Order The Incidence of Crime Assignment 1. What is the level of crime in this country? How can this question be answered? 2. What do the crime figures tell about the level of crime in the United States? What conclusions can be drawn from this data? 3. What conclusions can be drawn from the NCVS results and the special topic reports? 4. Do the figures […]

The Rise of Neoclassical Theory Assignment Understand the social context of neoclassical theories and their rise to prominence in America during the 1970s. Pg. 44 Grasp the central concepts in deterrence theory, including specific, general, marginal, and focused deterrence. Pg. 45 Understand what the various empirical tests indicate about the empirical status of deterrence theory. Pg. 46 Know the central concepts in the routine activities […]

Order Neoclassical Criminology Assignment 1. Can criminal behavior be deterred? For what types of crime is deterrence likely to work? 2. Which part of deterrence theory (certainty, swiftness, severity) receives the most empirical support? Why do you think that is the case? 3. How is “focused deterrence” different from typical police crackdowns or saturation patrols? 4. In rational choice theory, what is the difference between […]

Order Early Biological Theories Assignment Learn the history of biological explanations of criminal behavior, including early biological theories and the policy implication of eugenics. Pgs. 68–72 Understand the methodologies (such as twin studies, adoption studies, and molecular genetics) used by scientists in their attempt to establish a genetic basis for crime. Pgs. 72–79 Grasp the known biological correlates of crime, which range from neurotransmitters to […]

Order Biology and Crime Assignment 1. What are the common characteristics of early biological theories? Are they different from the modern biological perspective? 2. How is body type related to criminal behavior? What are the different explanations for this relationship? 3. How have scientists attempted to separate nature from nurture? Which factor do you feel is more responsible for crime: nature or nurture? atavism Term […]

Order Antisocial Personality Disorder Understand the different types of contributions psychology makes to the study of crime. Pg. 94 Know the fundamentals of psychoanalytic theory, including Freudian elements of personality and defense mechanisms. Pgs. 94–98 Comprehend the three learning mechanisms—operant conditioning, classical conditioning, and observational learning—and how they relate to theories of crime. Pgs. 98–103 Understand cognitive structure and cognitive content and how they have […]

Order Psychology and Crime Assignment 1. Briefly describe the two general ways that psychologists have linked personality to criminal behavior. 2. How strong is the relationship between IQ and criminal behavior? Why are individuals with lower IQ scores more likely to engage in crime? 3. Discuss Freud’s personality elements (id, ego, and superego). How might each of these elements produce criminal behavior? 4. What is […]

Order Emile Durkheim and Crime Assignment Understand the meaning of a “structural” explanation of crime. Pg. 118 Recognize the contributions of Emile Durkheim and how his work connects to modern criminological theory. Pgs. 118—119 Know the central themes captured by the Chicago School and social disorganization theory. Pgs. 120—122 Understand the anomie/strain tradition, including the work of Robert K. Merton and subsequent revisions of his […]

Order Social Structure and Crime Assignment 1. Use Merton’s anomie theory to explain the rise of a gangster such as Al Capone. In your own words, describe the societal pressures that might have been operating at that time and what means of adaptation that gangsters might have used. 2. Some theorists claim that juvenile gangs are subcultures. What evidence would you cite to support such […]

Differential Association and Social Learning Theory Assignment Understand the nature of process theories of crime, including the important institutions within these theories and the role of socialization. Pgs. 144–145 Explain the history and major concepts within the differential association/social learning perspective. Pgs. 145–148 Identify what makes control theories different from other explanations of crime. Pg. 158 List the types of informal control and explain how […]