Theories of Crime (1)
Which criminological theory argues that crime occurs when the benefits outweigh the costs for the offender?
Rational Choice Theory
What is the term for theories that focus on the neighborhood or environmental characteristics that lead to crime?
Social Disorganization Theories
What is the term for crimes like gambling or drug use that are prohibited by law but not inherently immoral?
Mala Prohibita
Which theory explains victimization as a result of a lack of capable guardianship, a motivated offender, and a suitable target?
Routine Activities Theory
Which era of criminological thought attributed crime to supernatural forces such as demons or spirits?
The Demonological Era
What term describes the practice of targeting individuals based on their race, ethnicity, or religion during law enforcement operations?
Racial Profiling
Which theory argues that crime is a natural response to the gap between cultural goals and the means available to achieve them?
Strain Theory
Which theory states that crime occurs when routine activities of daily life bring motivated offenders into contact with suitable targets without capable guardians?
Routine Activities Theory
What term describes crimes like murder and assault that are inherently wrong and immoral?
Mala in Se
This term describes individuals who have both been victims and perpetrators of crime - also the idea most offenders are past victims but most victims do not become offenders.
Victim-Offender Overlap
Which 18th-century philosophy introduced the idea that punishment should be swift, certain, and proportionate?
Classical Criminology
What is the term for crimes that are motivated by bias or prejudice against a person's race, religion, sexual orientation, or other characteristics?
Hate Crimes
What is the term for the theory that considers crime to be a product of genetic predisposition combined with environmental factors?
Biosocial Theory
Which theory views crime as a learned response to the rewards and punishments associated with behavior?
Social Learning Theory
Which term describes non-violent crimes committed for financial gain by individuals in high socioeconomic positions?
White-Collar Crime
What is the term for holding a victim responsible for their victimization due to their actions or characteristics?
Victim Blaming
Which major technological advancement in the 21st century has significantly increased the prevalence of identity theft and financial fraud?
The Internet
What criminological theory is most often applied to understand radicalization within extremist groups?
Social Learning Theory
Which criminological theory focuses on how crime serves as a way for marginalized groups to challenge existing power structures?
Conflict Theory
What does labeling theory suggest about the relationship between societal reaction and criminal behavior?
Being labeled as a deviant leads to further deviance
Which category of crime is often ideologically motivated and seeks to instill fear or coerce governments or societies?
Terrorism
What is the term for when a victim unintentionally provokes or initiates their own victimization through their actions?
Victim Precipitation Theory
What major shift in crime occurred with the introduction of Prohibition in the United States during the 1920s?
The rise of organized crime
What term describes the unintended consequence of increased law enforcement presence in marginalized neighborhoods, often leading to further alienation of those communities
Over-Policing
What theory posits that an individual's lack of attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief increases their likelihood of committing crime?
Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory
What does feminist criminology focus on when analyzing crime and criminal behavior?"
How gender inequalities and societal structures contribute to female criminality and victimization.
What theory is often used to explain why certain crimes, such as vandalism or petty theft, cluster in specific neighborhoods?
Social Disorganization Theory
What legislation in the United States ensures crime victims the right to be informed, present, and heard during the criminal justice process?
The Crime Victims' Rights Act
What was the contribution of Jeremy Bentham's utilitarianism to the evolution of criminological thought?
Introduced the concept that laws and punishments should maximize societal happiness by deterring crime efficiently
What concept explores the impact of mass incarceration on minority communities and its role in perpetuating cycles of poverty and crime?
Systemic Inequality or Institutionalized Racism