Criminology Mid-Term

Mateo is a policeman speaking at a retirement community lunch. He is discussing crime prevention and giving residents tips on how to keep themselves safe. Mateo notes that many crimes in the area are not assaults but tend to be larcenies. Thinking of the statistics, what tip will Mateo MOST likely stress to the retired residents?

don't leave valuables in their cars

Matt has been a runner for several years but has never participated in a marathon. He decides to make that his goal, training hard to ready himself. Matt isn't interested in where he places in the race, just that he is able to accomplish his goal. According to Freud's theories, what part of Matt's personality is behind this self-improvement?

ego

In a story of a small village, one of the characters is described as a round, bubbly woman who bakes treats for all the children. What somatotype would this character be?

enomorph

Investigators discover that the death of Lila's husband was not an accident, as she claimed. The coroner examined his body to find that he had been systematically fed a poison in his food, to the point that it built up in his system and killed him. Lila cashed in a $2 million life insurance policy soon after her husband's death and moved in with her new boyfriend. Evidence shows that Lila was the one who gave her husband the poison. What charge would Lila MOST likely face?

first-degree murder

Camila is discussing pet peeves with her classmates. She says one of her biggest pet peeves is when a person speaks with their mouth full of food. What would this be an example of?

folkway

Who MOST likely carried out the Gardner Museum heist, in which $500 million in art was stolen and none has been recovered?

professional thieves

For his entire life, Xander has lived hand to mouth. He works hard at a factory job six days a week. This barely covers the expenses of giving his family a place to live and food to eat. Xander does not think about retirement because he knows it will be impossible for him. Still, he goes to work every day to help his family survive. According to Merton's strain theory, what reaction is Xander having to this difficult situation?

ritualism

What important group of people might NOT be included in the National Crime Victimization Survey?

runaways or homeless

Josiah is a very likeable person but has been in and out of trouble his whole life. He began drinking and taking drugs in high school. His parents sent him to a rehab clinic to break the addictions. Josiah did well for a while but then got caught up with some friends who were planning to break into a pharmacy to steal drugs. Josiah didn't want to go along with it but the idea of getting a large supply of painkillers was just too tempting. After the robbery, Josiah is arrested. His lawyer says that Josiah does know what is right and wrong, but he just can't stop himself from doing things that are bad. What crime theory is Josiah's lawyer using to explain his actions?

self-control theory

Police are investigating the murder of a young woman who was running in a park early in the morning. Once they enter information about the crime into the database, they find that there have been at least six similar murders in the area. The details of the crime indicate that the murders were all carried out by the same person. Of what kind of crime is this an example?

serial murder

Late at night at a popular restaurant, two men begin to argue about their favorite sports team. The argument escalates and a fight breaks out. The owner tells the men to take it outside. The men continue to brawl until one pulls out a knife, stabbing the other. The stabbing victim is hospitalized, while the other man is arrested. He is charged with aggravated assault, with his knife taken into evidence. When he is brought before the judge, he is informed that the charge has been amended from aggravated assault to murder. What MOST likely happened?

the stabbing victim has passed away

At one point, Albert Einstein believed that the universe was static, or stationary. He came to this conclusion by extending what he had already figured out about relativity to apply to the entire universe. Since then, Edwin Hubble uncovered facts that proved the universe to be constantly expanding. What was Einstein's belief in a static universe an example of?

theory

Anna is working as a teller at a bank. She asks the next customer to step up to her window. The man hands her a note instructing her to give him all the cash in her drawer. His note says that he has a gun and is prepared to use it. Anna nervously gives the man cash, while tripping an alarm alerting police. As the man prepares to leave the bank, police surround him and arrest him. With what type of crime will he MOST likely be charged?

third-degree armed robbery

Statistics on arson are limited in the sense that only fires classified as arson are reported to agencies like the FBI.

True

Some statistics show that a boy who watches his father hit his mother is more likely to hit his own spouse when he grows up. Which criminologist from history would MOST likely agree with this data?

Albert Bandura

Crime and deviance refer to the same actions and behaviors.

False

Shoplifting accounts for more business loss than employee theft.

False

Which would be an example of primary deviance?

a usually calm football player who hits another player in a moment of anger

Taking something that does not belong to you becomes a crime when there is a _____ against it

law

Damian and Hunter are college roommates from very different walks of life. Damian was raised in a poverty-stricken city by a single mom. Hunter is the son of a small-town doctor and his socialite wife. Regardless, they get along well. Over time, they become known around campus as a good source for illegal drugs. For several years, Damian and Hunter run their business successfully. When the police finally catch up with them, they are both arrested. Following the theory of radical criminology, what is MOST likely going to happen to the two men?

Damian will get a harder sentence because of his background.

Which criminologist from history is MOST likely to agree with this statement: It doesn't matter if you raise a child correctly; if they are born without the ability to understand how others feel, they will end up as psychopaths.

Hans Eysenck

Jamilla is doing a report concerning the treatment of Muslims in her state. She wants to determine if the historical events in the last 20 years have had any bearing on the way people treat Muslims. What FBI report would be MOST useful to Jamilla for her research?

Hate Crime Studies

Ian lives in a poor inner-city neighborhood known for criminal activity. Because of this, few of the residents want to get involved in reporting a crime. Ian learns from his friends how to break into cars. Since few people will report the crime and there are plenty of cars on the street, Ian and his friends become experts at stealing stereos and other valuables out of locked vehicles. According to differential opportunity theory, what might Ian have been like if he grew up on a farm instead?

He would not have ended up breaking into vehicles.

How prevalent are crimes committed by people who have an overabundance of testosterone coupled with low levels of serotonin?

Relatively common because high testosterone levels can sometimes lead to aggressive behavior.

What is the MOST likely reason that thieves in the Brazilian bank heist decided to dig a tunnel to get to the vault?

The bank had security around its entrances

A young student is caught cheating on a test. They are usually an honest person but did not understand the subject matter well and was sure that they would fail. Their teacher asks the principal to think of an appropriate consequence without putting a mark on the student's permanent record. The teacher believes the same philosophy as that of Howard Becker. What is MOST likely reason the teacher has for wanting to keep a mark off the student's record?

The teacher believes that the student might cheat again if they are labeled a cheater.

Police officers raided the site of an illegal card game. Among those participating were a famous singer and a local politician. According to the theory of radical criminology, what will MOST likely happen to these two suspects?

They will be let off with a warning because they are viewed as upstanding citizens.

Although most of Gall's theories have been debunked, he was the first to connect a person's personality with their brain instead of their heart, kidney, or other body part.

True

Secondary deviance is continued deviance.

True

The substantial-capacity test states that an individual should have the mental capacity to understand that an act is wrong or conform their behavior to the law.

True

Getting ready for his semester studying abroad in Singapore, Brayden buys a pack of gum to help pop his ears on the flight. When he lands in Singapore and goes through customs, he is advised that he must throw away the gum or be at risk of committing a crime. Why would Brayden want to throw away the gum, even though he just purchased it?

While gum is not illegal in many places, it is against the law in Singapore.

Brielle is studying environmental criminology. What question would Brielle MOST likely be assigned to research?

Why do some neighborhoods have reputations for crime?

Landon was involved in a fight outside his apartment building. Several men were standing around discussing a soccer team when an argument broke out. Tempers flared and Landon punched another one of the men in the face, breaking his jaw. He says that he didn't mean to, that he was just defending himself. Landon has been charged with assault. What is the phrase that describes the charge?

actus reas

After swerving in and out of traffic, a truck pulls over into a parking lot. Another truck that has been following closely pulls off as well. The first driver gets out, with a baseball bat in his hand, and approaches the other truck. When the driver of the other truck gets out to yell at the first driver, he is hit with the baseball bat. The injured driver sustains a broken arm. What charges would MOST likely be filed against the driver with the baseball bat?

aggravated assault

Liam and Sean wait until it is dark to sneak into a large house at the end of the street. They noticed earlier in the day that the garage door was left open when the owners drove off. Entering through the garage, Sean turns the doorknob into the house. The door opens easily, and the young men quickly split up, looking for valuables. They do not stay in the house long but manage to leave with several video game consoles, a few high-tech toys, and some jewelry. When investigators catch up to them, what crime will they MOST likely be charged with?

burglary

Consistently throughout her teenage years, Arianna has read reports that college graduates are having a hard time finding jobs in the field of their chosen degree. Many college graduates end up working for minimum wage at jobs that they are overqualified for. Still, Arianna studies hard in school and applies for a student loan to attend college. According to Merton's strain theory, what reaction is Arianna having to this difficult situation?

conformity

How would a jury determine that a person had no control of themselves when they committed a crime?

consider the results of an irresistible-impulse test

The ancient Greeks believed that if a person was deformed on the outside, they must also have a deformed mind. This meant that they might do something wrong or commit a crime. What is this belief an example of?

craniology

Elena has been hired by the mayor of a busy city to evaluate the latest crime statistics. He tells Elena that the city has seen a rise in violent crime, and he would like to know if there is a reason or pattern to it. What title would MOST likely describe Elena's profession?

criminologist

After handling the accounts for a large restaurant for many years, it is discovered that Quinn has slowly embezzled $300,000 into her own account. Quinn says that she is a decent person but that she had fallen into difficult circumstances and was on the verge of losing her home. She had access to the restaurant's cash, which she used to make up the shortfall in her own account. What criminal theory does Quinn's behavior fall under?

differential opportunity theory

When on trial for crimes committed in the German concentration camps during the Holocaust, many soldiers who carried out the atrocities claimed that they were following orders from their superiors. What kind of motive is this an example of?

duress

Griffin studies people who have committed crimes. He is especially interested in their mental state, before and after the crime has been committed. Griffin believes that the motive behind most violent crimes has to do with mental illness or difficulty. What study is Griffin involved in?

forensic psychology

After running a successful business for many years, the IRS filed suit against Matt. They accused him of committing tax fraud because he was not collecting sales tax from his customers. Matt had always meticulously kept records on his income and paid taxes based on that, but he was not aware that he should also be collecting sales tax. Either way, the IRS said that Matt had committed a crime. What motive would Matt MOST likely offer to explain his actions?

ignorance

Growing up, Mike watched his dad struggle to put food on the table. He feels that there is no point in working hard at a regular job when you can never get ahead. Mike has figured out how to clone and sell credit card numbers. He is making more money doing that than his dad ever could working at a store! According to strain theory, what reaction is Mike having to the situation he finds himself in?

innovation

All his life, Kayden was told he would never amount to anything. His mother told him that he was destined to become just like his father, who was unemployed and an alcoholic. Teachers did not see Kayden putting any effort into his assignments and told him that he should prepare to work at dead end jobs because there was no way he was going to college. Kayden didn't put effort into his school because he figured they were right. He dropped out of school, along with a few other local boys. His friends knew how to get alcohol, even though they were underaged, so Kayden would spend his days drinking and hanging out. Before he knew it, he was 25, unemployed, and relying on alcohol to get through his days. What explanation would Howard Becker MOST likely offer for Kayden's path?

labeling theory

During a time of social upheaval, criminologists believe that some people who would normally be law-abiding citizens commit crimes. Given the feelings of desperation that these large events often bring on, what crime would a normally law-abiding person MOST likely commit?

looting

Ever since he was young, Kai was fascinated with fires. He loved to play with matches, eventually using kerosene or gasoline to create bigger fires. When Kai visits the library, all he can think about is how quickly the paper would go up in flames. He waits until it is after hours and throws a wadded-up cloth soaked with kerosene through one of the windows. Kai watches from the shadows as the building quickly goes up in flames. Firefighters arrive on the scene to put out the fire. Kai continues to watch as an ambulance pulls up and wonders if one of the firefighters has gotten a little to close to his flames. As Kai watches, firefighters bring out a body on a stretcher. Evidently someone was inside the library when the fire erupted and did not survive. When investigators track down Kai for starting the fire, what charge besides arson will he MOST likely face?

manslaughter

When a defendant is accused of breaking the law, prosecutors must prove that he had criminal intent. What Latin phrase describes criminal intent?

mens rea

After a popular movie came out showing a bullied high school student exacting bloody revenge on her tormentors, cases of violence in high schools around the country rose. Some said that it was because students were imitating the actions they saw in the movie. What crime theory is this an example of?

modeling theory

On her way to work, Ivy notices a toddler who is playing in a yard all alone. The toddler is getting close to the road. Ivy is obviously not the toddler's parent but worries that the child might wander into the road and be hurt. She stops and knocks on the front door. The woman at the door is so thankful that Ivy stopped because she didn't realize her little son was even outside. Ivy explains that she didn't want to be nosy, but she just felt compelled to make sure the toddler was safe. What is Ivy's action an example of?

more

No one in a large paper company enjoys visiting the supply room. It is because Adeline oversees the supply room. She tends to be moody and even those who are usually good at making friends have a hard time breaking the ice with her. Sometimes Adeline gives off the impression that everyone is out to get her, although no one has any intention of threatening her job. Using the theories of Hans Eysenck, what kind of personality type does Adeline have?

neuroticism

Rhea works at a municipal center. She is sitting at her desk when a man comes in. Rhea does not know the man. He is upset with the owners of the building and opens fire, killing several of the city employees, including Rhea. This is an example of what type of crime?

non primary homicide

Walking down a city street in the early hours of the morning, Josh is bumped by a man coming the other way. He almost loses his footing but keeps walking without stumbling. Patting his back pocket, Josh realizes that his wallet is gone. He believes that the man took it when he purposefully bumped into Josh. Of what kind of crime has Josh MOST likely become a victim?

personal robbery

When the factories in Brian's city closed, people quickly found that they could no longer afford their homes. Many homes were abandoned, soon to be taken over by those who were engaging in criminal activity. Because there were fewer taxpayers, the city could no longer afford a large police force. This meant that if a crime was being committed, a person may have to wait a substantial amount of time before law enforcement arrived. People eventually stopped calling the police. Crime seemed to flourish. What happened in Brian's neighborhood is MOST closely aligned to which crime theory?

social disorganization theory

While grocery shopping, Hunter sees a bag of potato chips in another customer's shopping cart. It is a new flavor that he has never tried before. What action of Hunter's would be the BEST an example of a norm?

telling the other customer, "That looks good! I might try them too"

A crime has been committed at a dinner party. The police begin to take aside the guests to question them one by one. The suspects include a wealthy philanthropist, a famous actress, a professor at a prominent university, and the butler. According to the theory of radical criminology, who is MOST likely to be arrested for the crime?

the butler