Deck 14: Positive Criminology

Question 1

Positive criminology seeks to

A) Focus solely on the positive traits and experiences of offenders.
B) Focus solely on the negative traits and experiences of offenders.
C) Focus on the positive traits but negative experiences of offenders.
D) Focus on the positive traits and experiences of offenders, while not denying the importance of negative traits and experiences.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Which of the following is not endorsed by positive criminology to address criminal behavior?

A) Restorative justice.
B) Intermediate sanctions.
C) Treatment based on the good lives model.
D) Treatment focused on building social bonds.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following is not a theory that falls under the umbrella of positive criminology?

A) Peacemaking criminology.
B) Reintegrative shaming.
C) Social bond theory.
D) Social support theory.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Which of the following is the central construct for understanding crime, according to the integration by Francis Cullen?

A) Social control.
B) Control balance.
C) Social learning.
D) Social support.

Question 5

Positive criminology believes that punitive policies with offenders

A) Are counterproductive.
B) Are effective.
C) Should be used more often.
D) Have no effect on criminal behavior.

Question 6

Which of the following would not be related to aggregate crime rates according to Cullen's theory?

A) Governmental assistance to the poor.
B) Rates of family disruption.
C) Participation in voluntary organizations.
D) The sex ratio of a population (e.g., percentage male).

Question 7

Social support may increase prosocial and decrease antisocial influences by

A) Making children feel they are special.
B) Modeling prosocial learning.
C) Having children never want for anything.
D) Increasing social capital for individuals.

Question 8

Hugs, kisses, and affirmations are all examples of

A) Emotional support.
B) Expressive support.
C) Instrumental support.
D) Caring support.

Question 9

Social support theory argues the United States has higher rates of crime because of its

A) Vast diversity.
B) High rates of poverty.
C) Low levels of communitarianism.
D) Government programming.

Question 10

Which of the following is not true of social support theory?

A) It has yet to be empirically tested.
B) It can be used to explain macro-level variation in crime.
C) It can be used to explain individual-level variation in crime.
D) It suggests a humanitarian rather than a punitive policy approach.

Question 11

Traditional theories of crime argue

A) People naturally put other's needs above their own.
B) People learn to become selfish.
C) Societies are naturally collective.
D) People are self-interested.

Question 12

Which of the following is not an element of social concern?

A) Desire for isolation from others to reflect.
B) Care about welfare of others.
C) Inclination to follow moral intuitions.
D) Tendency to conform to the behavior and views of others.

Question 13

Which of the following is false about social concern theory?

A) Females have more social concern than men.
B) More social concern is shown with people believed to have violated moral institutions.
C) People are more likely to show social concern with members of an ingroup than with members of an outgroup.
D) Social concern has been exhibited in nonhuman primates.

Question 14

Which of the following is true about social concern theory?

A) Social concern completely ignores traditional theories of crime.
B) Social concern has received vast empirical support.
C) Social concern theory has not received much attention in criminology.
D) Social concern only indirectly affects criminal behavior.

Question 15

When strain is high, the effect of social concern on crime

A) Disappears.
B) Does not change.
C) Becomes stronger.
D) Becomes weaker.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is not true?

A) Market societies have more social concern.
B) Strain reduces social concern.
C) Collectivist societies have more social concern.
D) Bonds to conventional others increases social concern.

Question 17

Social concern is developed

A) Through biological means only.
B) Through sociological means only.
C) Through both biological and environmental factors.
D) Through parenting.

Question 18

According to Agnew, self-control can be described as

A) Biologically innate.
B) Unlearned concern.
C) Enlightened self-interest.
D) Rational and deliberative.

Question 19

According to social concern theory, crime is more likely

A) When there are close ties with others.
B) With ingroup rather than outgroup members.
C) With outgroup rather than ingroup members.
D) With females rather than males.

Question 20

Which of the following is a policy implication of social concern theory?

A) Radical nonintervention.
B) Restorative justice.
C) Intensive supervision.
D) Solitary confinement.

Question 21

Compare the focus of traditional theories and positive criminological theories. What are the differences between the two categories of theories? How does positive criminology incorporate traditional theories of crime?

Question 22

What is social support according to Cullen? Describe the different ways in which low social support contributes to crime. In doing so, consider the direct effects of social support, the indirect effects of social support, and the conditioning effects of social support.

Question 23

Describe the four major dimensions of social support. How does each of the dimensions influence policy?

Question 24

How does social support influence social control? How does this, in turn, impact criminal behavior?

Question 25

Explain how Agnew's theory of social concern integrates traditional theories of crime with positive criminology.

Question 26

Describe the development of social concern. In doing so, take into account both micro- and macro-level influences.

Question 27

Explain how to combat crime according to Agnew's theory of social concern.