Traditional Theories
A person decides not to shoplift after seeing a highly visible security camera. This scenario BEST illustrates what theory:
Rational choice theory
The primary goal of the Reform Era was to:
Reduce political influence and professionalize policing
The primary role of defense attorneys is to:
Protect defendants’ constitutional rights
Which offender is the least likely to be eligible for probation due to the severity of the crime?
A) A defendant convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
B) A first-time offender convicted of shoplifting
C) An individual convicted of simple possession of a controlled substance
D) A person convicted of writing a bad check
A) A defendant convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon
Which criminological theory argues that crime results from social and economic inequalities, and that laws are created by those in power to maintain their advantage over less powerful groups?
Conflict Theory
Lombroso’s theory would predict higher crime rates among individuals with:
Biological abnormalities
Police subculture primarily develops through:
Socialization and shared experiences
The primary purpose of a grand jury is to:
Determine probable cause
Which term refers to the process in which reforms or alternative sanctions unintentionally bring more individuals under the control of the criminal justice system rather than diverting them from it?
Net-widening
The age–crime curve demonstrates that:
Crime increases in adolescence, peaks, then declines in adulthood
A society experiencing rapid economic change and rising crime rates is BEST explained by:
Anomie
The order vs. liberty paradox refers to:
Balancing public safety and individual freedoms
A search based on “reasonable suspicion” rather than probable cause is BEST illustrated by:
Stop and frisk
Who served as the first warden of the first reformatory, the Elmira Reformatory, established in the 1870s?
Zebulon Brockway
Early onset of offending is most strongly associated with:
Greater severity and persistence of criminal behavior
A student avoids crime because they don’t want to jeopardize their future career. This reflects:
Commitment
“Grass eaters” are officers who:
Passively accept small bribes
A law created by a government agency (e.g., FDA regulations) is:
Administrative law
What is the primary purpose of residential community correction programs (such as halfway houses)?
To offer short-term housing and structured supervision that helps offenders transition back into the community
According to Age-Graded Theory, what is considered to be a positive turning point?
Stable employment, marriage, move to a new place
According to self-control theory, the most effective crime prevention strategy is:
Early childhood socialization and parenting
The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment found that:
Patrol levels had little effect on crime
A law is enforced despite being widely viewed as unfair. This BEST reflects:
Legal positivism
Which of the following is a common critique of private prisons?
They create financial incentives to cut costs, which can lead to inadequate staffing and decreased inmate safety.
Describe life-course persistent offenders.
Show early onset and persistent offending across life; typically have neuropsychological effects