Deck 3: Theories of Delinquency and Juvenile Offending

Question 1

The different types of Sociological theories include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Strain Theory
B) Social Disorganization Theory
C) Labeling Theory
D) Functionalism

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The Durkheimian perspective views punishment:

A) as revenge
B) as an ineffective means to restore social order
C) as a short-term means to solidify social order
D) as unnecessary

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The Marxist perspective views punishment:

A) as a means to elevate the lower class
B) as a way to preserve the upper class
C) as cruel and unjustified
D) as inhumane

Answer 3

B

Question 4

According to body type theories, the somatotype that corresponds to an "athletic, muscular, aggressive" personality is:

A) endomorphic
B) macromorphic
C) mesomorphic
D) ectomorphic

Question 5

Bohm explains that negative reinforcement:

A) increases a stimulus that maintains a response
B) removes or reduces a stimulus
C) does not employ aversion stimulus
D) seldom is effective to change behavior

Question 6

A bond to society develops as a result of all EXCEPT :

A) attachment to others
B) commitment and involvement in conventional activities
C) belief in the individual
D) belief in moral order and law

Question 7

Sutherland and Cressey (1939) proposed that the principal part of learning about criminal behavior occurs:

A) when a person is victimized
B) when a family member is victimized
C) within intimate personal groups
D) despite positive reinforcement

Question 8

Primary and secondary deviance are differentiated in which of the following theories:

A) labeling
B) strain
C) differential association
D) social control

Question 9

Crimes that were originally differentiated as mala in se have the following characteristics EXCEPT:

A) wrong in and of itself
B) origin in mores
C) natural law
D) human-made law

Question 10

Biological theorists believe that:

A) environment impacts criminal behavior more than heredity
B) negative reinforcement is the strongest predictor of criminality
C) criminals are born, not made
D) criminal behavior is reduced through extinction

Question 11

The two competing world views that exist regarding responsibility for crime are:

A) the pessimist view and the optimist view
B) the deterrence view and the offensive view
C) the classical view and the positivist view
D) the consensus view and the dominance view

Question 12

The two theories that exist to explain the purpose of the law are:

A) strain theory and deviance theory
B) decency theory and inhumane theory
C) radical theory and dominant theory
D) consensus theory and conflict theory

Question 13

Social control theorists focus on:

A) why people commit crime
B) why people hurt others
C) why people do not commit crimes
D) why people do not learn from consequences

Question 14

Psychological theories draw attention to the variety of individual factors that help differentiate delinquents from nondelinquents. These factors may be any one of the following EXCEPT:

A) low impulse control
B) body types predict predisposition to criminal behavior
C) intelligence callousness
D) learned attitudes, values and behaviors

Question 15

The basis of the anomie or strain theory was that:

A) since most people strive for the American Dream and fall short, they experience a strain
B) people who worked long hours in mills were physically strained, causing stress
C) people aren't motivated by monetary gains in our society
D) owners of large mills needed to share in the physical work load during the Depression

Question 16

The social disorganization theory did NOT contend that:

A) urban areas produce delinquency due to weak community controls
B) delinquency was passed down from one generation to the next
C) high residential turnover had little impact on social disorganization
D) many different ethnic groups could key role in social disorganization

Question 17

Which of the following suggests that laws are established to keep the ruling class in power?

A) conflict theory
B) consensus theory
C) dominant theory
D) common theory

Question 18

The theory that suggests individuals within a society agree on basic values is called:

A) decency theory
B) common theory
C) consensus theory
D) dominant theory

Question 19

The biosocial perspective includes all of the following elements EXCEPT:

A) Family studies
B) Twin studies
C) Adoption studies
D) Community studies

Question 20

____________ describes how two different organisms can live together in a mutually beneficial relationship.

A) Phrenology
B) Endomorphism
C) Symbiosis
D) Physiognomy

Question 21

Psychological causes of crime include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) criminals are insane
B) mental and moral degeneration cause crime
C) personality is developed in early childhood
D) certain people have personalities so deviant that they have little or no control over their impulses

Question 22

The Durkheimian perspective sees punishment as revenge and as a way to ___________ and ____________ the social order.

Question 23

A motivated offender, suitable target, and a lack of a capable guardian are examples of which of the following theories?

A) social control
B) routine activity
C) social disorganization
D) strain

Question 24

Labeling, conflict, and radical theory are examples of:

A) critical theories
B) conflict theories
C) radical theories
D) dissociation theory

Question 25

Those acts prohibited because they infringe on others' rights, not because they are necessarily considered evil by nature, such as having more than one wife, are called ___________.

Question 26

Biosocial criminologists can point to empirical evidence from all of the following sources EXCEPT:

A) family studies
B) friend studies
C) twin studies
D) adoption studies

Question 27

Primary deviance is:

A) the initial criminal act
B) the initial criminal thought
C) the act of retribution
D) the accepting of the criminal label

Question 28

Principles of classical theory include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) individuals have free will
B) focus is on behavior
C) laws should bring the greatest measure of happiness to the largest number of people
D) those who break the law should be punished according to penalties established in the law

Question 29

Marx saw punishment as a way to enhance the ___________ of the upper class and an inevitable result of capitalism.

Question 30

This theory holds that individuals within a society agree on basic values is ______________.

Question 31

Two distinct and opposing views exist as to whom or what is responsible for crime, the ______________ and the _________________.

Question 32

Throughout history, law has served many secondary functions which include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) protect the interests of society
B) govern behavior
C) allow antisocial behavior
D) enforce moral beliefs

Question 33

A person becomes delinquent because of a(n) _____________ favorable to the violation of law over definitions unfavorable to the violation of law.

Question 34

Two prominent theories about the underlying purpose of law are ____________ and __________.

Question 35

Acts that are considered immoral or wrong in and of themselves; for example, murder are called __________________.

Question 36

Conflict theory emphasizes which of the following?

A) how law is used as a means by which certain groups dominate others
B) how education is used as a means to influence youth
C) how society is impacted by a variety of influences
D) how individuals positively resolve conflict

Question 37

Shaw and McKay's ____________________theory contended that urban areas produced delinquency directly by generating a subculture of delinquency passé on from one generation to the next.

Question 38

When discussing theories and delinquency, which of the following is true?

A) social control theory is the predominant explanation
B) social learning theory is the predominant explanation
C) a single theory is not sufficient to explain delinquency
D) psychological theory is the predominant explanation

Question 39

The breakdown of societal norms as a result of society's failure to distinguish between right and wrong is ________________.

Question 40

Principles of the positivist theory include all of the following EXCEPT:

A) the focus is on the criminal
B) individuals' actions are determined not by free will but by biological and cultural factors
C) the purpose of law is to avert revolution and convince the masses to accept the social order
D) individuals have free will

Question 41

According to the general theory of crime, prior crime has no relationship to subsequent crime.

Question 42

The positivist world view holds that humans are shaped by their society and are the product of ___________and ____________ influences.

Question 43

The Durkheimian perspective sees punishment as a way to restore and solidify the social order.

Question 44

In the 1950s group counseling became common in most juvenile institutions.

Question 45

A leader of the classical school was Cesare Beccaria.

Question 46

Critical theories include labeling theory, conflict theory and social disorganization.

Question 47

Marx saw punishment as a way to diminish the power of the upper class and an inevitable result of capitalism.

Question 48

Acts considered immoral or wrong in themselves, such as murder and rape, are called mala prohibita .

Question 49

Sutherland posited the proposition that criminal behavior is learned through imitation or modeling.

Question 50

Functionalism promotes social solidarity and clarification and the maintenance of social boundaries.

Question 51

Proponents of the positivist view advocate ____________ for offenders.

Question 52

An example of conflict theory would be today's vagrancy laws.

Question 53

In labeling theory, _______________ is the initial criminal act and ______________ is accepting the criminal label.

Question 54

The focus of the classical view of criminality is on the criminal.

Question 55

_______________ views human behavior as the product of multiple environmental and cultural influences rather than a single factor.

Question 56

Consensus theory was expanded upon by the French historian and philosopher Charles de Montesquieu.

Question 57

Lombroso believed that criminals were literally born not made; consequently, the primary cause of crime was ______________.

Question 58

Robert Agnew suggested that most people are more interested in being treated fairly in whatever goals they pursue.

Question 59

Psychological theories explaining crime contend that individual differences in thinking or emotion regulation can explain why some people commit crime and others do not.

Question 60

Classical theorists believed that delinquency was the result of free will.

Question 61

Discuss the two competing world views that have existed over the centuries.  What are the important concepts of each view?

Question 62

A combination of theories should be considered when attempting to explain delinquency.

Question 63

Proponents of the classical view advocate rehabilitation for offenders.

Question 64

Discuss Deterrence and note the difference between specific deterrence and general deterrence.

Question 65

The focus of the positivist view of criminality is on the crime.

Question 66

Differentiate between the function of punishment according to the Durkheimian and Marxist perspectives.

Question 67

Discuss the two theories that exist to explain the purpose of the law.

Question 68

Social control theorists focus on why people commit crime.

Question 69

Differentiate between classical theory and positivist theories.

Question 70

Research indicates that identical twins were more likely to demonstrate concordance than were fraternal twins.