Deck 2: The Crime Picture Theories and Trends

Question 1

Statistically, women are at a lower risk of being victims of domestic violence.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Which of the following best describes the rational choice theory of crime?

A) It is a theory that considers criminal behavior to be the predictable result of a person's interaction with his or her environment.
B) It holds that wrongdoers act as if they weigh the possible benefits of criminal or delinquent activity against the expected costs of being apprehended.
C) It is the assumption that crime is the result of frustration felt by individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal goals through legitimate means.
D) It holds that biochemistry, or the chemistry of living matter, can influence criminal behavior.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

According to Moffitt, change is possible for the adolescent-limited offenders.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Deteriorating buildings and other infrastructures are some of the factors that lead to crime in high-crime neighborhoods.

Question 5

Causation between two variables means that they tend to vary together.

Question 6

A hypothesis is an explanation of a happening or circumstance that is based on observation, experimentation, and reasoning.

Question 7

Self-reported surveys are based on many of the same principles as victim surveys but focus instead on offenders.

Question 8

The drug-using lifestyle is experienced by people who commit crimes motivated by drug abuse or to further the illegal drug trade.

Question 9

Part I offenses are recorded by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to give a general idea of the "crime picture" in the United States in any given year.

Question 10

According to the rational choice theory, an individual is likely to commit a crime when he or she:

A) possesses the practical and emotional skills necessary to participate in illegal activity.
B) feels a disconnect from society due to the breakdown or absence of social norms.
C) cannot reach his or her financial and personal goals through legitimate means.
D) perceives the benefits of committing the crime to be greater than the potential costs.

Question 11

Part II offenses are far outweighed by Part I offenses.

Question 12

Shaw and McKay found that residents in high-crime neighborhoods had adopted the fundamental values and norms that were absent in their environment.

Question 13

Criminal activity in males has been linked to elevated levels of hormones.

Question 14

_____ refers to the relationship in which a change in one variable creates a recognizable change in another variable.

A) Correlation
B) Causation
C) Extrapolation
D) Variance

Question 15

Official crime data seem to indicate a strong correlation between minority status and crime.

Question 16

A _____ is a proposition that can be tested by researchers or observers to determine if it is valid.

A) hypothesis
B) corroboration
C) prediction
D) verification

Question 17

In the context of correlation and causation, which of the following statements is true?

A) Causation means that two variables tend to vary together.
B) Correlation does not equal cause.
C) There is no correlation between drug abuse and criminal behavior.
D) Drug abuse causes crime.

Question 18

Which of the following is true of the scientific method of studying criminal behavior?

A) It suggests that the unequal structure of society is to blame for criminal behavior.
B) It best explains the concept of anomie .
C) It suggests that certain biological traits in individuals incline them toward criminal behavior.
D) It helps predict patterns that will occur in the future.

Question 19

The stronger a social bond, the less likely it is that any individual will commit a crime.

Question 20

Self-reported studies invariably show that many more rapes take place than are reported to the police.

Question 21

According to social disorganization theory, one of the factors that leads to crimes in high-crime neighborhoods is:

A) high literacy.
B) the absence of anomie .
C) the concentration of two-parent families.
D) chronic unemployment.

Question 22

The basis of _____ is that the potential for criminal behavior exists in everyone and will be realized depending on an individual's interaction with various institutions and processes of society.

A) social process theories
B) strain theory
C) social disorganization theory
D) trait theories

Question 23

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, nearly 50 percent of inmates in state prisons have relatives who have also been incarcerated. Which of the following theories does this example best reflect?

A) Life course theories
B) Sociological theories
C) Choice theories
D) Social process theories

Question 24

The _____ held that individuals are exposed to the values of family and peers such as school friends or co-workers.

A) rational choice theory
B) theory of differential association
C) self-control theory
D) continuity theory of crime

Question 25

People who follow the _____ believe that addicts are not criminals, but mentally or physically ill individuals who are forced into acts of petty crime to "feed their habit."

A) medical model of addiction
B) status passage model
C) criminal model of addiction
D) crime control model

Question 26

_____ is based on the assumption that crime is the result of frustration felt by individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal goals through legitimate means.

A) Social control theory
B) Strain theory
C) Social disorganization theory
D) Trait theory

Question 27

Like biological theories of crime, _____ operate under the assumption that individuals have traits that make them more or less predisposed to criminal activity.

A) psychological theories of crime
B) choice theories
C) social conflict theories of crime
D) sociological theories

Question 28

Elevated testosterone levels in males have been associated with traits of _____.

A) hypersensitivity
B) aggression
C) compliance
D) prosocial behavior

Question 29

Which of the following theories is a cornerstone of the American criminal justice system?

A) Social disorganization theory
B) Biological theory
C) Rational choice theory
D) Trait theory

Question 30

Four months after giving birth to her son, Sarah tried to kill the infant by smothering him with a pillow. During the trial, Sarah pled not guilty to the attempted murder charge and cited postpartum psychosis as her defense. Considering the fact that biochemistry can influence criminal behavior, which of the following is likely to be responsible for this form of mental illness in Sarah?

A) Underlying social conditions
B) Hormonal changes after childbirth
C) Early childhood experiences
D) Drug abuse after childbirth

Question 31

According to practitioners of life course criminology, which of the following factors predisposes an individual to a life of crime?

A) Poverty
B) Illiteracy
C) Misconduct during childhood
D) Lack of social control

Question 32

Which of the following theories is based on Emile Durkheim's concept of anomie ?

A) Social control theory
B) Strain theory
C) Social disorganization theory
D) Trait theory

Question 33

According to Gottfredson and Hirschi, low self-control can usually be attributed to:

A) poor parenting.
B) poverty.
C) low literacy rates.
D) genetics.

Question 34

According to social conflict theories, which of the following is a reason the poor commit property crimes?

A) They are influenced by the society they live in.
B) They desire the same financial rewards as everybody else.
C) They are not exposed to the values of family and peers.
D) They have a general disregard for the criminal justice system.

Question 35

Which of the following would be classified as a drug-related offense?

A) Possession of marijuana
B) Theft to get money to buy illegal drugs
C) Production of methamphetamine
D) Prostitution to fund drug abuse

Question 36

With reference to social disorganization theory, which of the following factors contributes to increased levels of antisocial behavior in high-crime neighborhoods?

A) The concentration of double-parent families
B) A lack of social controls
C) Low levels of high school dropouts
D) Rigid societal norms

Question 37

Which of the following increases the chances of violent behavior in schizophrenics?

A) Seeking professional help
B) Early childhood experiences
C) Hormonal changes after childbirth
D) Use of drugs or alcohol

Question 38

Strain theory and the concept of anomie seem to suggest that the unequal structure of society is, in part, to blame for criminal behavior. This argument forms the bedrock of _____.

A) biological theories
B) choice theories
C) psychological theories of crime
D) social conflict theories of crime

Question 39

James is a 17-year-old who lives in an impoverished neighborhood where the crime rate is very high. He dropped out of school after his father was imprisoned for drug peddling, leaving James responsible for his younger siblings. As a result, James started working for the town's drug lord in order to make ends meet. Based on the concept of anomie , which of the following factors is likely to have led to James's choice of employment?

A) James's physiological attributes
B) The seduction of crime
C) The absence of social norms
D) James's lack of primary education

Question 40

According to Sutherland's theory of differential association, an individual is more likely than not to mimic criminal behavior if he or she:

A) exhibits traits of misconduct at a young age.
B) rationally chooses a life of crime.
C) is exposed to dominant values that favor criminal behavior.
D) is genetically predisposed to antisocial, deviant behavior.

Question 41

Which of the following is a result of the legalization of marijuana?

A) Possession of the substance is treated as an infraction.
B) The substance is unavailable for recreational use to all persons, irrespective of their age.
C) The substance is treated in roughly the same manner as alcohol and tobacco.
D) None of the above

Question 42

Identify a true statement about Part II offenses.

A) They are measured by witness statements.
B) They exclude felonies.
C) They are more common than Part I offenses.
D) They are rarely recorded in the Uniform Crime Report.

Question 43

Identify the data-collecting system in which local agencies collect data on each single crime occurrence within twenty-three offense categories made up of forty-nine specific crimes called Group A offenses.

A) Victim surveys
B) Uniform Crime Report (UCR)
C) Crime statistics collection system
D) National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS)

Question 44

Which of the following models holds that illegal drug abusers and addicts endanger society with their behavior and should be punished the same as persons who commit non-drug-related offenses?

A) The medical model of addiction
B) The enslavement theory of addiction
C) The criminal model of addiction
D) The sociological model of drug abuse

Question 45

Which of the following best describes the term dark figure of crime?

A) It refers to the stereotypical crimes that take place in America.
B) It refers to the Part I offenses reported annually by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
C) It is used to list out instances of repeat victimization.
D) It is used to describe the actual amount of crime that takes place.

Question 46

Unlike victim surveys, self-reported surveys focus on _____.

A) criminologists
B) possible crime victims
C) offenders
D) witnesses

Question 47

Which of the following is a measurement used by local law enforcement agencies to compile the Uniform Crime Report (UCR)?

A) The number of inmates released
B) The deaths and injuries of police officers
C) The number of persons arrested
D) All of the above

Question 48

On her way back from work, Kelly was stopped by a man in a mask. He held her at gunpoint and threatened to shoot her if she did not get out of her car. After she got out of the car, the masked man got into Kelly's car and drove away. Based on the nature of the crime, it would be classified as a _____.

A) Part III offense
B) Part II offense
C) Part I offense
D) None of the above

Question 49

Which of the following is true of a Part I offense that is considered a stereotypical crime?

A) The offenders of the crime are rarely incarcerated.
B) The offender and the victim usually do not know each other.
C) It is usually not reported by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
D) It occurs more commonly than Part II offenses.

Question 50

Practitioners of the _____ believe that severe punishment can deter criminal activity by adding another variable to the decision-making process.
A. social learning theory
B. rational choice theory
C. trait theory
D. strain theory ​

Question 51

The Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004 (CVRA) gives victims the right to:

A) participate in the system.
B) refuse a testimony.
C) object to verdicts in court.
D) challenge the rights of the accused.

Question 52

African Americans are, as a group, more susceptible to the factors that contribute to criminality because they:

A) have a genetic predisposition to criminal behavior.
B) generally have higher testosterone levels than whites.
C) are more likely than whites to be part of traditional institutions of social control.
D) are more likely than whites to live in poverty and hold low-wage-earning jobs.

Question 53

Unlike the medical model of addiction, the criminal model of addiction holds that drug abusers and addicts should be:

A) treated as mentally ill.
B) punished the same as those who commit non-drug-related offenses.
C) rehabilitated instead of punished.
D) penalized through fines and spared the threat of incarceration.

Question 54

The first large-scale victim survey in 1966 helped researchers by:

A) portraying the unfairness of the criminal justice system at the time.
B) providing a better understanding of the actual amount of crime that occurs in America.
C) depicting the various means by which crime rates were exaggerated by victims.
D) showing the inefficiency of law enforcement officers.

Question 55

Unlike Part II offenses, Part I offenses are:

A) measured only by arrest data.
B) almost always felonies.
C) usually inclusive of misdemeanors.
D) analyzed solely using victim surveys.

Question 56

Which of the following is true of a crime victim in a court proceeding?

A) The victim has no say in the prosecution of the offender.
B) The victim is not allowed to testify in court.
C) The victim has the power to object to the final verdict.
D) The victim is not entitled to restitution.

Question 57

Through which of the following means does the Department of Justice release the national crime statistics?

A) The Uniform Crime Report
B) The National Crime Victimization Survey
C) The National Incident-Based Reporting System
D) The Drug Use Forecasting Program

Question 58

Many observers assume that men are less likely to report cases of female-on-male domestic violence because:

A) of their fear of being stalked.
B) of the social stigma surrounding it.
C) such cases do not occur.
D) of gender bias.

Question 59

Which of the following statements is true of violence within the African American community?

A) African Americans are less likely to be homicide victims than whites.
B) Most crimes are classified as Part II offenses.
C) African Americans are less susceptible to gun violence than whites.
D) Most murder victims are killed by someone of the same race.

Question 60

During the recession, Dylan was laid off from his job as a salesman. He resorted to selling marijuana to high school students in his neighborhood. Based on the prediction of crime trends defined by law professor Franklin Zimring, which of the following best explains Dylan's reason for drug peddling?

A) The seduction of crime
B) Scarcity of legitimate employment
C) Absence of social norms
D) A lack of self-control

Question 61

A research project led by sociologist Ruth D. Peterson found that uniformly higher violent crime rates were prevalent in _____
A. elite neighborhoods
B. Hispanic communities
C. African American communities
D. disadvantaged neighborhoods ​

Question 62

Summarize the relationship between class and crime.

Question 63

Statistically, women are at a greater risk than men of being victims of _____
A. hate crimes
B. domestic violence
C. credit card fraud
D. drug abuse ​

Question 64

The _____ says that once negative behavior patterns have been established, they cannot be changed
A. rational choice theory
B. continuity theory of crime
C. theory of differential association
D. social disorganization theory ​

Question 65

The criminal justice system tends to favor the _____ over the medical model
A. continuity theory of crime
B. disease model of addiction
C. criminal model of addiction
D. enslavement theory of addiction ​

Question 66

Discuss crime with reference to race and gender. Support your answer with recent statistics.

Question 67

What are Part II offenses? How do they differ from Part I offenses?

Question 68

List the rights and protections encoded in the Crime Victims' Rights Act of 2004 (CVRA).

Question 69

Most states require _____, or monetary payment, from offenders to help victims repay any costs associated with a crime and rebuild their lives
A. restitution
B. anomie
C. alimony
D. bail ​

Question 70

How are self-reported surveys useful to criminologists?

Question 71

Compare the criminal model of addiction with the medical model of addiction.

Question 72

Peter proposes a theory that shows a correlation between low levels of literacy and violent behavior. List the various steps that Peter would have to take to scientifically prove his theory.

Question 73

_____ holds that although everybody has the potential to commit crimes, most of them are dissuaded from doing so because they care about the opinions of their family and peers.
A. Social conflict theory
B. Rational choice theory
C. Trait theory
D. Control theory ​