Sample Questions and Answers
Which of the following is a key assumption of the classical school of criminology?
A) Crime is caused by biological factors.
B) Individuals have free will and make rational choices.
C) Social structures determine criminal behavior.
D) Crime is a result of economic inequality.
Answer: B) Individuals have free will and make rational choices.
Who is considered the father of classical criminology?
A) Cesare Lombroso
B) Jeremy Bentham
C) Emile Durkheim
D) Cesare Beccaria
Answer: D) Cesare Beccaria
According to the positivist school, criminal behavior is determined by:
A) Free will and rational choice.
B) Social structures and inequalities.
C) Biological, psychological, and social factors.
D) Economic disparities.
Answer: C) Biological, psychological, and social factors.
Which theory suggests that crime occurs when there is a disjunction between societal goals and the means available to achieve them?
A) Social Learning Theory
B) Strain Theory
C) Routine Activities Theory
D) Differential Association Theory
Answer: B) Strain Theory
Who developed the Differential Association Theory?
A) Edwin Sutherland
B) Robert Merton
C) Albert Cohen
D) Travis Hirschi
Answer: A) Edwin Sutherland
According to Routine Activities Theory, crime occurs when:
A) There is a lack of social bonds.
B) There is a convergence of motivated offenders, suitable targets, and lack of capable guardianship.
C) Individuals experience strain.
D) Social structures are disrupted.
Answer: B) There is a convergence of motivated offenders, suitable targets, and lack of capable guardianship.
Which of the following is NOT a component of Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory?
A) Attachment
B) Commitment
C) Involvement
D) Opportunity
Answer: D) Opportunity
Labeling Theory suggests that:
A) Individuals commit crimes due to biological factors.
B) Society’s reaction to individuals can lead to further deviance.
C) Crime is a result of economic inequality.
D) Social structures determine criminal behavior.
Answer: B) Society’s reaction to individuals can lead to further deviance.
Critical criminology focuses on:
A) The biological causes of crime.
B) The role of social structures and power dynamics in crime.
C) The psychological traits of offenders.
D) The rational choices made by individuals.
Answer: B) The role of social structures and power dynamics in crime.
Which theory emphasizes the role of social structures in influencing criminal behavior?
A) Social Learning Theory
B) Social Control Theory
C) Social Structure Theory
D) Routine Activities Theory
Answer: C) Social Structure Theory
According to Social Learning Theory, criminal behavior is learned through:
A) Direct reinforcement and punishment.
B) Association with others who engage in crime.
C) Biological predispositions.
D) Economic necessity.
Answer: B) Association with others who engage in crime.
Who introduced the concept of anomie to explain deviance?
A) Emile Durkheim
B) Robert Merton
C) Albert Cohen
D) Travis Hirschi
Answer: A) Emile Durkheim
Which of the following is a criticism of the classical school of criminology?
A) It ignores the role of social structures in crime.
B) It overemphasizes the role of free will.
C) It fails to consider psychological factors.
D) It does not account for economic disparities.
Answer: A) It ignores the role of social structures in crime.
According to Social Control Theory, individuals are less likely to engage in crime when they:
A) Have strong social bonds.
B) Experience strain.
C) Associate with criminal peers.
D) Lack economic opportunities.
Answer: A) Have strong social bonds.
Which theory posits that crime is a result of the breakdown of social norms and values?
A) Social Disorganization Theory
B) Routine Activities Theory
C) Differential Association Theory
D) Strain Theory
Answer: A) Social Disorganization Theory
Who is associated with the concept of the “broken windows” theory in criminology?
A) James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling
B) Edwin Sutherland
C) Robert Merton
D) Travis Hirschi
Answer: A) James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling
Which of the following is a key concept in Routine Activities Theory?
A) Social bonds
B) Suitable targets
C) Differential associations
D) Social structures
Answer: B) Suitable targets
According to Differential Association Theory, criminal behavior is learned through:
A) Direct reinforcement and punishment.
B) Association with others who engage in crime.
C) Biological predispositions.
D) Social control mechanisms.
Answer: B) Association with others who engage in crime.
Which of the following theories is based on the concept of “anomie” or normlessness?
A) Strain Theory
B) Social Learning Theory
C) Social Control Theory
D) Differential Opportunity Theory
Answer: A) Strain Theory
According to Marxist criminology, crime is a result of:
A) Ineffective social control.
B) Strain caused by societal expectations.
C) Economic inequalities and class conflict.
D) Poor family structures.
Answer: C) Economic inequalities and class conflict.
Which of the following is NOT a primary element of social bonds in Hirschi’s Social Bond Theory?
A) Attachment
B) Commitment
C) Involvement
D) Isolation
Answer: D) Isolation
What is the primary focus of the General Strain Theory (GST) developed by Robert Agnew?
A) Economic inequality as a cause of crime.
B) Social structures and collective efficacy.
C) Negative emotional reactions to strain that lead to criminal behavior.
D) The role of social bonds in preventing deviance.
Answer: C) Negative emotional reactions to strain that lead to criminal behavior.
Which of the following is a key criticism of the Chicago School’s Social Disorganization Theory?
A) It overemphasizes the role of social class in crime.
B) It neglects individual factors and focuses too heavily on community-level variables.
C) It assumes that all societies are disorganized.
D) It ignores the role of the media in criminal behavior.
Answer: B) It neglects individual factors and focuses too heavily on community-level variables.
According to Cultural Deviance Theory, crime is seen as:
A) The result of social bonds weakening.
B) A learned behavior that is influenced by cultural norms and values.
C) A product of inherent psychological traits.
D) A manifestation of social inequality.
Answer: B) A learned behavior that is influenced by cultural norms and values.
The term “secondary deviance” is associated with:
A) The first act of deviance that leads to a label.
B) The internalization of a deviant identity following societal labeling.
C) The role of media in shaping criminal behavior.
D) The involvement of family members in criminal activities.
Answer: B) The internalization of a deviant identity following societal labeling.
Which of the following theories focuses on the role of power and inequality in the creation of laws and definitions of crime?
A) Marxist Criminology
B) Routine Activities Theory
C) Social Learning Theory
D) Strain Theory
Answer: A) Marxist Criminology
Which of the following would be an example of a “suitable target” as defined in Routine Activities Theory?
A) A vulnerable elderly person
B) A person with strong social bonds
C) A capable guardian
D) A well-educated individual
Answer: A) A vulnerable elderly person
Which of the following concepts is central to the Social Control Theory of crime?
A) The role of reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior.
B) The role of strong social bonds in preventing deviance.
C) The idea that criminal behavior is learned in intimate groups.
D) The economic pressures that push people to crime.
Answer: B) The role of strong social bonds in preventing deviance.
Which theory asserts that deviance is a natural part of society and is necessary for social change?
A) Anomie Theory
B) Social Control Theory
C) Labeling Theory
D) Functionalist Theory
Answer: D) Functionalist Theory
According to the theory of differential opportunity, individuals in lower-class areas may commit crimes because:
A) They have limited access to legitimate means of achieving societal goals.
B) They are biologically predisposed to criminal behavior.
C) They experience high levels of social strain.
D) They lack a supportive family structure.
Answer: A) They have limited access to legitimate means of achieving societal goals.
In the context of the Conflict Theory, crime is seen as:
A) A result of psychological imbalances within individuals.
B) A way for marginalized groups to express discontent with social inequalities.
C) The consequence of weak social bonds and community disorganization.
D) A learned behavior transmitted through social interactions.
Answer: B) A way for marginalized groups to express discontent with social inequalities.
According to the Feminist Criminology perspective, crime is influenced by:
A) The biological sex differences between men and women.
B) The patriarchal structure and gender inequality in society.
C) The differential power of political systems.
D) The economic pressure placed on women in society.
Answer: B) The patriarchal structure and gender inequality in society.
According to Merton’s Strain Theory, individuals who reject societal goals but accept the prescribed means are considered:
A) Innovators
B) Ritualists
C) Retreatists
D) Rebels
Answer: B) Ritualists
Which of the following is NOT a primary feature of the Social Learning Theory?
A) Criminal behavior is learned through interactions with others.
B) Behavior is reinforced through rewards and punishments.
C) Criminality is inherited genetically.
D) People learn crime through differential associations.
Answer: C) Criminality is inherited genetically.
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