Introduction to Criminology: Exam 2 Study GuidePresented below is a listing of topics to be addressed on the upcoming 50 question multiple-choice examination. The list is not exhaustive. This is intended as a rough approximation of the subject matter to be included. Direct your attention to revisiting the material covered since the first exam (Vold chapters 2, 3, 6, 7, 10, and 15) as well as the material covered in lecture and discussion.NamesBeccariaEssay on Crimes and Punishment, document that brought science into criminology for the first timeDeterrence, Classical theoryLombroso“Born Criminal”Measured physical traits to see which people would be criminalsFirst biological theoryLater on he expands to include mental illness and a few societal factorsDurkheimMechanical (Functionalism)Society held together by collective conscienceAll believe and do the same thingsOrganic (Anomie)Worked well because of differencesDivision of labor, different types of people working togetherFunctionalismYou can try to control crime as much as you want but it will never disappear. Crime serves a valuable function/purpose. Allows people to bind together, creates jobs, allows for social changeCrime should be regulatedAnomieCrime and suicide increase in sad times and in times of super prosperityThis is because of normlessness, the norms and regulations that calm society don’t exist during super depression or prosperityPhineas GageHad a spike driven through his head and turned from this nice law abiding family man to a total drunk criminal assholeFirst sign that different parts of the brain correlate with different actions/behaviorsOriginal support for phrenologyTravis HirschiControl Theory!Everyone is capable of committing crimeThere really isn’t a difference in their make upQuestion is not why people commit crime, but rather why people do not commit crime4 elements of social controlTheory of Self-ControlThomas Hobbes (social contract)If benefits outweigh costs you’re going to do itContract = unwritten understanding that people will give up some control in order to live in a governmental society with protectionKornhauserAttributed 3 reasons a community could be disorganized (and therefore have a lot of crime)PovertyRacial and ethnic heterogeneityHigh residential mobilityShaw & McKay (Social Disorganization)City (Chicago) into 5 zonesOuter zones – more residential areas1 – city center, where businesses and manufacturing taking place2 – zone of transition. Cheap bad housing, bad area, where poor people live, etc. Zone of transition b/c people move in and out of it a lot. The only people who stay are those who cant get out, and that’s why you see a lot of crime thereRobert SampsonCollective EfficacyConcepts/TermsAtavismCriminals are a biological throw back and never fully developedCriminals have more in common with human ancestors than with the average personMechanic and organic solidaritySee DurkheimPositivismEverything that is not rational choiceLooks at external factors (not personal decision) that may be causing crimeIncludes biological and sociological factorsFunctionalismSee DurkheimGeneral and specific deterrenceGeneral – aimed at everyone (ex. We’re punishing this person for this crime, so don’t you go and commit a crime or you’ll get punished too)Specific – punishing a specific person (ex. We’re punishing you for this crime, don’t do it again)Human ecologyRelationship that humans have with their environmentSomatotypingEcto, endo, mesomorphDepending on body type you’re more likely to be a criminalEssentially skinny, muscular and fatMesomorph (muscular) = criminalZone 2 (the zone of transition)See Shaw & MckayEthnic heterogeneitySee K…..Collective efficacyHow close a community isGood communityComes together to keep crime and delinquency out of the neighborhoodReprimand neighborhood children for being delinquent, etc.Characteristic of organized neighborhoodsMens rea and actus reusMens Rea – MentalActus Reus – PhyiscalPerson must have motive and physical evidence to be committedDifference between murder (mental & physical) and manslaughter (just physical)Routine activities (motivated offender, suitable target, absence of a capable guardian)Formulated after a lot of societal routines (civil rights, women starting to work, etc.)How crime happens as a result of these three thingsFrom a policy stand point, we have to work at limiting these three “activities”3 primary elements of deterrence theorySeverityCertaintySwiftnessDeterminism (also, crime as over-determined)There is a trait you have that makes you a criminalSocietal factors have no impactCrime as over-determined – because these theories were so wrong, more people had these traits than committed crime. If these theories were right there would be more crime committed than there actually was4 elements of social control theory (family, school, & peers)Attachment = emotional attachments stop crime from happeningCommitment = stakes in conformityInvolvement = more you do conforming activities, less likely to commit crimeBelief = faith in the moral background of society’s lawsLow self-controlLow self control -> more likely to commit crimeLevel of self-control is established and finalized by the age of 8Broken windows theoryNeutralization and drift (common neutralizations)Neutralization – someone’s rationalization of a crime they committed. Ways you can avoid labeling yourself a criminalDenial of victimOTHER methods?!?!DriftNoun – state in between conformity and nonconformity where people can beVerb – action of drifting betweenLife course persistent and adolescent limited offendingLife course persistent – offenders begin early, continue to spend life as criminals (very small percentage of people)Adolescent limited – everyone else, large portion of criminals. Follow age-crime curve. Experience discontinuity in life. There is a maturity gap in adolescence and they commit crimes then, but later they aren’t criminal.Adoption and twin studiesNature vs. Nurture—nature AND nurture are importantProbability of kid being criminal was if both biological and adoptive parents were criminalSecond most probable criminal was biologicalThird most probable was adoptiveControl theory assumptions about criminal motiveTurning points and trajectoriesInstances between events where there is an opportunity for changeTurning points – can have either a good or bad influence on likelihood to commit crimeIf you do
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