Exam 2: Victimization and Criminal Behavior

Dominic is currently a successful high school teacher.  When Dominic was 17 years old he was recruited by a gang.  He joined the gang in order to establish a sense of belonging.  Dominic went through the initiation process when he found out that his last "duty" was to rob a local gas station at gunpoint.  Dominic went into the store, but readily noticed that his old high school football coach was standing in line to check out.  Dominic went up to the coach, who he has always had a special relationship with, and told him what he was just about to do.  The coach immediately was able to assist Dominic to get out of the gang.  He was able to attend a different school in a different county, which eventually leads to a college degree. Dominic always wonders what would have happened if he had ventured deeper in the gang style. Dominic has high, prominent cheekbones.  This physical attribute in a criminal would be considered a(n)____ trait.

If a person is defined as criminogenic, this means that he or she

________ theories would attempt to identify people who have traits that make them prone to crime and then treat or control those people .

Individual Americans influence criminal justice policy through their involvement in community organizations, such as

Feminist _________ researchers focus on the impact of critical life events, such as victimization, to determine why some women engage in criminal behavior.

Which medical researcher suggested that when environmental lead finds its way into the developing brain, it disturbs impulse control?

Television feeds our fear of crime

Labeling is an example of a social process theory.

Christina is a single mother of two children.  She grew up in a home filled with violence.  Her mother was frequently high on crack cocaine as she entered her teen years.  Christina's dad has not been the part of her life since she was 4.  She vowed to herself that she would never allow her children to be raised in a home like she grew up in.  Christina married her high school boyfriend and had a son and a daughter.  She worked as a nursing assistant and life was going well for her until her husband left her for another woman.  Christina fell into massive depression that was only relieved with alcohol and other illegal drugs.  Christina started selling drugs and engaging in prostitution to maintain her habit until she was arrested by an undercover officer.  She is currently serving a 6-year prison sentence. Which major theory of criminality would best explain Christina's criminal behavior based on her formative years?

__________ are the factors thought to bring about criminal behavior in an individual.

________ theory, a type of social process theory, stresses that social links keep people in line with accepted norms.

Most theories about crime are based on men.

How might you explain the renewed interest in biological explanations of crime?

Jeff frequently visits the local bar on his way home from his second shift factory job.  He and his coworkers often have a beer or two before going home in night.  Jeff and his friends are anxious to arrive to the bar on this particular night because his favorite NFL team was playing.  He hopes they will arrive to view the fourth quarter of the game.  As he enters the bar, he notes a group of noisy, obnoxious rival fans that have had too many drinks.  Jeff asks the group to quiet down so he can hear the game.  He is immediately approached by the members of the group asking if they want to make an issue of the game.  Before Jeff can answer, one member of the group throws a punch.  Within minutes, a full bar brawl gets ensued.  Jeff ends up with a fractured skull, which results in brain damage.   This was Jeff's first ever problem at the bar.  Which of the following would therefore apply to Jeff's situation?

Which theory involves the use of the criminal law to control society's poor and have-nots?

Positivist criminologists believe that science can be used to discover the causes of crime and to treat deviants.

One impact of crime is _______, which limits freedom.

Identify and discuss the justice system's responses to the needs of crime victims.

Prior to the 1970s, why was it assumed that women did not commit serious crimes?

________ are the racial group most   likely to be victims of crime.