Question 1

Social process criminologists focus on socialization rather than the environment when explaining crime.

Accepted Answer

Social process criminologists believe that criminal behavior is learned through socialization and interaction with others, rather than being solely determined by the environment. They view crime as a result of various social factors, such as peer pressure, family dynamics, and cultural values.

Question 2

Research affirms Hirschi's contention that delinquents are detached loners whose bonds to friends have been broken.

Accepted Answer

Research based on Hirschi's Social Control Theory suggests that delinquents often maintain strong bonds with peers, although these peers are likely to be involved in delinquency themselves. Hirschi argued that delinquency is more related to the lack of strong bonds with conventional society and its institutions, rather than being about detachment from all social bonds.

Question 3

Sutherland's research on crime led him to dispute the notion that crime was a function of the inherent inadequacy of people in the lower classes.

Accepted Answer

Sutherland argued that crime was not solely caused by the inherent characteristics or flaws of individuals in lower classes, but was also influenced by cultural norms and values that justify or even promote criminal behavior.

Question 4

The family-crime relationship is significant across racial, ethnic, and gender lines.

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that the family-crime relationship is significant across all racial, ethnic, and gender lines. Family factors such as parental monitoring, discipline, and attachment have been found to be related to delinquency and criminal behavior among youth, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or gender.

Question 5

The totality of research on the effect of dropping out of high school indicates one fact-high school dropouts face a significant chance of entering a criminal career.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The totality of research on the effect...

Question 6

The stronger a person's commitment to conventional institutions, individuals, and processes, the less likely they are to commit crime.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that individuals who are more committed to conventional institutions, such as family, school, and religion, are less likely to engage in criminal behavior. This is because they have a stronger sense of social control and are less likely to value or seek out deviant behavior. Additionally, individuals who have strong relationships with conventional individuals, such as parents and friends, are also less likely to engage in criminal behavior as they are more attached to prosocial individuals who disapprove of criminal behavior.

Question 7

Research indicates that people who are labeled with one positive trait are assumed to have other positive traits.

Accepted Answer

This phenomenon is known as the halo effect and it is supported by research. When we perceive someone as having one positive characteristic, we tend to assume they possess other positive qualities as well.

Question 8

What separates social learning theory from social control and social reaction theories is that social learning theory fails to recognize that criminal activity can be reversed and criminals can be turned around by proper socialization and interactions.

Accepted Answer

Social learning theory does recognize the potential for individuals to change and reduce criminal behavior through positive socialization and experiences. This is in contrast to social control and social reaction theories, which tend to view criminal behavior as more fixed and resistant to change.

Question 9

Social control theory suggests that people can only learn techniques and attitudes of crime from close relationships with criminal peers.

Accepted Answer

Social control theory suggests that people can become delinquent or criminal if the forces that bind them to society are weakened or broken. This includes weakened bonds to family, school, and community, as well as weakened moral values and beliefs. While peer influences can play a role in delinquency and crime, social control theory recognizes that other factors, such as societal norms and values, also play a significant role in shaping behavior.

Question 10

Religious participation seems to be a more significant inhibitor of crime than merely having religious beliefs and values.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that religious participation, such as attending religious services and being involved in a religious community, has a stronger effect on reducing crime than simply holding religious beliefs and values. This may be because religious participation reinforces social bonds and promotes pro-social behaviors, while also providing a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

Question 11

According to learning theories, even corporate executives may be exposed to procriminal definitions and learn to neutralize moral constraints.

Accepted Answer

Learning theories suggest that individuals, including corporate executives, may be exposed to procriminal definitions and learn to neutralize moral constraints. This can lead to the development of criminal behavior and attitudes.

Question 12

Research has failed to find a correlation between being the target of abuse at a young age and subsequent episodes of delinquency and violence as one ages.

Accepted Answer

Research has actually found a correlation between being the target of abuse at a young age and subsequent episodes of delinquency and violence as one ages. The experience of abuse can have long-lasting effects on an individual's mental health and behavior.

Question 13

According to the U.S. Department of Education, minority students, especially boys, face much harsher discipline in public schools than other students.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. Department of Education has reported that minority students, particularly boys, receive more severe disciplinary action in public schools than other students.

Question 14

Primary deviance involves resocialization into a deviant role and produces a deviance amplification effect.

Accepted Answer

Primary deviance refers to the initial act of deviance, which may or may not lead to further deviant behavior. It does not necessarily involve resocialization into a deviant role or produce a deviance amplification effect.

Question 15

Differential association theory holds that people learn criminal attitudes and behavior during their adolescence from close, trusted friends or relatives.

Accepted Answer

Differential association theory, developed by Edwin Sutherland, posits that criminal behavior is learned through interactions with individuals who have pro-criminal attitudes and behaviors. This theory suggests that individuals are not simply born with criminal tendencies but rather acquire them through socialization processes.

Question 16

The delinquent peer-crime relationship does not apply to popular kids because they are too busy to commit crime.

Accepted Answer

The delinquent peer-crime relationship can apply to popular kids as well as they are not immune to engaging in criminal behavior. While they may have more opportunities and resources that prevent them from committing crimes, they can still have delinquent friends who influence their behavior or make bad choices themselves. Popular kids can also feel a sense of entitlement or invincibility that can lead to criminal actions.

Question 17

The correlation between crime perpetration and poor education is well established. Due to national dropout rates increasing by nearly 25 percent over the last seven years, criminologists predict an epic increase in criminal activity over the next decade.

Accepted Answer

While there is some correlation between education levels and crime rates, the statement about national dropout rates increasing by nearly 25 percent over the last seven years and the prediction of an epic increase in criminal activity is not supported by consistent, reliable data across all regions or countries. Trends in education and crime rates are complex and influenced by a multitude of factors beyond just education.

Question 18

A major premise of social reaction theory is that the law is differentially constructed and applied, depending on the offenders.

Accepted Answer

Social reaction theory argues that how the law is constructed and applied is not based on objective criteria but on subjective social reactions to the offender. Therefore, the law may be applied differently based on factors such as social status, race, and gender.

Question 19

While there is a link between criminal offending and family relations, there is no research which supports family dysfunction leading children to have long-term social problems.

Accepted Answer

There is research which supports that family dysfunction can lead to long-term social problems in children.

Question 20

Anyone can turn to antisocial behavior if their socialization is damaging and/or destructive and is not solely a lower-class phenomenon.

Accepted Answer

Antisocial behavior can occur in individuals of any socioeconomic status if their socialization experiences are damaging or destructive. It is not solely limited to individuals in lower-class situations.

Quiz 7: Social Process Theory