Criminology practice test 1

16. A judicial body is determining which pieces of evidence in a murder case are admissible. Which type of law would be consulted in this case? a. procedural laws b. substantive criminal law c. civil law d. public law

A

21. The idea that the accused actually and voluntarily committed a criminal act is __________. a. in situ b. actus reus c. ad idem d. mens rea

B

1. What do most criminologists believe is the root cause of crime? a. social factors b. individual traits c. biological factors d. psychological factors

A

13. Which of the following would moral entrepreneurs seek to control through the creation and enforcement of laws in the United States? a. pornography b. trespassing c. larceny d. theft

A

15. Which of the following criminal acts would be classified as mala prohibitium? a. murder b. tax evasion c. assault d. robbery

B

Criminology

the scientific approach to studying criminal behavior

9. Which of the following represents the consensus view of crime? a. The majority of a society is in agreement as to which behaviors must be outlawed or controlled to protect society. b. A small number of elitists who control the system decide which behaviors should be outlawed or controlled, based on their own personal beliefs. c. Crimes are politically defined so as to control the underclass. d. The law is a tool of the ruling class.

A

4. Why are crime and deviance distinct? a. Deviance is intentional, while crime is unintentional. B. Deviance is unintentional, while crime is intentional. C. Crimes and deviance violate different standards. D. Acts of deviance are more dangerous than crimes.

C

5. Which of the following can be considered an area of socio-legal studies in criminology? a. analyzing the motives that criminals have in committing crimes b. developing new laws that reflect the values of a society c. assessing the impact of legal change and development d. examining the role of the family in encouraging criminal behavior

C

10. Under the conflict view of crime, who decides the content of criminal law and shapes the definition of crime in a society? a. legal advocates b. the ruling class c. society as a whole d. interest groups

B

18. What must all criminal law in the United States conform to? a. the Magna Carta b. the Constitution c. the Declaration of Human Rights d. the United Nations (UN) Charter

B

6. What is crime typology? a. the study of how criminal codes differ among states b. studies on specific types of crime or criminals to discover correlations c. the classification of crimes by severity d. the classification of crimes by potential punishment

B

12. Which statement is representative of the interactionist view of crime? a. Crimes are committed by individuals who have mental defects. b. Crimes are committed by individuals who are unaware of their effect on others. c. Crimes are committed by individuals who have varying perceptions of reality. d. Crimes are committed by individuals who have rational societal grievances.

C

17. Which situation would fall under the purview of public law? a. A government official has been murdered by a civilian. b. A family is disputing the contents of a will. c. A restauranteur is suing a city over a health inspection. d. An individual has been charged with assault.

C

24. In a state, which of the following can criminologists be held socially responsible for? a. the development of new types of crime that criminologists failed to predict b. a rise in the costs of social programs c. the creation of new criminal punishments based on the views of criminologists d. the decision made by a jury in a criminal case that a criminologist is part of

C

3. What are deviant behaviors? a. actions that require punishment b. actions that are committed without intent c. actions that are criminal in nature d. actions that are atypical in a society

D

19. Which of the following would generally be considered a felony? a. An individual takes a short cut through another person's yard on the way home. b. An individual is found by police to have an ounce of marijuana. c. An individual accidently shoots and kills another during a botched robbery. d. An individual shoplifts $30 worth of steaks and seafood from a supermarket.

C

2. As a field of study, how does criminology differ from criminal justice? a. Criminology analyzes criminal laws. b. Criminology explains agencies of social control. c. Criminology seeks to explain crime. d. Criminology explores methods used to control crime.

C

20. Which of the following is a typical punishment for a violent felony? a. probation b. community service c. a prison sentence d. suspended sentence

C

22. Why are the ideas of mens rea and actus reus essential in proving that a crime has been committed? a. Because once the act is proved, the judge or jury can infer that the intent was proves as well. b. Both principles are important, as they provide prosecutors with sweeping ability to convict a person of a crime by only having to prove the existence of one or the other. c. An individual must not only be found to have personally committed a crime, but they must also have done it with the intent to do so. d. Since the accused must be directly involved in a criminal act, these legal principles limit the chances for people to be mistakenly charged.

C

7. Crime typology can be most helpful for which of the following? a. gaining a better understanding of why a specific crime is committed b. generating new ways to punish criminals for a specific crime c. identifying new forms of crime that are emerging as a result of globalization d. identifying which therapeutic interventions work best with which offenders

A

25. In the interests of the well-being of society, why should criminologists refrain from publishing biased or subjective research findings? a. The results from such studies could be used by the state to institute unjust policies. b. Publications can only be factual if they are completely objective. c. Due to the nature of their work, criminologists are not allowed to harbor biases. d. Criminology is an exact science, so subjective findings should not be possible.

A

14. The consensus, conflict, and interactionist views of crime all share which common idea? a. The ruling classes mold the definition of crimes. b. Crime reflects the values held dearly by all of society. c. The definition of crime is relatively stagnant and unchanging. d. Criminal law has a social control function.

D

11. Why is society justified in controlling victimless crimes? a. Often, victimless crimes are a gateway to more deviant behavior. b. Typically, those who engage in victimless crimes also engage in more severe crimes. c. The harm victimless crimes inflict is only on those who are willing participants. d. Victimless crimes are a threat to maintaining the overall balance of a society.

D

23. Which of the following best characterizes criminal law in the world? a. Criminal law, as a legal code, is formulated on an ad-hoc basis. b. The basis for criminal law is relatively modern and open to significant interpretation. c. Criminal law is built around strict religious principles, and its fundamentals are unchanging. d. Ideas of criminal law date back centuries, and it is constantly evolving.

D

8. Regarding punishment, which of the following can be a typical role of a criminologist? a. consulting with judges, prior to them sentencing offenders, on what punishment should be used b. assessing loopholes in the criminal code that benefit offenders c. analyzing crime scene evidence d. studying how prison sentences impact the recidivism rates of criminals

D