Question 1

Which sociologist theorized that becoming a deviant is often accomplished through a process of social learning?
A) Travis Hirschi
B) Steven Spitzer
C) Robert Merton
D) Howard Becker

Accepted Answer

Howard Becker is the sociologist who theorized that becoming a deviant is often accomplished through a process of social learning. He believed that deviance is not inherent in an act, but rather is determined by society's reaction to that act. Becker argued that individuals become deviants when others label them as such and that deviance is a result of social interactions and power dynamics rather than individual characteristics.

Question 2

In 2003,former British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell pled guilty to the misdemeanour of drinking and driving in Hawaii and was fined $913.Despite pleading guilty to the offence,Campbell did not have to step down as premier,although Canadian laws state that a person convicted of a criminal offence may not hold political office. What does this story demonstrate?
A) It demonstrates that people who commit crimes are labelled as criminals.
B) It demonstrates that people who commit serious crimes, like murder, are labelled as criminals but people who commit less serious crimes are not.
C) It demonstrates that Campbell is not a criminal.
D) It demonstrates that social status plays a significant role in whether the label of criminal is applied.

Accepted Answer

This story demonstrates that social status plays a significant role in whether the label of criminal is applied. Despite pleading guilty to a crime, Campbell did not face the same consequences as the average citizen due to his status as a premier. This highlights the inequality that can exist within the justice system based on social status.

Question 3

Which of the following terms refers to crimes such as copyright infringement and embezzlement?
A) street crimes
B) victimless crimes
C) white-collar crimes
D) office crimes

Accepted Answer

White-collar crimes are non-violent crimes committed by individuals in positions of trust, typically in a corporate or business setting. These crimes often involve financial fraud or theft, such as embezzlement or copyright infringement. Street crimes (A) refer to crimes that occur in public places and typically involve violence or property damage. Victimless crimes (B) are those that do not have a specific victim, such as drug use or prostitution. Office crimes (D) is not a commonly used term in criminology.

Question 4

Martha Stewart was convicted in 2004 of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.Her crime was dumping 3900 shares of ImClone stock based on a tip that stock prices were about to plummet.What type of crime was Martha Stewart found guilty of?
A) a street crime
B) a victimless crime
C) a white-collar crime
D) an office crime

Accepted Answer

Martha Stewart was convicted of a white-collar crime, which is a nonviolent crime committed by individuals or corporations for financial gain.

Question 5

Consider the case of Simon,who is in the process of becoming a regular marijuana user.According to the social learning theory,which of the following is most likely to happen if Simon fails to pass a stage of the learning process?
A) He will not become a regular user.
B) He will become a regular user.
C) He will become a user of a different, more serious, substance.
D) He will become opposed to anyone using marijuana.

Accepted Answer

According to the social learning theory, learning occurs through a process of observation, imitation, and reinforcement. If Simon fails to pass a stage of the learning process, he may not become a regular user as he might not have received positive reinforcement for his behavior. The other options are less likely as they involve assuming that Simon will either continue using a different substance or become opposed to marijuana use, which is not necessarily supported by the theory.

Question 6

Lord Conrad Black,a Canadian media mogul,was sentenced in 2007 to 6.5 years in a Florida prison for fraud totalling $2.9 million in misappropriated funds.What type of crime was Lord Black found guilty of?
A) a victimless crime
B) a white-collar crime
C) an elite crime
D) a political crime

Accepted Answer

Lord Conrad Black was convicted of fraud, which is a type of white-collar crime. White-collar crimes are nonviolent offenses committed by individuals in a professional or business setting for financial gain. This is in contrast to crimes such as burglary or assault, which involve violence or the threat of violence.

Question 7

Which of the following theorists developed the strain theory of deviance?
A) Robert Merton
B) Travis Hirschi
C) Howard Becker
D) Steven Spitzer

Accepted Answer

Robert Merton developed the strain theory of deviance, which suggests that the societal expectations placed on individuals to attain material success can lead to deviant behavior when those individuals do not have the means or opportunities to reach those goals through legitimate means.

Question 8

Jamie,looking for money for his next heroin fix,breaks into a car and steals a rich woman's purse.What type of crime is Jamie guilty of committing?
A) a victimless crime
B) a white-collar crime
C) an elite crime
D) a street crime

Accepted Answer

Jamie committing theft by breaking into a car and stealing a purse is considered a street crime. Street crimes are committed by individuals or small groups and commonly involve physical harm or the threat of physical harm.

Question 9

"Zorro," a local dealer,cooks meth and deals it and other drugs from the basement of his mother's home.What type of crime is he guilty of committing?
A) a victimless crime
B) a street crime
C) an act of terrorism
D) a crime of passion

Accepted Answer

Zorro is guilty of committing a street crime, as he is engaged in the illegal sale and production of drugs within the community. This type of crime is often associated with violence and poses a threat to public safety.

Question 10

What does the research on racialization demonstrate with regard to police searches of vehicles?
A) Police are particularly suspicious of black people who are successful by conventional cultural standards.
B) Police are especially suspicious of poor South Asian youth who drive expensive trucks.
C) Police are particularly suspicious of well-to-do white people who drive expensive vehicles.
D) Police are particularly suspicious of poor, uneducated white people.

Accepted Answer

Research on racialization often highlights that police are more suspicious of black individuals, even those who are successful by conventional standards, due to ingrained racial biases and stereotypes.

Question 11

According to the social learning theory of deviance,how do people learn to define unpleasurable deviant acts as pleasurable?
A) by continuing to try the deviant act over and over
B) by trying the deviant act in new settings
C) by being taught how to redefine their experiences
D) by reacting against other's definitions of their actions as deviant

Accepted Answer

According to the social learning theory of deviance, individuals learn to redefine deviant acts as pleasurable through the process of differential association and reinforcement. Differential association refers to the process of learning deviant behaviors through interactions with deviant peers or through exposure to deviant norms and values. Reinforcement occurs when individuals are rewarded for engaging in deviant behaviors, which reinforces the behavior and encourages its continued performance. Both of these processes contribute to the individual's redefinition of the deviant act as pleasurable. Additionally, individuals may be taught cognitive strategies for redefining their experiences, such as moral justifications or neutralization techniques, which further reinforce the behavior and its associated pleasure. Therefore, choice C is the best answer.

Question 12

Based on incarceration data,who is most likely to be sentenced to custody in a prison in Canada?
A) Seth, a 47-year-old Aboriginal male
B) Robert, a 26-year-old white male
C) Ravina, a 25-year-old Punjabi female
D) Delores, a 19-year-old white female

Accepted Answer

According to Statistics Canada, Aboriginal males are overrepresented in Canada's prison system. In 2018, they represented 28% of the total inmate population, while only making up 5% of the Canadian adult male population. Furthermore, Aboriginal males are more likely to receive longer sentences and be classified as higher-risk offenders. This suggests that Seth, as an Aboriginal male, is the most likely to be sentenced to custody in a prison in Canada.

Question 13

Which of the following do most people ignore when trying to explain the high levels of incarceration among certain ethnic groups?
A) inherent racial differences
B) cultural differences in how people view crime
C) social forces such as cultural genocide
D) differences in IQ among certain groups

Accepted Answer

Social forces such as cultural genocide are often overlooked, yet they play a significant role in the systemic issues leading to high incarceration rates among certain ethnic groups.

Question 14

Janis needs money to buy groceries for her children and shoplifts some bread and cheese from the local grocery store.What type of crime is Janis guilty of committing?
A) a victimless crime
B) a white-collar crime
C) a street crime
D) a crime of passion

Accepted Answer

Janis is guilty of committing a street crime by shoplifting food from the grocery store. A victimless crime involves behavior that is illegal but does not directly harm any specific individual. A white-collar crime involves nonviolent offenses committed by professionals in the workplace. A crime of passion involves a spontaneous criminal act committed in the heat of the moment because of strong emotions.

Question 15

Consider the story of the brutal murder of Pamela George by Alex Ternowetsky and Steven Kummerfield.What does this case demonstrate?
A) It demonstrates that most people who commit a crime are labelled appropriately, according to the crime committed.
B) It demonstrates that that people who commit serious crimes, like murder, are labelled according to their actions, regardless of their social status.
C) It demonstrates that that social status plays a significant role in whether one is labelled a deviant or not.
D) It demonstrates that that the justice system is almost never skewed in favour of the victim of a serious crime.

Accepted Answer

The case of Pamela George's murder highlights how social status can influence the labeling of individuals as deviants, as the perpetrators received relatively lenient treatment due to their social standing.

Question 16

In the past,people who committed various crimes were paraded through the village and detained in full view of the public,where villagers could hurl insults and worse at them.From a functionalist perspective,what purpose did the public nature of this practice serve?
A) maintaining moral boundaries
B) providing an outlet for pent-up societal aggression
C) alerting the public about who the criminals were
D) saving money, as no money was required to build prisons

Accepted Answer

The public punishment served to reinforce societal norms and values by clearly delineating acceptable behavior, thus maintaining moral boundaries.

Question 17

Which of the following terms refers to crimes such as robbery and assault?
A) street crimes
B) victimless crimes
C) white-collar crimes
D) office crimes

Accepted Answer

Street crimes are typically defined as criminal offenses such as robbery, assault, or theft that occur in public places and often involve physical violence or threats of violence. Victimless crimes include offenses such as drug use or gambling, while white-collar crimes usually involve illegal activities committed by individuals in positions of power or authority within a business or organization. Office crimes are similar to white-collar crimes but specifically refer to illegal activities committed within a workplace setting.

Question 18

Which of the following groups is the most overrepresented in Canadian prisons?
A) South Asian women
B) Aboriginal women
C) white women
D) white men

Accepted Answer

Aboriginal women are the most overrepresented group in Canadian prisons. Despite representing only 4% of the population, they make up over 40% of the female prison population. This is a result of systemic oppression and intergenerational trauma caused by colonialism and residential schools.

Question 19

Which of the following people is most likely to be stopped and searched by police while driving in a Canadian city?
A) Ted, a 35-year-old white executive
B) Blanche, a 45-year-old Asian housewife
C) Carl, a 25-year-old black Ph.D. student
D) Dmitri, an 18-year-old Russian immigrant store clerk

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently shown that Black and Indigenous people, as well as other people of color, are disproportionately stopped and searched by police compared to white people. Therefore, Carl, a 25-year-old black Ph.D. student, is the most likely to be stopped and searched while driving in a Canadian city.

Question 20

Which classical theorist believed that deviance was functional for society?
A) Karl Marx
B) Max Weber
C) Emile Durkheim
D) Harriet Martineau

Accepted Answer

Emile Durkheim believed that deviance was functional for society because it helped to maintain social order by defining and reinforcing social norms and values. Deviance, according to Durkheim, could also lead to social change and innovation by challenging existing norms and leading to new ones.

Quiz 7: Deviance and Crime

Which sociologist theorized that becoming a deviant is often accomplished through a process of social learning?

Which of the following terms refers to crimes such as copyright infringement and embezzlement?

Martha Stewart was convicted in 2004 of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.Her crime was dumping 3900 shares of ImClone stock based on a tip that stock prices were about to plummet.What type of crime was Martha Stewart found guilty of?

Consider the case of Simon,who is in the process of becoming a regular marijuana user.According to the social learning theory,which of the following is most likely to happen if Simon fails to pass a stage of the learning process?

Lord Conrad Black,a Canadian media mogul,was sentenced in 2007 to 6.5 years in a Florida prison for fraud totalling $2.9 million in misappropriated funds.What type of crime was Lord Black found guilty of?

Which of the following theorists developed the strain theory of deviance?

Jamie,looking for money for his next heroin fix,breaks into a car and steals a rich woman's purse.What type of crime is Jamie guilty of committing?

"Zorro," a local dealer,cooks meth and deals it and other drugs from the basement of his mother's home.What type of crime is he guilty of committing?

What does the research on racialization demonstrate with regard to police searches of vehicles?

According to the social learning theory of deviance,how do people learn to define unpleasurable deviant acts as pleasurable?

Based on incarceration data,who is most likely to be sentenced to custody in a prison in Canada?

Which of the following do most people ignore when trying to explain the high levels of incarceration among certain ethnic groups?

Janis needs money to buy groceries for her children and shoplifts some bread and cheese from the local grocery store.What type of crime is Janis guilty of committing?

Consider the story of the brutal murder of Pamela George by Alex Ternowetsky and Steven Kummerfield.What does this case demonstrate?

In the past,people who committed various crimes were paraded through the village and detained in full view of the public,where villagers could hurl insults and worse at them.From a functionalist perspective,what purpose did the public nature of this practice serve?

Which of the following terms refers to crimes such as robbery and assault?

Which of the following groups is the most overrepresented in Canadian prisons?

Which of the following people is most likely to be stopped and searched by police while driving in a Canadian city?

Which classical theorist believed that deviance was functional for society?