Criminology: Practice Test #1 Due at beginning of class on February 9

Directions: Answer the questions below based on material related to Chapters 1

thru 4. Follow the instructions provided in the document Assessment
Instructions in the course content window if you want to receive full (or any)
credit for your work. TYPE OUT THE FULL ANSWER. An example of how your
work should look is posted.

Multiple-Choice (3 points each/75 total points)

1. Studies showing informal sanctions to be the source of most deterrent effects for
individuals led to the creation of which theory?
a. routine activities theory
b. lifestyle theory
c. rational choice theory
d. deterrence theory

2. As social constructs change, some acts move from being deemed _____ to being declared
_____, such as cell phone use while driving.
a. legal; deviant
b. illegal; deviant
c. deviant; legal
d. deviant; illegal

3. According to conflict perspective, conflict is often resolved when the group in power
achieves _____.
a. control
b. rank
c. order
d. status

4. When other factors (Z) are actually causing two variables (X and Y) to occur at the same
time. When this happens, it may appear that as if X is causing Y, when in fact they are both
being caused by Z.
a. covariation
b. temporal ordering
c. correlation
d. spuriousness

5. Crimes that are considered an act which is not inherently immoral, but become so
because its commission is expressly forbidden by positive law are called _____.
a. mala in se
b. mala prohibita
c. illegal
d. civil wrongs

6. _____ is used as the basis for United States policies on punishment for criminal activity
because it focuses on individual responsibility.
a. Evolutionary Theories
b. Classical School
c. Metaphysical Theories
d. Neoclassical Perspective
7. One of the unintended outcomes of public trials and punishment was _____.
a. deterrence
b. public backlash
c. involvement in the justice system
d. increases in crime

8. The vital deterrent characteristics of punishment postulated by Beccaria are all of the
following EXCEPT:
a. conforming
b. celerity
c. severity
d. certainty

9. The characteristic of punishment that Beccaria thought to be the most important was
_____.
a. conforming
b. celerity
c. severity
d. certainty

10. The _____ is the predicted tendency of homicides to increase after an execution,
particularly after high-profile executions.
a. excitatory effect
b. barbarity effect
c. brutalization effect
d. deterrent effect

11. _____ postulates that the influence of close peer groups or other role models may cause
criminality.
a. social structure theory
b. differential association theory
c. Chicago Area Project theory
d. disorganized theory

12. Which of the following individuals would not be deterred from committing crime even
with high celerity, certainty, and severity of punishment?
a. married with children
b. unemployed
c. strong family connections
d. middle class

13. The _____ of being caught committing a crime (related to informal sanctions) is one of
the most important emotional responses related to deterrence.
a. anxiety
b. shame
c. panic
d. entertainment

14. Cross-sectional studies have found that the _____ of punishment was strongly associated
with intentions to commit future crimes.
a. certainty
b. severity
c. celerity
d. conformity
15. Peers have a profound impact on individual perceptions of the pros and cons of
offending. When one sees ones friends getting away with crimes, the risk of punishment
_____.
a. is increased
b. is decreased
c. remains stagnant

16. _____ is the perspective that assumes individuals have no free will to control their
behavior.
a. Classical School
b. Positive School
c. Evolutionary theory
d. Neoclassical School

17. Later studies of craniometry revealed _____ between size of the skull/brain and certain
behaviors or personality traits.
a. a small correlation
b. a large correlation
c. no correlation
d. an unknown correlation

18. The science of determining human disposition based on distinctions (bumps) in the
skull.
a. craniometry
b. phrenology
c. atavism
d. physiognomy

19. Sociologist Emile Durkheim argued that crime is normal. By this, he meant that _____.
a. criminals should be viewed no differently than non-criminals within society.
b. criminal labels are arbitrary, and serve no function in society; thus, criminal law should
be abolished.
c. crime is a predictable product of, and in some ways a useful element of, the structure of
society.
d. crime is so pervasive in society that it becomes normalized.

20. Lombrosos model of stigmata as predictors of antisocial problems is more accepted by

_____ than they are by _____.
a. criminologists; political science
b. modern medical science; criminologists
c. criminologists; modern medical science
d. political science; criminologists

21. The field that attempts to define, explain, and to predict criminal behavior is known as
_____.
a. criminalistics
b. applied criminology
c. criminology
d. theology

22. Behavior that is outside the range of normal societal tolerance is best described as
_____.
a. criminal
b. deviant
c. felonious
d. mala in se
23. As society becomes increasingly complex and heterogeneous, which of the following is
typically true of societys efforts to maintain order?
a. Society becomes increasingly reliant on informal methods of social control.
b. Society becomes increasingly reliant on formal, codified laws.
c. Society becomes entirely reliant upon police and the criminal justice system
d. Society becomes more reliant on religious organizations.

24. According to Goddard, the biggest threat to the progress of humanity and the genetic
pool was the _____.
a. morons
b. idiots
c. imbeciles
d. fool

25. Although differences between the UCR and the NCVS abound, the greatest distinction
between the two has to do with _____.
a. the ability of the NCVS to identify crimes committed against those under 12
b. the ability of the UCR to identify the social dimension of fear
c. the ability of the UCR to measure unreported crime
d. the ability of the NCVS to measure unreported crime