chap 3-5

Question 1

Rational choice/ choice theory

Answer 1

Assumes that people have “free will” to choose their behavior

Question 2

Delinquent motives include

Answer 2

Economic need/opportunity
Problem solving
False expectations
Opportunity

Question 3

many youths from ____families choose to break the law

Answer 3

affluent

Question 4

Routine Activities Theory 3 variables

Answer 4

The availability of suitable targets
The absence of capable guardians
The presence of motivated offenders

Question 5

reducing delinquency points

Answer 5

Potential offenders are carefully guarded/monitored
The means to commit crime are controlled

Question 6

Criminal atavism

Answer 6

Idea that delinquents manifest physical anomalies that make them biologically and psychologically similar to our primitive ancestors

Question 7

Biosocial theory

Answer 7

association between biological makeup, environmental conditions, and antisocial behaviors

Question 8

Neurological dysfunction

Answer 8

associated with antisocial behavior.
adhd, learning disabilities, arousal theory.

Question 9

Genetic Influences

Answer 9

Assumes that:
Antisocial behavior is inherited
The genetic makeup of parent is passed on to children

Question 10

Three psychological perspectives

Answer 10

Psychodynamic theory
Behavioral theory
Cognitive theory

Question 11

Psychodynamic theory

Answer 11

holds that the human personality is controlled by unconscious mental processes.
Originated by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

Question 12

Behavioral theory

Answer 12

Argument that personality is learned throughout life during interactions with others.

Kids learn through reward and punishment

Question 13

Cognitive theory

Answer 13

Studies the perception of reality and the mental processes required to understand the world we live in

Question 14

Psychopathic personality

Answer 14

A person lacking in warmth, exhibiting inappropriate behavior responses, and unable to learn from experience.

Defined by persistent violations of social norms

Question 15

What are the social factors believed to cause or affect delinquent behaviors?

Answer 15

Interpersonal interactions, Social conditions, Poverty, Racial disparity

Question 16

Three main sociological theoretical groups:

Answer 16

Social structure theories/process theories
Critical theories

Question 17

Oscar Louis (1966)

Answer 17

coined the phrase “culture of poverty”

Question 18

William Julius Wilson

Answer 18

created the “truly disadvantaged”. The impoverished are deprived of a standard of living enjoyed by the other citizens, iving in deteriorated inner cities

Question 19

The theories tie delinquency rates to:

Answer 19

Socioeconomic conditions
e.g., poverty, neighborhood deterioration
Cultural values
e.g., gang culture

Question 20

social structure theories include:

Answer 20

Social disorganization
Anomie/strain
Cultural deviance

Question 21

Strain

Answer 21

A condition caused by the failure to achieve one’s social goals

Question 22

Anomie

Answer 22

Robert Merton (1910-2003)
A lack of norms or clear social standards

Question 23

Sources of strain

Answer 23

Failure to achieve positively valued goals
Removal of positively valued stimuli
Presentation of negative stimuli

Question 24

Sociologists argue that the root cause of delinquency may be traced to

Answer 24

learning delinquent attitudes from peers, experiencing conflict in the home, etc.

Question 25

Four main elements of delinquency

Answer 25

Attachment Commitment Belief Involvement

Question 26

Critical Theory

Answer 26

believes/states Society is in a constant state of internal conflict. Those in power use the justice system to maintain their status while keeping others subservient

Question 27

Social process theories

Answer 27

states Delinquency can be prevented by strengthening the socialization process | e.g., Boys and Girls Clubs

Question 28

Social structure theories

Answer 28

Social programs have been designed to reduce/ eliminate delinquency | e.g., Operation Weed and Seed

Question 29

The Life Course View

Answer 29

Children as young as toddlers begin relationships and behaviors that will determine their entire life course | developmental theory

Question 30

most important factor to delinquency

Answer 30

family relationships Others include physical and mental factors such as intelligence, mental disease, and physique

Question 31

Life course concepts

Answer 31

Age of onset Problem behavior syndrome Continuity of crime and delinquency

Question 32

Continuity of Crime and Delinquency

Answer 32

kids who become persist offenders engage in more aggressive acts, and are continually involved in theft offenses and violent offenses | The best predictor of future criminality is past criminality

Question 33

Age-Graded theory

Answer 33

Age-graded theory was first expressed in “Crime in the Making,” by Sampson and Laub. places a lot of emphasis on the stability brought about by romantic relationships

Question 34

Social Capital

Answer 34

Positive relations with individuals and institutions that support conventional behavior and inhibit deviant behavior ## Footnote Losing or wasting social capital increases the likelihood of getting involved in delinquency

Question 35

Michael & Travis Hirschi

Answer 35

Integrates control with biosocial, psychological, routine activities, and rational choice theories

Question 36

Life-course persistent offenders:

Answer 36

Delinquents who begin their offending career at a very early age and continue to offend well into adulthood

Question 37

Adolescent-limited offenders:

Answer 37

Those who get into minor scrapes as youth but whose misbehavior ends when they enter adulthood

Question 38

Abstainers

Answer 38

Social introverts whose unpopularity shields them from group pressure to commit delinquent acts

Question 39

Across Ages

Answer 39

Unique and highly effective drug intervention program that pairs older adult mentors (age 55 and above) with young adolescents, mainly those entering middle school (ages 9 to 13)

Question 40

Psychodynamic theory suggests that

Answer 40

imbalanced personality traits, caused by early childhood long-term psychological difficulties

Question 41

overt pathway

Answer 41

path consisting of aggression, fighting, and violence.

Question 42

covert path

Answer 42

consisting of minor behaviors. property damage, and moderate to serious forms of delinquency

Question 43

authority conflict pathway

Answer 43

consisting in sequence of stubborn behavior, defiance, and authority avoidance

Question 44

Social disorganization states

Answer 44

a person's physical and social environments are responsible for the behavioral choices

Question 45

Social control

Answer 45

The ability of an organized community to regulate itself via formal/informal social control

Question 46

Situational crime prevention

Answer 46

To reduce delinquency, crime control must recognize the characteristics of sites and situations that are at risk to crime