Sociological Concepts
Theories
Theorist
Rational Choice Theory
Mixed Bag
100

The belief that the law reflects the interest of most people in society.

Consensus

100

Theories use sets of these explain why crime and criminalization take place.

Propositions

100

They believed that elites in society control the means of production and social institutions.

Karl Marx

100

RTC assumes that people rationally calculate the cost versus the _______ of criminal behavior before they engage in the behavior.

Benefits

100

During this era the church and the state (mostly Monarchies) enforced harsh and arbitrary punishments to support class based system.

pre-classical era

200

The belief that the law reflects the interest of wealthy elites in society.

Conflict

200

The effectiveness of theories is tested by doing what?

Conducting empirical research

200


They believed that the law reflects the consensus in a society.

Emile Durkheim

200

Punishments should be swift, proportionate to the harm caused by the crime, and ________?

certain

200

He wrote the book 'on Crimes and Punishment'

Beccaria

300

A general framework including some basic assumptions that theories are based on.

Paradigm

300

Testing theories help the CJ system develop what?

Effective practices and policies

300

They helped create the notion of individual equality and sovereignty.

Cesare Baccaria

300

The assumption that all people are equally endowed with rationality is a ______ of RTC.

Limitation

300

The notion that citizens give up some individual rights in order for there to be safety and predictability in the community is called what?

the Social Contract

400

The basic beliefs or values through which people filter their information.

Ideology

400

Theories based on this sociological perspective focus on how the institutions in society function as a complex interrelated system that socializes individuals and creates consensus.

Structural Funcionalism

400

They introduced the utility principle (the idea the greatest good should be sought for the greatest number of people).

Jeremy Bentham

400

Theis theory suggests that the presence of a motivated offender and a suitable target in the absence of capable guardians will lead to crime.

Routine Activities Theory

400

What is a crime prevention policy derived from Rational Choice Theory?

Increase punishements

500

The variation across time and place about what behaviors constitute a crime.

Relativity of Crime

500

Theories based on this sociological perspective focus on how individuals and groups create meaning.

Symbolic Interactionism

500

They believed that the death penalty should be abolished.

Bentham and Beccaria

500

The notion that offenders vary in their motivations, skills and abilities to analyze a situation is called

Bounded Rationality

500

What is a crime prevention policy related to Routine Activities Theory

Harden Targets

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