Contemporary Issues in Criminology
Exam Preparation Guide
Course Introduction
This course explores current debates, challenges, and developments within the field of criminology, focusing on how social, political, and technological changes impact crime and criminal justice. Students will examine topics such as cybercrime, global terrorism, drug policy, race and policing, mass incarceration, restorative justice, and the influence of media on public perceptions of crime. Through analysis of recent case studies, legislation, and academic research, students will develop a critical understanding of the complexities and evolving nature of crime and its control in contemporary society. The course encourages critical thinking and discussion, equipping students to engage thoughtfully with modern criminological issues and reforms.
Recommended Textbook Criminology Today An Integrative Introduction 6th Edition by Frank J. Schmalleger
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14 Chapters
797 Verified Questions
797 Flashcards
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Chapter 1: What Is Criminology
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the legalistic perspective,the nature of crime can be separated from the nature of law.
A)True
B)False
Answer: False
Q2) How do the different roles of criminologists,criminalities,and criminal justice vary in the field? How do these roles contribute to the field of criminology? Who contributes to social policy?
Answer: Answers should make the distinction between criminologists,criminalities,and criminal justice based on textbook definitions found on page 9.They should explain that criminologists contribute to the study of the field and development of policy,criminalities collect physical evidence of specific crimes,and criminal justice professionals work in the criminal justice system helping uphold the laws already created.
Q3) Crime can be defined as a law-breaking event whose significance rises out of a social nexus of a variety of participants.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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3
Chapter 2: Where Do Theories Come From
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Sample Questions
Q1) Differential selection is an example of
A)internal validity.
B)external validity.
C)hypothesis testing.
D)operationalization.
Answer: A
Q2) Survey research helps criminologists collect data.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
Q3) _________ is a strategy in data gathering in which the researcher observes a group by participating to varying degrees with the group.
A)Hypothesis testing
B)Secondary research
C)Participant observation
D)Pure research
Answer: C
Q4) Creating a _________ helps scientists develop and test a theory.
Answer: hypothesis
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Chapter 3: Classical and Neoclassical Thought
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Sample Questions
Q1) Situational crime prevention is a social policy approach from the A)Natural Law.
B)Enlightenment Era.
C)Classic School.
D)Neoclassic School.
Answer: D
Q2) What were some of the early forms of law? How did these develop into the Enlightenment period?
Answer: Answers should cite some of the examples of early criminal law and may include the following: the Code of Hammurabi,early Roman law,common law,and the Magna Carta.Answers should explain how crime began as a way to fight off evil by forming societies and laws to keep society at peace,and they may expand into the Enlightenment period and the development of the idea of social contracts.
Q3) The three-strikes legislation mandates life imprisonment for criminals convicted of three felonies.
A)True
B)False
Answer: True
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5
Chapter 4: Biological Roots in Criminal Behavior
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Sample Questions
Q1) _________ theories explain criminality by reference to offenders' body types,genetics,or external physical characteristics.
A)Psychological
B)Sociobiological
C)Constitutional
D)Somatotyping
Q2) Explain Lorenz's view of biological aggression and modern crime.
Q3) Evaluations of atavism measuring the degree of correlation between physiological features and criminal history proved to be scientifically sound.
A)True
B)False
Q4) A ________ criminal has a genetic predilection toward criminality.
Q5) Biolgoical theories believe that crime causation can be understood by studying the interplay of all of the following except A)the social environment.
B)biology.
C)heredity.
D)psychology.
Q6) _________ such as testosterone are studied in their link to criminal behavior.
Page 6
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Chapter 5: Psychology and Psychiatric Foundations of Criminal Behavior
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Sample Questions
Q1) ________ explains a person's ability to alter his or her own emotional states and behavior responses.
A)Self-control theory
B)Modeling theory
C)Frustration-aggression theory
D)Behavior theory
Q2) _________ individuals face minor problems with living.
A)Neurotic
B)Psychotic
C)Delusional
D)Superego
Q3) A parenting approach that seeks to control children through punishment and reward is an example of the modeling theory.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Discuss which theory explains how violent video games may influence behavior and why.
Q5) What are the two main concepts developed in early psychological theories? How do these apply to criminology today?
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Chapter 6: Social Structure Theories
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Sample Questions
Q1) Those who turn to crime because they are unable to attain economic success through other legitimate avenues are an example of the strain theory.
A)True
B)False
Q2) The Chicago Area Project tried to reduce social disorganization in slums through the creation of _________.
Q3) Gangs are not a major source of concern in contemporary society.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Criminology of place is an example of a social policy theory.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which of the following would not be considered a root cause of crime and deviance according to the social disorganization theory?
A)lack of self-control
B)social change
C)social conflict
D)lack of social consensus
Q6) Discuss some of the policy implications of social structure theories.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Theories of Social Process and Social Development
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Sample Questions
Q1) Differential association values _______ association.
Q2) Social control theories take a step beyond static aspects of personality and environment to look at the process through which __________ develops.
A)labeling
B)social structure
C)social learning
D)social integration
Q3) The reaction of society to deviant behavior is a major element in determining the criminality of the behavior according to the __________.
A)labeling theory
B)social learning theory
C)containment theory
D)social control theory
Q4) Which of the following portrays human behavior as centered around the management of impressions?
A)social learning theory
B)labeling theory
C)differential association
D)dramaturgical perspective
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Chapter 8: Social Conflict Theories
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Sample Questions
Q1) The social movement that views patriarchy,or male dominance,as responsible for women's oppression is known as _______________________.
Q2) Retributive justice calls for direct involvement by both the offender and the victim.
A)True
B)False
Q3) What are the six Marxist principles Difficult by Richard Quinney in his early research in the field of radical criminology?
Q4) Which of the following concepts refers to an informal type of criminal justice case evaluation that relies on community resources rather than traditional methods of official intervention?
A)left realism
B)restorative justice
C)radical criminology
D)participatory justice
Q5) According to the __________________,a multiplicity of values and beliefs exist in a given society,but most members of a society recognize that law is a useful means of dispute resolution.
Q6) Discuss the major criticisms of radical-critical criminology.
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Chapter 9: Crimes Against Persons
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following statements reflects the most significant aspect of the UCR Program?
A)It only includes crimes that have been reported.
B)It includes alleged crimes that have not been reported.
C)It includes actual crimes that have not been reported.
D)It includes crimes whether or not they have been reported.
Q2) Which of the following crime-reporting typologies does this chapter rely on to distinguish offenses?
A)FBI
B)UCR/NIBRS and NCVS
C)VAWA
D)VICAP
Q3) Statutes known as ________________ seek to protect sexual assault victims by ensuring that defendants do not introduce irrelevant facts about victims' sexual history into evidence.
Q4) According to recent studies,intimate-partner homicides committed by women are significantly more likely to be precipitated than intimate-partner homicides committed by men.
A)True
B)False
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Chapter 10: Crimes Against Property
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Sample Questions
Q1) How does a persistent thief differ from a professional thief?
A)A persistent thief tends to specialize more than a professional thief does.
B)A persistent thief alternates between crimes rather than having one specialty.
C)A professional thief usually spends more time in jail than one who is persistent.
D)A professional thief is less successful than a persistent thief is.
Q2) Thieves who alternate between legitimate pursuits and involvement in crime are called _______ burglars.
Q3) Technological approaches,such as computerized inventory counts are the best ways to address both shoplifting and employee theft.
A)True
B)False
Q4) Burglary is the most frequent offense on college campuses.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which of the following is the most common form of larceny?
A)purse snatching
B)shoplifting
C)theft from a motor vehicle
D)theft from an unlocked home
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Chapter 11: White-Collar and Organized Crime
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Q1) Middle Eastern criminal groups are most active in California,Louisiana,and Texas.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Which of the following individuals was convicted of insider trading in the ImClone scandal?
A)Ivan Boesky
B)Kenneth Lay
C)Martha Stewart
D)Michael Milken
Q3) The 1914 _____Act prohibited mergers and acquisitions that might create a monopoly that would restrain trade.
Q4) What is the name for a form of fraud that uses money collected from new investors,rather than profits from the supposed underlying business venture,to pay high rates of return promised to earlier investors?
A)broker embezzlement
B)investor embezzlement
C)commodities scheme
D)Ponzi scheme
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Chapter 12: Public Order and Drug Crimes
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Q1) Which of the following statements is most accurate about different countries' regulation of prostitution?
A)Laws that govern prostitution vary greatly from country to country.
B)Laws against prostitution only exist in the United States.
C)Laws that govern prostitution do not exist in most of the world.
D)Laws against prostitution tend to favor the client in all countries.
Q2) How would alternative drug policies address the issue of illegal drug use in the United States? What are some of the benefits to alternative drug policy?
Q3) What was the most commonly used illicit drug,as measured by a survey conducted by the National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2009?
A)heroin
B)marijuana
C)cocaine
D)inhalants
Q4) Illegal drugs are connected with the police involvement in illegal activities.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Most heroin is trafficked in from _____ _____.
Q6) Drugs like cocaine and heroin are _____ to smuggle.
Page 14
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Chapter 13: Technology and Crime
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain how developments in communications have brought into question definitions of long-standing.Which terms need to be redefined and why?
Q2) How might similarities between hacking and playing computer games blur the lines between entertainment and crime?
Q3) ISPs are mainly involved in doing which of the following?
A)hosting websites
B)building the Internet
C)providing Internet access
D)helping users find information
Q4) Someone who uses computers for exploration or exploitation is known as a(n)________.
Q5) How is the use of computer technology by criminals and law enforcement similar too and different from the use of other types of technology to perpetrate crimes and bring perpetrators to justice?
Q6) Social disorganization has been shown to
A)lead to a reversal in the advances of technology.
B)foment a renewed drive for technological advances.
C)result in illegal attempts to acquire dangerous technology.
D)encourage the spread of technology among law enforcement agencies.
Page 15
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Chapter 14: Globalization and Terrorism
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Sample Questions
Q1) The study of crime is taboo in some societies.
A)True
B)False
Q2) Any group external to the United States may be designated an FTO by Congress.
A)True
B)False
Q3) Summarize the situation that has developed in Mexico as a result of transnational crime.Summarize the situation that has developed in Mexico as a result of transnational crime.
Q4) The decline in crime in the United States in the 1990s was unique in the western hemisphere.
A)True
B)False
Q5) Which of the countries listed has the highest murder rate?
A)the United States
B)Colombia
C)Russia
D)Mexico
Q6) Weapons made with plastic polymers and ceramics are impossible to discern with
Page 16
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