Criminology, Chapter 1, Test

The academic discipline of criminology that uses scientific methods to study the __________ of criminal behavior

Nature extent cause and control

Marvin Wolfgang's 1958 study, Patterns in Criminal Homicide is an example of which subarea of the criminological enterprise?

Understanding and describing criminal behavior

Cesare Becaaria, in the 1700s, was one of the first scholars to develop a systematic understanding of why people commit crime. Beccaria helped to form the core of what today is referred to as criminology.

Classical

Let the punishment fit the crime" refers to which criminological school of thought?

Classical Criminology

Individuals interact with various people, organizations, institutions and social norms as they mature and develop. This process is referred to as

Socialization

A deviant act becomes a crime when it is defined

Prohibited, and punished under criminal law

Which concept of crime implies that crimes are behaviors that all members of society consider to be repugnant, be they rich and powerful or poor and powerless?

The consensus view of crmie

The _______ ______ was a group of urban sociologists who examined how neighborhood conditions, such as poverty levels, influenced crime rates. Their sociological vision transformed into social structure theory.

Chicago School

In the 1930s, Harry Anslinger, the head of Federal Bureau of Narcotics, launched a successful effort to criminalize marijuana which had been legal until that time. Which concept of crime does Anslinger's moral crusade reflect?

The interactionist view of crime

Which view of crime sees society as a collection of diverse groups who are in a constant and continuing struggle to gain political power in order to advance their economic or social situation?

The conflict view of crime

Male in se crimes such as murder and rape reflect which view of crime?

The Consensus view of crime

For the conflict, or interaction's view of crime, it is the ______ that defines crimes and their punishments

Written code

Which of the following offenses would be classified as a felony?

Burglary

Which of the following offenses would be classified as a misdemeanor?

Petty theft

Police assume which role in the criminal justice system?

Apprehending suspects

Approximately how many people are arrested each year for serious felony offenses?

2 million

The treatment of criminal offenders that is aimed at preventing future criminal behavior is

Rehabilitation

___________ is the study of the victim's role in criminal events

Victimization

The mid-eighteenth century belief stressing that the relationship between crime and punishment should be balanced and fair can be traced to Cesare Beccaria.

True

Biological/psychologists are an academic discipline that uses scientific methods to study the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior.

False, mainly study internal causes/genetics

Use of the scientific method to conduct research in an objective, universal, and cultre free fashion is an element of classical criminology.

False, Positivist

Critical criminologists contend that society's economic system plays a significant role in producing criminal behavior.

True

A crime becomes a deviant act when it is deemed by lawmakers as socially harmful or dangerous.

False, a deviant act becomes a crime.

According to the conflict view of crime, criminal laws are viewed as acts created to protect the haves from the have-nots.

True

The distinction between whether a crime is classified as a felony or misdemeanor is based upon the age of the individual committing the crime.

False, based upon the seriousness of the crime. Age is an important factor to consider only when the offender is a minor.

Deviant behavior:

Actions that depart from the social norm

Criminologists interested in computing criminal statistics focus on creating valid and reliable measures of criminal behavior:

Analyze, Measure, Identify and Test

Marvin Wolfgang's 1958 study Patterns in Criminal Homicide -is a landmark analysis of the nature of homicide between victim and offender

He discovered that victims cause or participated in the violent confrontation that led to their deaths, spawning the term victim precipitated homicide.

Edwin Sutherland's analysis of business related offenses also helped coin new phrases:

White collar crimes to describe economic crime activities of affluent or wealthy.

Capital punishment

The execution of criminal offenders; the death penalty

There were two people on death row for non-murder offenses

Patrick Kennedy and Richard Davis in Louisiana. Kennedy was convicted of raping his step-daughter. Convicted in 2003, Louisiana law struck down on June 25, 2008. Kennedy v. Louisiana

Victimology includes the following areas of interst:

Victim survey, victimization risk, victim culpability, and crime victims

Elements of Positivism:

Scientific Method- used to conduct research in an objective, universal and culture free environment

Cesare Lombroso

Father of Criminology, Lombroso was convinced that serious and and violent offenders were born criminals

Karl Marx

Writings had a great impact on critical criminology - which faulted the economic system for producing the conditions that led to high crime rates

Structural perspective:

Crime rates are functions of ecological forces such as neighborhood conditions, cultural factors, and norm conflict

Biological/psychological perspective:

Accounts for internal forces of crime - which crime is a function of chemical, neurological, genetic, personality, intelligence, or mental traits

When do situations reflect an act of deviance as opposed to a crime?

When a passerby who observes a person drowning and does not offer aid? Deviance

Harry Anslinger's moral crusade on marijuana reflects which view of criminology?

Interactionist view

Consensus view of crime:

Crimes are behaviors that all members of society consider to be repugnant, be they rich and powerful or poor and powerless

Mal in se crimes such as murder and rape reflect the:

Consensus view of crime

Sees society as a collection of diverse groups who are in a constant and continuing struggle to gain political power in order to advance their economic or social situation.

Conflict view of crime

Mala prohibitum or statutory crimes:

Crimes defined by parliament which reflected existing social conditions

British rule were subject to common law (early English law)

America's legal system is a direct descendant of British common law

Felonies are serious offenses that include:

Murder, Rape and Burglary

Misdemeanors are minor or petty crimes that include:

Unarmed assault, battery, petty larceny, and disturbing the peace

Criminal justice refers to the study of the agencies of social control:

Police, courts and corrections

The criminal justice system consists of agencies of government charged with:

Enforcing the law, adjudicating crime, and correcting criminal conduct

The decision points of the criminal justice system(order of their occurrence)

Custody, Arraignment(Enters plea, formal charges read), Adjudication (Trial), and Disposition

Hung Jury:

When a jury fails to reach a decision about a trial

Definitions to know:

Deviant behavior, rehabilitation, crime, preliminary hearing, arrest, valid, victimology, criminal law, booking