,the punishment would be no worse than for somewhat lesser crimes.
C)The offender takes actions to reduce detection and apprehension.
D)The offenders commit the same crime at a different place or time.

Question 55

The philosophy of justice that asserts that those who violate the rights of others deserve to be punished is known as:

A)specific deterrence
B)just desert
C)revenge
D)retribution

Question 56

To deter people from committing more serious offenses,Beccaria believed punishment should be lenient.

Question 57

"Crackdowns" are sudden changes in police activity designed to lower crime rates through an increase in the communicated threat or actual certainty of punishment.How effective are crackdowns?

A)Crackdowns are effective when coupled with problem-solving and community- improvement techniques.
B)Crackdowns can reduce the incidence of drug dealing but only if media attention is focused on the effort.
C)Crackdowns initially deter crime but the effect soon wears off after the high intensity police activity ends.
D)Crackdowns are effective when coupled with problem-solving and community- improvement techniques;crackdowns initially deter crime but the effect soon wears off after the high intensity police activity ends.

Question 58

Crime persists because most offenders believe all but which of the following?

A)There is only a small chance they will be arrested for committing a crime.
B)Police officers are sometimes reluctant to arrest even when aware of crime.
C)Even if apprehended there is a good chance of receiving a lenient punishment.
D)They face punishment soon after their apprehension.

Question 59

According to Von Hirsch's view on "just deserts," why is punishment based on deterrence or incapacitation wrong?

A)Because punishment based on deterrence or incapacitation does not allow for the possibility of rehabilitation.
B)Because punishment based on deterrence or incapacitation is only used within the adult criminal justice system.Thus,it ignores juvenile offenders.
C)Because punishment based on deterrence or incapacitation involves an offender's future actions.
D)Von Hirsch did not view punishment based on deterrence or incapacitation as wrong.

Question 60

What do immediate impact studies indicate about capital punishment's deterrent effect on murder?

A)Impact studies indicated that the overall impact of executions might actually increase the incidence of homicide
B)Impact studies indicated that a deterrent effect does not exist even though the death penalty is being used more often over the past decade.
C)Impact studies were inconclusive regarding capital punishment's deterrent effect on murder.
D)Impact studies indicated a deterrent effect but only for expressive forms of murder.

Question 61

The Minneapolis domestic violence study showed that arresting offenders was an ineffective means of reducing recidivism.

Question 62

Most burglars prefer to commit crime in neighborhoods with a limited number of access streets to ensure a decrease in traffic.

Question 63

Edgework is the exhilarating,momentary integration of danger,risk,and skill that motivates people to try a variety of dangerous criminal and non-criminal behavior.

Question 64

Discuss the origin of rational choice theory and its basic assumptions.

Question 65

What factors in the justice system undermine the impact the effectiveness of deterrence theory?

Question 66

If a crime is offense-specific,offenders have weighed their abilities,resources,needs,and levels of fear.

Question 67

Discouragement occurs when crime reduction programs may boomerang and increase rather than decrease the potentiality for crime.

Question 68

Personal factors such as economic opportunity,learning and experience,and knowledge of criminal techniques condition people to choose crime.

Question 69

Differentiate between offense-specific crimes and offender-specific crimes.Incorporate examples of each in your discussion.

Question 70

Discuss three reasons why incarceration as a crime control strategy may not be effective.

Question 71

Describe how criminals structure crime.

Question 72

What is the tipping point? Why does has it yet to be reached - thus allowing crime to persist?

Question 73

Clearly indicating a rational thought process,people will forego crime if they risk losing the respect of their peers and/or damaging their reputations

Question 74

Discuss the costs and benefits of situational crime control efforts.

Question 75

Informal sanctions are less effective at reducing crime than fear of formal legal punishment.

Question 76

Discuss the concept of situational crime prevention and its elements to explain how crime can be prevented or eliminated.

Question 77

The seductions of crime increase the likelihood of engaging in crime due to neither fearing legal punishment nor losing respect of peers.

Question 78

Placing offenders behind bars during their prime crime years should lessen their lifetime opportunity to commit crime.

Question 79

Some argue that violence is a matter of choice and it is a rational process that serves a purpose.What are the goals of violence?

Question 80

Despite efforts to punish criminals and make them fear crime,there is little evidence that the fear of apprehension and punishment alone can reduce crime rates.How can this discrepancy be explained?