Question 1

In their evaluation of the individual theories of crime, Akers and Sellers conclude that which of the sociological theories have the weakest support?

Accepted Answer

Akers and Sellers found that strain and labeling theories have weaker empirical support compared to other sociological theories of crime.

Question 2

In Haynie's research on friendship networks among adolescents, it was found that the strongest effect on delinquency came from:

Accepted Answer

Haynie's research indicated that the proportion of delinquent friends had the strongest effect on an adolescent's own delinquency, highlighting the influence of peer behavior norms.

Question 3

Tittle proposes an integrated theoretical model that attributes crime to:

Accepted Answer

Tittle's integrated theoretical model, known as Control Balance Theory, attributes crime to unbalanced control ratios, where individuals have either too much or too little control compared to what they are subjected to.

Question 4

Theories recently developed to understand better the variations, stability, and changes in criminal and deviant behavior at different ages are known as:

Accepted Answer

Developmental and life-course theories focus on understanding how criminal and deviant behavior changes over a person's life, considering factors like age, life stages, and personal development.

Question 5

In Table 14.1 in your'e text book comparing criminological theories of criminal and delinquent behavior, which of the following structural theories were presented as having policy implications for neighborhood and community projects?

Accepted Answer

Social disorganization and anomie theories focus on the breakdown of social structures and norms, which can be addressed through neighborhood and community projects aimed at rebuilding social cohesion and order.

Question 6

In Tittle's reformulated control-balance theory, the control-balance desirability of a criminal or deviant act refers to:

Accepted Answer

The answer of In Tittle's reformulated control-balance theory, the control-balance...

Question 7

Select one of the examples of theoretical integration presented in Chapter 12 of the text and (1) evaluate its strengths and weaknesses as an explanation of crime and delinquency and (2) propose what you think are the central policy implications of the theory.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Select one of the examples of theoretical...

Question 8

Compare "theory competition" and "theory integration" as strategies for theory development. Which of the two holds greater promise for producing empirically valid theories of crime and delinquency? Justify your choice.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare "theory competition" and "theory integration" as...

Question 9

Compare conceptual and propositional integration as approaches to theory integration, giving an illustration of each. In what ways are the two approaches compatible?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compare conceptual and propositional integration as approaches...

Question 10

Discuss and evaluate the integrative model of strain, bonding, and learning theory proposed by Delbert Elliott and his associates.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss and evaluate the integrative model of...

Question 11

Discuss the aims and pitfalls of theoretical integration. What caveats need to be kept in mind in attempts to integrate existing theories of crime causation?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss the aims and pitfalls of theoretical...

Question 12

Choose one of the integrated theories discussed in Chapter 12, and discuss its central features. To what extent does the integration you have chosen produce new testable propositions or broaden the scope of the theories from which it was constructed?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Choose one of the integrated theories discussed...

Question 13

Using two or more theories discussed in previous chapters, develop an integrated theory of your own that you believe has merit. Be sure to indicate the commonalities in the theories that you propose to integrate, and indicate why you believe the integration you propose is superior to the individual theories from which it is constructed.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Using two or more theories discussed in...

Question 14

Some people may say that Cullen's view that "social support" prevents crime and Colvin's view that "coercion" causes crime are opposing theories trying to answer different questions and therefore that it makes little sense to try to integrate them. Others argue that the two are really simply different ways of pointing to the preventive and risk factors of crime and that therefore it makes sense to integrate them for a more complete explanation than either gives separately. What position would you take? What position do Cullen and Colvin take? Why?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Some people may say that Cullen's view...

Question 15

The authors state: "In our view, it is hard to identify any new explanatory variable introduced by the life-course perspective." What does this statement mean? Do you agree or disagree with it? Use examples from life-course studies.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The authors state: "In our view, it...

Question 16

In completing the assignment posed below, consider the following case history:
Tony is a 13-year-old boy referred to the juvenile court for breaking a classmate's arm with a stick during an argument. The argument erupted after the classmate called Tony's father a "no-good drunk." Although this is Tony's first offense, he has a history of difficulties managing anger. School records show that he has been referred to the principal's office for fighting on four occasions in the past 2 years. Tony's mother says that, for as long as she can remember, her son has been difficult to control. She complains that he refuses to do homework, wears his hair and clothes in "outrageous" ways, and stays out with his friends until all hours of the night. She has tried grounding him and taking away privileges, but these efforts to change Tony have been unsuccessful.
Tony is the only child of May and Tom Smith. The family is not close. Tom works occasionally as a clerk in a convenience store, but he is unemployed much of the time. He drinks a lot, and he has lost two jobs because of his drinking. The family is poor and lives in a rundown section of Milwaukee.
Tom has told Tony many times to get a good education so he won't end up in a low-paying job like he has. Tony doesn't seem to listen. He gets poor grades in school and hates attending. He complains that his teachers think he's a bad kid and won't give him a chance.
Both May and Tom are fed up with Tony, who seems to be a burden to both of them. May told a social worker: "We've tried and tried to make Tony a good boy. We've had it. I hope the court locks him up for a long time. Tom and I are washing our hands of Tony after this."
When Tony was asked why he hit his classmate, he remarked: "He had it coming. Where I come from you don't let anybody push you around. My friends would have thought I was a real sissy if I didn't make him pay for what he said. He's just lucky I didn't hurt him worse than I did. My friends mostly carry knives, and some got guns so they would just cut him or shoot him. I let him off easy."
This case history can be analyzed from a number of theoretical perspectives. Choose two that we have studied and show how they might be usefully combined to understand Tony's behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of In completing the assignment posed below, consider...

Question 17

What are three ways by which theories can be evaluated and developed? Are any of these methods superior to the other two?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are three ways by which theories...

Question 18

Why do many criminologists have issues with theoretical integration? Do you think integration will become more accepted over time?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why do many criminologists have issues with...

Question 19

Discuss one example of propositional integration. Explain who developed it, how it is an integrated theory, and how accepted it is in criminology.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Discuss one example of propositional integration. Explain...

Question 20

What integrated theory do you think best explains criminal behavior? Explain the theory's origins and whether the integrated theory explains crime better than the stand-alone theories it utilizes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What integrated theory do you think best...

Quiz 15: Integrating Criminological Theories