Deck 11: Is Delinquency More Likely in Certain Types of Situations

Question 1

Individuals who are predisposed to delinquency tend to:

A) engage in delinquent acts most of the time
B) commit more delinquent acts than do other individuals
C) engage in delinquent acts in all situations
D) all of the above

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Agnew and Brezina discuss research that found that over half of juveniles who engage in assault reported that they had been intentionally provoked. These findings illustrate:

A) strain theory
B) social learning theory
C) control theory
D) labeling theory

Answer 2

A

Question 3

As discussed in the text, the most common type of situational strain associated with delinquency is:

A) provocations by others
B) child abuse
C) divorce of parents
D) failure to achieve success goals

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Strain theorists might explain adolescence-limited crime as partly related to the:

A) large, impersonal schools that many adolescents attend
B) limited coping skills of adolescents
C) limited power of adolescents
D) all of the above

Question 5

Situational strains that increase the likelihood for violence include:

A) boredom
B) threats to masculine status
C) "partying" lifestyle
D) seeking thrills or excitement

Question 6

Research data suggest that many offenders who respond to provocations by others are more likely to be:

A) innocent bystanders
B) teased by classmates
C) school bullies who regularly pick on others
D) "audience" members

Question 7

One of the examples given by Agnew and Brezina as a way to reduce crime by reducing situational strains is to:

A) stagger bar closing hours
B) reduce the amount of media violence
C) develop after-school athletic programs
D) create smaller classes

Question 8

Research with punk rockers found that they were more likely to respond to provocations with violence when:

A) derogatory remarks were made about sexual preferences and "manliness"
B) people stared for long periods of time
C) they were alone and walking downtown streets
D) they were with one another and away from busy streets

Question 9

The use of alcohol and certain drugs like barbiturates tends to:

A) increase the likelihood for delinquency because they reduce the individual's ability to engage in legal coping
B) decrease the likelihood for delinquency because they increase feelings of lethargy and/or good will
C) have no effect on delinquency because predisposition matters, not alcohol and drug use
D) none of the above

Question 10

Costs of crime can include:

A) money
B) feelings of guilt
C) thrills and excitement
D) social approval
E) none of the above

Question 11

In general, researchers agree that most juveniles:

A) rationally consider the benefits and costs of crime in a particular situation
B) give some limited consideration to the costs and rewards of crime
C) do not consider the costs and rewards of crime
D) consider rewards but not costs of crime

Question 12

With regard to property crime, an attractive target is one that is:

A) visible
B) valuable
C) easy to move
D) accessible
E) all of the above

Question 13

With regard to person-related crimes, an attractive target is one that:

A) is young
B) is pretty or handsome
C) possesses cash
D) is part of a group of attractive people
E) all of the above

Question 14

"Geeks" can be attractive targets because:

A) offenders neutralize their humanity
B) they are members of rival groups
C) they hang out with unpopular kids
D) all of the above

Question 15

Most often "capable guardians" are:

A) private security guards
B) local or community police officers
C) respected teachers or parents
D) persons trained in the martial arts or some other form of personal protection

Question 16

As stated in the text, research suggests that ________________ can reduce the likelihood of robbery of convenience stores.

A) signs indicating that the clerk is licensed to carry a concealed weapon
B) cameras in prominent locations
C) two clerks rather than one
D) none of the above

Question 17

Predisposed offenders are most likely to actively seek targets:

A) in rival neighborhoods
B) off the "beaten path"
C) near their home
D) in densely populated public spaces

Question 18

Violent delinquency is most likely to emerge:

A) after careful planning
B) out of everyday activities
C) during sporting events
D) after watching, listening, or playing some form of media violence

Question 19

According to Agnew and Brezina, "routine activities" contribute to our understanding of delinquency in that:

A) delinquency becomes so "routine" for some delinquents that they cannot be deterred
B) an absence of capable guardians can increase the likelihood of crime
C) routine activities are sometimes a major source of strain
D) most delinquency is relatively harmless

Question 20

As discussed in the text, routine activities can best be described as:

A) how, where, when, and with whom the days are spent
B) learned habits
C) customary practices maintained by schools, churches, and other institutions
D) chore and activity schedules

Question 21

Delinquency most likely occurs:

A) in private rather than public settings
B) during school hours
C) when the juvenile is alone and unsupervised
D) when the juvenile engages in unstructured and unsupervised activities with peers

Question 22

Under which of the following conditions is a juvenile most likely to engage in delinquency?

A) high motivation, available opportunities, high constraints
B) low constraints, high motivation, available opportunities
C) available opportunities, low motivation, low constraints
D) low motivation, high constraints, available opportunities

Question 23

According to the study by Lockwood (1997), the most common setting for a violent incident is:

A) an encounter with an acquaintance at school
B) an encounter with parents in the home
C) an encounter with peers in the park
D) an encounter with strangers at the mall

Question 24

Individuals may engage in crimes like shoplifting, burglary, and prostitution in order to:

A) demonstrate their "toughness" or masculinity
B) get the money they need
C) impress their peers
D) alleviate boredom
E) none of the above

Question 25

According to Agnew and Brezina, which of the following statements is TRUE about the costs or benefits of robbing drug dealers?

A) Drug dealers are more likely to call the police.
B) Drug dealers are less likely to retaliate with lethal violence.
C) Drug dealers typically have an approachable appearance.
D) Drug dealers carry large amounts of cash.

Question 26

"Target-hardening" techniques make targets:

A) less visible
B) less accessible
C) more difficult to move
D) all of the above

Question 27

Identify the types of situations in which juveniles are most likely to engage in delinquency.

Question 28

Describe "offensive touching" as a situational strain and explain its relationship to violent offending.

Question 29

List three examples of provocations by others that typically precede violent crimes.

Question 30

Explain what Agnew and Brezina mean when they state that offenders often are not innocent victims.

Question 31

Design a strategy to reduce delinquency by reducing situational strains inherent in intense rivalries between high schools.

Question 32

Under what conditions is a delinquent response to situational strain most likely?

Question 33

Agnew and Brezina point out that individuals who encounter situational strains and use alcohol or drugs are more likely to engage in delinquent behavior. Explain.

Question 34

What does it mean to say that juveniles have a limited rationality?

Question 35

What factors influence juveniles' calculation of the costs and benefits of crime?

Question 36

Identify the characteristics of an attractive target with respect to property crime.

Question 37

Describe the characteristics of a person who would be an attractive target for crime.

Question 38

Make a list of capable guardians you encountered during a typical day while in high school. Indicate when and where you typically encountered these people. Explain the effect they had on your delinquent and/or nondelinquent behaviors.

Question 39

The likelihood that potential offenders will encounter situations conducive to crime depends partly on their routine activities. What is meant by "routine activities"? Describe the nature of the routine activities most conducive to delinquency.

Question 40

List three factors that influence routine activities.

Question 41

Explain robbery using a "routine activities" perspective. In your answer, identify the three factors that converge to make robbery most likely.

Question 42

Explain how routine activities influence predisposed offenders who actively search for situations conducive to delinquency.

Question 43

Explain how certain types of routine activities increase the likelihood of juveniles encountering situations conducive to delinquency. Address the following in your answer: (1) what they do and with whom they do it; (2) when they do it; and (3) where they do it.

Question 44

Describe how social and technological changes affect routine activities and, consequently, levels of delinquency.

Question 45

Thus far, the textbook has focused on the factors that create a general predisposition or willingness to engage in delinquency. Briefly describe these factors. How often do predisposed individuals commit delinquent acts? What influences the chance that a predisposed individual will commit delinquency? Do all predisposed individuals become juvenile delinquents? Explain your answers.

Question 46

Describing situations most conducive to delinquency not only helps us predict when predisposed juveniles will engage in delinquency, but also has important policy implications. Describe a few of these policy implications. Is it possible to reduce the amount of delinquency an individual commits? If so, how?

Question 47

Situational strains include a desperate need for cash, threats to autonomy, and the loss of positive stimuli. Explain these three strains and provide examples of delinquent acts that could occur as a consequence of each strain.

Question 48

According to the textbook, the benefits of delinquency may be tangible, and they also may be intangible. Define these two terms and provide an example of each.

Question 49

Agnew and Brezina discuss why some robbers select drug dealers as their targets. Are drug dealers "easy targets" for robbers? Why or why not?