Criminology Chapter 2

How would Jeremy Bentham explain the failure of the death penalty to affect the rate of murder in our society? a. The death penalty is not swift and certain b. The death penalty involves torture c. The death penalty is not carried out in public d. The death penalty is too severe

A: Bentham argued that for a punishment to be effective, it must be swift and certain. It must follow immediately after judgment and the offender must not be able to avoid it. The death penalty today is neither swiftly imposed nor certain.

Both Bill and Tom have been convicted of burglary and have both been sentenced to a term of five years in prison, although they are told that they may be eligible for early release based on good behavior while in prison. This is an example of ________. a. Determinate sentencing b. The nothing-works doctrine c. Truth in sentencing d. Displacement

A: Determinate sentencing is a model of punishment that mandates a fixed term of imprisonment that may be reduced by considerations such as good behavior. Under determinate sentencing, all offenders convicted of the same offense would receive the same sentence.

Advocates of capital punishment argue that it may deter others. This claim focuses on the concept of __________ a. General deterrence b. Hard determinism c. Displacement d. Specific deterrence

A: General deterrence is a goal of sentencing that seeks to prevent others from committing crimes similar to the one for which a particular offender is being sentenced. The argument that sentencing an offender to death will deter others from committing similar crimes is a claim of general deterrence.

Mark has a long history of burglary and theft. After his latest conviction, the judge sentences him to 15 years in prison, justifying the long sentence by stating that keeping Mark in prison for such a long time will protect the community by reducing the likelihood that Mark will be able to commit future offenses. The judge's justification is based on ________. a. Incapacitation b. Displacement c. Truth in sentencing d. General deterrence

A: Incapacitation involves the use of imprisonment or other means to reduce the likelihood that an offender will be capable of committing future offenses.

Which of the following examples best illustrates Jack Katz's view of the seductions of crime? a. Louisa, a corporate accountant who earns over a million dollars a year, is caught in the act of shoplifting from Wal-Mart. She pled guilty and told the judge that she could easily afford to purchase the items she had taken, but that stealing them was more exciting. b. Mike is running for the state legislature. His campaign centers around calls for the state to get tough on crime. Mike argues that prisons should not attempt to rehabilitate offenders but to punish them for their decision to commit crime. c. Sandeep is arrested for armed robbery. In court, he argues that he committed the crime because he is genetically predisposed to violence and therefore he is not responsible for his actions. d. Knowing that Jake and Sarah are going on vacation for a week, Lucas plans to break into their home to steal their valuables. However, he changes his mind when he discovers that Sarah's parents are staying in the house while the couple is away.

A: Jack Katz argued that crime is often pleasurable for those committing it and that this pleasure is the major motivation behind crime. In this case, Louisa is motivated by the excitement of crime commission, not by the tangible rewards of theft.

Thomas has been charged with home burglary, but his trial is delayed for nearly a year due to court delays and continuances. He is convicted and is sentenced to six months in jail, although the typical sentence for this crime is two years in prison. After Thomas serves his time in jail, he continues to commit similar crimes. Which of the following would have been most likely to deter Thomas? a. If the court had imposed the typical sentence for home burglary. b. If Thomas had been able to appeal his conviction. c. If Thomas had been released from jail early due to good behavior. d. If the proceedings had continued for a longer period of time in order to determine the appropriate punishment.

A: Modern-day advocates stress that for punishment to effectively impede crime, it must be swift, certain, and severe enough to outweigh rewards flowing from criminal activity. The punishment imposed in this case was significantly less severe than is typical for this crime. If the court had imposed the more severe sentence, the punishment would have been more likely to have had a deterrent effect.

Zachary is planning to steal his neighbor's motorcycle. However, after seeing a TV news story that discusses the punishments imposed for various crimes, including motor vehicle theft, he changes his mind about committing the crime. Zachary's actions are best explained by ________________. a. Rational choice theory b. The nothing-works doctrine c. The justice model d. Situational crime prevention

A: Rational choice theory emphasizes the adaptive aspects of criminal offending and predicts that people evaluate the pros and cons when deciding whether to commit crime. In this situation, Zachary decides not to commit a crime after learning the potential punishment - the "cons" of his intended crime.

Clay has decided to embezzle from his employers. He believes that they will not notice the theft and that the risk of getting caught is minimal. He also believes that the extra money will greatly benefit him. Clay's crime is best explained by ________. a. Rational choice theory b. The justice model c. Hard determinism d. Target hardening

A: Rational choice theory holds that criminality is the result of conscious choice and predicts that individuals choose to commit crime when the benefits outweigh the costs of disobeying the law. In this case, Clay has evaluated the costs and benefits of embezzlement and made a rational decision to commit the crime.

Ted works at a large state prison and decides to track all offenders released during a single year. He discovers that 53% of these offenders were rearrested for a new crime within the next five years. Ted has calculated the ________ rate. a. Recidivism b. Incapacitation c. Displacement d. Deterrence

A: The recidivism rate is the percentage of convicted offenders who have been released from prison and who are later rearrested for a new crime, generally within five years following release.

Which of the following would Cesare Beccaria be most likely to consider a just punishment? a. Claude is publicly tortures and shamed after being accused of stealing from a grocer. b. Roberto is convicted of assault and is convicted to be flogged the next day. c. James is convicted of murder and is put to death after spending 20 years on death row. d. Julius is convicted of burglary and is sentenced to death by hanging.

B: Correct. Beccaria argued that punishment should be imposed immediately following crime commission so that it is connected with the wrongfulness of the offense in the mind of the offender and in the minds of others who might see the punishment imposed and thus learn about the consequences of crime.

Thea, the mayor of Highland takes a classical approach to the problem of crime. However, after a media appearance, she is criticized by Luke, a political opponent. Which of the following is most likely to be the basis for Luke's criticism? a. Luke may assert that Thea overemphasizes the importance of factors such as a poor home environment when discussing the causes of crime in the community. b. Luke claims that Thea overemphasizes the importance of individual choice when discussing the causes of crime in the community. c. Luke claims that Thea overemphasizes factors, such as inadequate socialization when discussing the causes of crimes in the community. d. Luke claims that Thea overemphasizes the importance of human biology when discussing the causes of crime in the community.

B: Critics of classical theory charge that it focuses on individual choice and ignores the deeper sources of personal motivation, including those represented by aspects of biology, psychology, and the social environment.

Which of the following is most likely to lead to a decline in prison populations? a. A state adopts a determinate sentencing strategy. b. A state adopts a strategy of selective incapacitation. c. A state experiences high levels of displacement. d. A state passes a new truth in sentencing law.

B: Selective incapacitation focuses on incarcerating only hard-core repeat offenders, rather than all convicted offenders. This may contribute to a reduction in the prison population.

In the context of the death penalty, which of the following arguments best reflects the retentionist position? a. Expense b. Just deserts c. Discrimination d. Arbitrariness

B: The retentionist argument of just deserts claims that some people deserve to die for what they have done, and nothing less than death will suffice as a punishment for the most heinous crimes.

Joan steals Fred's wallet, expecting to find several hundred dollars as well as a number of credit cards. To Joan's surprise, the wallet contains only a few dollars and some old receipts. Joan is arrested and convicted of theft. Based on Beccaria's views of crime and punishment, which punishment would be most appropriate? a. Five years in prison b. No punishment c. Six months in jail d. Torture

C: Beccaria concluded that punishment should be based on the degree of injury caused by the offender, not on the offender's criminal intent. Although Joan intended to steal a large sum of money, she actually stole only a few dollars. Therefore, a small punishment, such as a short term in jail, would be the most appropriate sanction, according to Beccaria.

Jeremy Bentham argued that the value a behavior holds for the individual who engages in it is determined by the amount of pleasure or pain the behavior can be expected to produce for that person. This belief is known as _________. a. The social contract b. Hard determinism c. Hedonistic calculus d. Positivism

C: Hedonistic calculus, or utilitarianism, emphasizes the worth that an action holds for the individual undertaking it.

Because Oscar is concerned that his shop will be burgled, he installs a burglar alarm and CCTV cameras. Oscar's actions are an example of ______________. a. Displacement b. Panopticonian crime prevention c. Target hardening d. Soft determinism

C: Target hardening focuses on reducing criminal opportunity for a particular location, usually through the use of physical barriers, architectural designs, and enhanced security measures. Oscar has enhanced the security in his shop by installing an alarm and CCTV cameras.

The belief that society exists to provide individuals with benefits that they would not receive living in isolation is a central assumption of _______ criminology. a. Hard deterministic b. Utilitarian c. Classical d. Positivist

C: The assumption that society exists to provide benefits to individuals that they would not receive living in isolation is a key principle of classical and neoclassical criminology.

During a discussion about capital punishment, Jamal argues that criminals such as serial killers who were executed by the criminal justice system simply got what they deserved. Jamal's argument is best aligned with which model? a. Positivism b. Utilitarianism c. Just deserts d. Rational choice

C: The just deserts model of criminal sentencing is the concept that criminal offenders deserve the punishment they receive at the hands of the law and that any punishment imposed should be appropriate to the type and severity of the crime committed.

Pete claims that capital punishment is unfair because it is imposed disproportionately on racial minorities. Oscar is an advocate of capital punishment and disagrees. Which of the following arguments best supports Oscar's position? a. While a large number of black defendants have been executed for the murder of white victims since 1976, only one has involved a white defendant executed for the murder of a black person. b. Oscar states that African Americans make up about 12% of the U.S. population but about 34% of all executed offenders. c. Oscar states that while it is true that about 50% of those on death row are racial minorities, these minorities represent about 50% of the population of the U.S. d. Oscar states that while about 50% of those on death row are racial minorities, about 50% of all crimes eligible for the death penalty are committed by racial minorities.

D: Capital punishment advocates argue that the question is not whether ethnic differences exist in the rate of imposition of the death penalty, but rather whether the penalty is imposed fairly.

Gary, the town mayor, is a proponent of situational choice theory. He is focusing on reducing opportunities for crime by improving the lighting in the town, increasing the number of police officers on patrol, and installing CCTV cameras throughout the community. He is pleased to announce a dramatic decrease in the town's crime rate. However, the media reports that a neighboring town is experiencing an increase in crime. This rise in crime could be an example of ________. a. The nothing-works doctrine b. Soft determinism c. The seductions of crime d. Displacement

D: Displacement involves a shift of criminal activity from one location to another.