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Qualifying Exam - Crim Theory > Keywords > Flashcards

Keywords Flashcards

1
Q

What philosophy is behind the classical school of thought?

A

The concept of free will and that behavior was guided by hedonism. The weighing of pleasure v. pain.

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2
Q

What are the ideas behind the positivist school?

A

Focuses on multiple factors and the use of empirical research to support their theories

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3
Q

What is the most significant difference between the classical school and the positivist school?

A

Empirical facts are used to confirm the idea that crime was determined by multiple factors.

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4
Q

What is phrenology?

A

The idea that the shape of an individual’s head could explain his or her personal characteristics.

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5
Q

What did Ferri say about criminology?

A

He expanded positivism by focusing on factors like social, economic and political factors.

He argued that criminality could be explained by studying the interactive effects among physical factors (race, geography, temperature), individual factors (age, gender, psychological variables) and social factors (population, religion, culture).

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6
Q

What is fascism?

A

An authoritarian an nationalistic right-wing system of government - think dictatorship.

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7
Q

What is social Darwinism?

A

The same idea that falls under natural selection. The weak will stay weak and the strong will have influence over the weak. “The strong will survive”

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8
Q

What are “natural crimes?”

A

Crimes that have to be crimes - society demands it and it must be punished.

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9
Q

What is lascivious?

A

People with offensive sexual desire.

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10
Q

What are eugenics?

A

The idea that there must be a super race. You wipe out all people who weaken the society and only breed people who are superior.

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11
Q

What is an endomorphic body type?

A

Tend to be soft, fat people.

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12
Q

What is an mesomorphic body type?

A

Has a muscular and athletic build.

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13
Q

What is an ectomorphic body type?

A

Had a skinny, flat, and fragile physique.

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14
Q

What is the “psychogenic” school of thought?

A

Explained crime by focusing attention on the personality and how it (the personality) was produced.

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15
Q

How did the biological theory view social welfare?

A

Social welfare would perpetuate the survival of people who were negligent, shiftless, silly or immoral - while retarding individual and national economic development.

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16
Q

What is a “miscegenation” law?

A

Whites could not marry blacks.

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17
Q

How did early theories differ from the ideas of the Chicago school?

A

Early theories focused on biosocial theories, theories of the mind and soul. The Chicago school focused on the societal influences that create the criminal.

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18
Q

What is pathology?

A

The mental, social or linguistic abnormality or malfunction.

Or the path that causes crime.

Not sure.

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19
Q

What is etiology?

A

The investigation or attribution of the cause or reason for something.

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20
Q

What is the “age of reform”?

A

Progressives creating policies and practices that were intended to allow the state to treat the individual needs and problems of offenders.

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21
Q

What are examples of policy changes in the “age of reform”?

A
  • Juvenile Courts
  • Community supervision through probation and parole
  • Indeterminate sentences
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22
Q

Define affluent

A

Wealthy

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23
Q

Define transiency

A

Moving in and out; not staying in one place.

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24
Q

What is heterogeneity?

A

A mixture of different ethnic and racial groups.

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25
Q

What is homogeneity?

A

A singular or non-multicultural group. Single races, single cultures.

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26
Q

What is collective efficacy?

A

Social cohesion among neighbors combined with their willingness to intervene on behalf of the common good (Sampson et al., 1997).

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27
Q

What is “active informal social control”? How does active informal control work?

A

The idea that community residents will be proactive when they see “bad”(wayward) behavior. The likelihood of “active informal social control” working is based on whether here is “mutual trust & solidarity among neighbors.” Ex: when they see something bad happening they step in to stop it - telling kids to quiet down.

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28
Q

What is the most important feature of the classical school of thought?

A

It is the emphasis on the individual criminal as a person who is capable of calculating what he or she wants to do.

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29
Q

What is causality?

A

This idea is more used in the hard sciences. However, when applicable to social science - it asks the question; does the appearance of X cause a change in Y? X should always be the cause of Y.

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30
Q

What is empirical validity?

A

This is the most important factoring when evaluating a theory and means that the theory is supported by researched evidence.

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31
Q

What is internal logic consistency?

A

A theory should be presented in a logical manner and have clear propositions that do not contradict one another. “Does this theory make logical and consistent sense?

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32
Q

Absolute Deterrence

A

Refers to the amount of crime that has been prevented simply because a formal system is in place so the individual can be legally punished for the crime.

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33
Q

Certainty

A

One of the three elements in the deterrence theory. Certainty refers to how likely it is that an individual will be caught and punished for a crime. This is the most important aspect of the theory.

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34
Q

Crime Prevention through Enviromental Design (CPTED)

A

The practice thats designed to make potential targets of crime less attractive. The belief is that crime is a rational choice so by making the target less attractive it no longer serves as a rational target.

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35
Q

Expected Utility Principle

A

This theory states people act in a manner that increase their benefits and reduces their losses. This is similar to the classical school though and much like the rational choice theory - where people seek to increase their pleasure and reduce their pain.

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36
Q

General Deterrence

A

The idea that a community or society can be deterred from engaging in crime after they have seen the punishment for committing the same act

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37
Q

Perceptual Deterrence

A

This concept applies to the individual offender and refers to what they believe is the likelihood to be arrest and how severe they think the punishment will be. The perception of punishment is often very different than the experience.

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38
Q

Severity

A

One of the three elements of the deterrence theory. Severity refers to how harsh the punishment for a crime will be. In classical criminology it is important to remember that a punishment must fit the crime. If the punishment is not severe enough it will not deter crime. If it is too severe, it is unjust and leads to more crime.

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39
Q

Specific Deterrence

A

The style of deterrence is used with a specific offender in mind – the belief is if the offender is punished for a specific act, then that individual will not want to experience the punishment again; thus less likely to violate the law.

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40
Q

Adoption Studies

A

Studies where one child is reared by their biological parents while a sibling or twin is reared by adoptive parents to determine if there is a biological link to crime – results have been mixed.

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41
Q

Atavism

A

Part of Lombroso’s theory, where the individual is born criminal. The idea that they are from a more primitive time.

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42
Q

Biological School

A

A school of thought, also referred to as biological positivism. Claims criminal behavior is the result of biological or born abnormalities. These view directly conflicts with the classical criminology. Thus, biological theories say there is little value to deterrence theory.

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43
Q

Biosocial Theories

A

Theories that incorporate biology, behavior and the environment.

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44
Q

California Psychological Inventory (CPI)

A

A test designed to measure personality traits like, dominance, tolerance, and sociability.

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45
Q

Psychopath Checklist (PCL-R)

A

Developed by Hare, a checklist that measures the feeling and relationships of an individual, along with the social deviance of an individual. Main tool for the measure of psychopathic personality.

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46
Q

What are the three components of the Freudian personality development?

A

Superego: the part of the personality that contains the conscience of the individual. Id: basic instincts, sex, food, water, pleasure. Ego: the rational part of the personality that keeps the Id in check.

47
Q

Freudian Concept

A

Focuses on early childhood development. Claims criminal activity is the result of the conflict between the id, ego, and superego, which can be traced back to conflict in early childhood.

48
Q

What are the four concepts of Akers social learning theory?

A

Definitions, Imitation, Differential Reinforcement, and Differential Association.

49
Q

Definitions

A

The process, through which an individual rationalizes, evaluates and assigns right and wrong. Definitions of the law may be general or specific. A person may generally believe that the law should be followed but specifically, a 20 year old who fights a war should be able to have a beer.

50
Q

Imitation

A

Behavior modeled by others for an individual may be copied. Impressions of the modeling individual and the risks/rewards will factor into the imitation decision.

51
Q

Differential Reinforcement

A

The potential rewards and punishments for committing a crime. This process includes previous rewards and punishments.

52
Q

Differential Association

A

A theory of crime and delinquency developed by Sutherland – social learning theory that is presented in nine steps. Criminality is the result of engaging in inappropriate behaviors exhibited by those with whom we interact. This is also one of the main concepts for Akers’ social learning theory.

53
Q

Neutralizing Defintions

A

This type of definition helps a person justify committing a crime by making it seem that although the act itself is wrong it is okay in some circumstances.

54
Q

Retroflexive Reformation

A

The process that is based on differential association and often takes place in a group setting with both offenders and non-offenders. The concept suggests that by placing offenders in groups with non-offenders some will join the non-offenders and change their definitions that are favorable to law violations.

55
Q

External Control

A

A concept in control theory in which agents outside the control of the individual are responsible for keeping the individual from committing crime. These agents include, parents, teachers, and police.

56
Q

Internal Control

A

A concept in control theory that explains why a person will not commit a criminal act because of internally monitoring and controlling his or her own behavior. This includes feelings of guilt and not wanting to disappoint others.

57
Q

Social Control

A

Under a control theory perspective, social control refers to those elements that keep an individual from committing a criminal or deviant act. Examples, family, church, school.

58
Q

Decriminalization

A

Removing of status offenders from the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system.

59
Q

Deinstitutionalization

A

The removal of juveniles from jails, detention centers, and institutions. Removing juveniles from these facilities and when possible removing status and minor offenders from the juvenile justice system as a whole. It is the most basic type of diversion.

60
Q

Disintegrative Shaming

A

The process, by which an individual is punished, labels and made to feel shame for committing a deviant act in a manner that degrades and devalues the individual. This occurs without an attempt after the offenders have been punished to reconcile them with or restore them to the larger community.

61
Q

Diversion Movement

A

Refers to the effects that are made to divert individuals (adults and juveniles) who are suspected or charged with minor offenses from the full and formal process of the criminal justice system. This is thought to avoid labeling and shaming the individual as well as avoiding the costs of formal processing of the crime.

62
Q

Faith-Based movement

A

Religiously based programs which can be operated within the institution or the larger community. They can be run by inmates or religious leaders and use spiritual beliefs and values to change offenders’ attitudes and behaviors.

63
Q

Net-Widening

A

A problem that occurs when offenders who have been released from the system are placed in a program simply because the program exists. This often occurs in diversion programs. Boot-camps may be a viable option to keep kids out of the justice system but it becomes net-widening when the kids would have otherwise been sent home if there wasn’t a boot-camp option.

64
Q

Pre-Trial Intervention or Delayed Adjudication

A

Programs for first-time, nonviolent adult offenders that agree to specific conditions to avoid trial or sentencing altogether.

65
Q

Primary Deviance

A

Deviant acts that are committed in the absence of or preceding the application of a deviant label. These deviant acts are not based on the response to being labeled because there is no label, yet. Ex: Nicole takes candy from a store as a young girl – she was taught not to steal and this was a deviation from her normal behavior. She never stole again – this is primary deviance.

66
Q

Secondary Deviance

A

Criminal or deviant acts that are committed in response or because of the label that has been placed on the individual. Ex: Nicole begins drinking early in high school and doing drugs, even though she was taught not to. After being caught underage drinking she is label a druggie and alcoholic; Nicole continues to drink and do drugs because she is known for it – this is secondary deviance.

67
Q

Radical Non-Intervention

A

The belief that it is better to simply tolerate minor offenses rather than risk labeling the offender.

68
Q

Reintegrative Shaming

A

The process by which an individual is punished, labeled and made to feel shame but done in a way that the individual who is shamed is brought back into the larger community and restored to a position of respectability.

69
Q

Restorative Justice

A

Refers to programs that are designed to make offenders take responsibility for their actions and restore them and their victims, as much as possible, back to things as they existed before the offense. Often offenders will apologize to the victims and to the community, and attempt to financially compensate the victims for their losses.

70
Q

Chicago Area Projects (CAP)

A

The first large scale urban delinquency prevention program. Started by Shaw and McKay in 1930s – used social disorganization theory as the core of the program.

71
Q

Collective Efficacy

A

Refers to the actual or perceived ability of the residents of a given neighborhood to maintain informal social control over the criminal or deviant behavior of other residents. Collective efficacy lowers crime rates when the neighborhood is cohesive and able to maintain social control.

72
Q

Concentrated disadvantage

A

Looks at a variety of factors including percent of families below the poverty level, percent of female headed households, the percent of families on welfare, percent black, percent unemployed and percent under 18.

73
Q

Social capital

A

Refers to the investment in the community and looks at things like club and organization membership, volunteer activities, political activities and general community engagement.

74
Q

social disorganization

A

The breakdown in traditional social control and organization in the society, community neighborhood or family so deviant and criminal activity result. Most often applied to urban crime.

75
Q

anomie

A

A state of normlessness or norm confusion within a society. The term was coined by Durkheim to explain suicide in French society and later applied by Merton and others to other forms of deviance and anomie.

76
Q

aspirations and expectations

A

This refers to anomie strain theory. Aspirations refer to what one hopes to achieve in life and expectations refer to what the individual believes is realistic. The greater the difference between aspirations and expectations, the more likely strain becomes.

77
Q

decommodification

A

The belief that a government can provide social welfare programs to protect vulnerable members of society from market forces.

78
Q

focal concerns of the lower-class culture

A

A list of focal concerns or values believed to be prevalent among lower-class males was developed by Miller to describe the behavior of street corner gangs. According to Miller, the behavior of these juveniles was an adaptation to lower-class culture. This culture valued things such as: trouble, toughness, smartness, excitement, fatalism, and autonomy.

79
Q

political crimes

A

Crimes committed by radical groups to overthrow a government or overturn a government action, or crimes committed by government officials to control groups seen as a threat. Which side in any given conflict is labeled radical depends upon which side one supports and which side wins the dispute.

80
Q

pluralistic conflict

A

A type of conflict perspective which emphasizes that instead of one centralized, all-powerful group making the rules, there are several power groups, both formal and informal and often with overlapping interests, that wrestle for control and power.

81
Q

racial profiling

A

Actions taken by the police based soley on the race of an individual.

82
Q

Explain informal social control and formal control

A

Informal social control is exhibited by the family, church and school; whereas, formal social control is exhibited by the police and the courts

83
Q

social threat hypothesis

A

This hypothesis states that criminal and deviant acts will increase as the number of people opposed to the interests of the more powerful increases.

84
Q

socialization

A

A process of learning and teaching expected normal and values of a society. This teaching and learning is reinforced through positive and negative social sanctions.

85
Q

bourgeois

A

Those with the power in a capitalist system.

86
Q

crimes of accommodation and resistances

A

Crimes committed by the lower class against the upper class, or the capitalist society.

87
Q

instrumental marxism

A

The political state (including the law and the criminal justice system) is always and only a tool of the capitalist class to oppress the working class.

88
Q

Proletariat

A

The working class or laborers in a capitalist society – those with no power

89
Q

socialism

A

A system of economic organization in which the means of productions are held by the state for the benefit of all.

90
Q

structuralist marxism

A

Similar to instrumental Marxism but this perspective states that the political state is not under the total control of the ruling elite; that from time to time, laws may be passed that harm the ruling elite and that their members, on occasion, may be subject to state control.

91
Q

Constitutive Criminology

A

A variation of critical criminology, which recommends that we search for the cause of criminal activity. It examines how the relationships between criminals, victims, and agents of control act to form our understanding of criminology.

92
Q

Critical Criminology

A

An extension of Marxist theory that goes beyond the examination of the effect of capitalism on crime. It takes a critical stance against mainstream criminology.

93
Q

Cultural Criminology

A

Looks at all of the cultural forces in and around the crime, the offender, and the criminal justice system.

94
Q

Hegemony

A

A perspective that seeks modern scientific thought and testable explanations for the causes of crime. The postmodern movement wants to replace this view with a linguistically based non-scientific approach that recognizes disadvantaged people in society

95
Q

Chivalry Hypothesis

A

The view that male police officers, judges and prosecutors are more lenient on female offenders between of their tradition views of women and girls.

96
Q

Economic Marginalization Hypothesis

A

The belief that economic pressure put on women to support themselves and their dependent children, along with the stepping back of men as the financial support has lead women to commit crime for financial gain.

97
Q

Gendered Pathways Approach

A

A descriptive approach that gives voice to and acknowledges the physical and sexual abuse common to many female offenders.

98
Q

Gendered Context Approach

A

This approach examines the different opportunities males and females have to commit criminal acts, and how males and females respond differently to similar situations and events.

99
Q

Paternalism

A

This view claims that men act in a manner that is designed to keep women and girls in a subservient position in society. While women and girls may be treated less severely as indicated under the chivalry hypothesis, they may also be treated more harshly in an attempt to keep them from achieving equality with men.

100
Q

Patriarchal Family

A

Part of Hagan’s power control theory. In a patriarchal family, the father is typical in command of the workplace and family. Mothers are more likely to supervise daughters more closely than sons and encourage more risk taking in boys.

101
Q

Patriarchy

A

A manner of societal organization where the rights and privileges of men are more important and trump the rights and privileges of women.

102
Q

Selectivity Hypothesis

A

The belief that chivalry in the CJ system (leniency) is only extended to white, middle-class, privileged women.

103
Q

Transinstitutionalization

A

A process where status offenders are being placed into private residential psychiatric facilities by their families as opposed to the CJS. Most of the time, the juvenile justice system would not have made this recommendation.

104
Q

Typicality Hypothesis

A

The belief that chivalry in the CJS (leniency) is extended primarily to women who commit crimes consistent with the stereotypical view of women, and to women who can still be viewed as “feminine.”

105
Q

Conceptual Absorption

A

Concepts from one theory are subsumed as special cases of the phenomena defined by the concepts of another theory.

106
Q

Conceptual Integration

A

Concepts from one theory are shown to overlap in meaning with concepts from another theory.

107
Q

Network Analysis

A

An explanation of delinquency that draws on social learning and social bond theories. It connect the structural characterizes of social networks and interactional processes.

108
Q

Population Heterogeneity

A

Refers to the stability in criminal behavior when compared to others over the life course.

109
Q

Propositional Integration

A

Explains how two or more theories make the same predications about crime or make propositions that can be put together, even though each may begin with different concepts and assumptions.

110
Q

Social Support

A

Social integration in a group relationship in which emotional, material and social assistance is provided to each group member.

111
Q

State Dependence

A

Changes in criminality over the course of one’s life are dependent on the occurrence, or lack of occurrence, of a variety of other factors.

112
Q

Theoretical Integration

A

Occurs when two or more theories are combined in such a manner so as to make the new theory explain criminal activity in a more comprehensive manner. It can also be used to combine two competing theories which, upon reflection, were not as incompatible as once thought.

113
Q

Theory Competition

A

Logical, conceptual, or empirical comparison of two or more theories to determine which offers the better or best explanation.

114
Q

What are the three types of offenders identified by Lombroso?

A

Insane Criminal – Includes idiotic, imbeciles, psychotics and mentally unstable. Unable to control their actions, however; do not possess the stigmata or identifying characteristics of the born criminal. Born Criminal – The most dangerous type, identified though the stigmata (humilations) or identifying characteristics. Criminaloid – Motivated by passion and will commit crime under the proper circumstances.

Qualifying Exam - Crim Theory (3 decks)

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