Quiz 8: Social Conflict Theory: ITS a Dog:eat:dog World

Social conflict theorists differentiate between serious crimes and unjust conditions. Which of the following would a conflict theorist consider to be a serious crime? A)the murder of a teen at the hands of her jealous boyfriend B)a large company dumping chemicals into a creek C)an assault committed against a co-worker D)the robbery of a convenience store

Which group became headline news after a campaign of terrorist activities in Canada during the late 1960s and 1970s? A)the Islamic Jihad B)the Irish Republican Army (IRA) C)Al Qaeda D)the Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ)

Who is responsible for defining crime, according to conflict theorists? A)those who enforce the law B)the social audience C)those in power D)those who commit crime

According to the text, what would Richard Quinney, a conflict theorist, say about the relationship between offenders and society? A)Criminal law reflect a society's power relations and are a means of maintaining social order. B)Crime is a function of family relationships and the moral messaging that is passed from generation to generation. C)Criminals are social misfits who are separated from mainstream culture. D)Law violations are to be examined from a psychological/biological perspective, as mental illness is prevalent among criminals.

According to Marxist criminologists, which of these crimes is considered a crime committed by the "have-nots"? A)sexual discrimination B)theft of workplace supplies C)squeegeeing D)tax evasion

Which is most commonly the cause of crime in a capitalist economic system? A)the desire of capitalists to distribute goods in a fair, impartial way B)the increase in the numbers of women holding powerful positions in the workforce C)workers being marginalized from middle-class social and living environments D)the inability of the lower class to neutralize deviance among young people in their communities

A large city has decided to take on a Marxist approach to crime reduction. Which program are they likely to implement given their perspective? A)a genetic clinic to assist in the screening of new births for genetic abnormalities B)a stronger educational policy keeping youth in school longer C)an enhanced social assistance program to help those with the lowest incomes D)segregated classrooms separating girls and boys in grades 1 to 8

Which branch of Marxist theory suggests that crime is used by the powerful to control the less fortunate members of society? A)expressive B)feminist C)instrumental D)structural

What do instrumental Marxists strive to do with respect to inequalities inherent in law and justice? A)justify the system in place B)abolish the system as it exists C)expand upon the current system D)make sense of the current system

What focus does Marxist research tend to take? A)empirical research studies conducted across cultures and replicated regularly B)large examinations of the historical impact of crime and law on individuals and societies C)methodical analysis of data relevant to crime and criminals in specific jurisdictions D)story-telling anecdotes passed through generations about norms and mores

What level of analysis do Marxists theorists do when examining social issues? A)retrospective and micro-level B)macro-level C)micro-level and macro-level D)retrospective

John Lea and Jock Young have developed a left realism perspective on crime. What is the viewpoint they take on crime? A)Feminism has historically created a disparity in sentencing as it relates to race and gender in the criminal justice system. B)The justice system is ruled by the upper classes and is unable to effectively deal with overall crime rates. C)Police and courts are unable to control crime because of inherent leniency. D)There is a need for control and order but this must be balanced by social welfare programming.

Which social conflict branch suggests that crime results when differences in social status among individuals leads to frustration? A)radical feminism B)left realism C)postmodernism D)peacemaking criminology

When should preemptive deterrence efforts take place in order to impact crime rates? A)before prisoners are released from custody B)before police involvement is required C)once there have been "three strikes" D)as a part of probationary conditions

What is the viewpoint of left realists on the needs of crime victims? A)Victims in the upper social classes are the most affected by crime and require the most protection. B)Only victims from the lower social classes require protection from crime. C)Victims from all social classes require attention and protection. D)Victims have finally reached the level of recognition within the justice system they have been seeking.

According to radical thinkers, which of the following is a major shortfall of left realism? A)It ignores the role of labelling in creating bias in the criminal justice system. B)It ignores the role of gender in discussions of those disadvantaged in our criminal justice system. C)It legitimizes racism. D)It legitimizes the capitalist system by looking to the deviant as the cause of crime.

Joan Sangster investigated female delinquency in Ontario from 1940 to 1960. What did she find about young girls who were incarcerated in training schools? A)They were perceived as threats to the middle-class morals and values. B)They had become wards of the court, as they were homeless or orphaned. C)They had either or both severe physical or mental disabilities. D)They were incarcerated for longer periods than their male counterparts.

How do Marxist feminists explain why females in capitalist societies commit fewer crimes than males? A)Women have lower status than males in all domains, including the criminal world. B)Men are physically stronger and better able to commit a variety of crimes. C)Men have more emotional soundness than women, which contributes to success in the criminal world. D)Women have higher rates of mental illness, leading to lower likelihood of having the ability to commit high profile crimes.

According to radical feminists, which condition triggers the onset of female delinquent and deviant behaviour? A)patriarchy B)discrimination C)exploitation D)gender bias

Which of these statements best summarizes the impact of the double standard of sexual inequality on female adolescents in the justice system? A)Males are more likely to commit fewer but more serious offences than females. B)Females have a much narrower range of acceptable behaviours than males. C)Females receive lengthier custody dispositions than males. D)Females are viewed as easier to rehabilitate than males.

According to John Hagan's power-control theory, what is the most likely scenario resulting in higher levels of criminal behaviour of male children? A)Parents hold egalitarian roles within the home and earn relatively similar wages outside the home. B)Parents hold traditional family roles: father works outside the home and holds the disciplinary power. C)Whether or not either of the parents have criminal records is the most influential factor in a child's criminal behaviour. D)The nature of a child's peer associations carries the most influence in terms of criminal behaviour.

According to postmodern theory, which of the following is a defining characteristic of the criminal justice system? A)Social class must be considered but not relied on as a primary cause of the crime rate within a community. B)Patriarchy influences how young persons are treated within the criminal justice system. C)Least intrusive interventions are most effective in efforts to reduce crime rates. D)Language used within the criminal justice system is geared toward the perspectives and values of the powerful.

What would an advocate of the peacemakers' movement say about the criminal justice system? A)Criminals are subjected to repeated racism and discrimination within the criminal justice system. B)The criminal justice system is as violent and harsh as the acts of those it seeks to rehabilitate. C)The criminal justice system is organized around the end result of protecting the peace and order in a community. D)Criminal justice proceedings must be much more open to public observation and criticism.

What is the primary goal of restorative justice? A)to provide opportunities for sentencing aboriginal offenders in a separate criminal justice system B)to remind those who work in the justice system that sentencing efforts must be proportionate and prompt C)to provide an Aboriginal perspective within the criminal justice system D)to reduce recidivism in the long term through connecting victims, offenders, and community members

Which of these approaches relies on nonpunitive strategies to prevent and control crime? A)decreed justice B)peacemaking justice C)reformative justice D)restorative justice

Conflict theorists suggest that crime in any society is caused by class conflict.

According to Richard Quinney, law is an abstract body of rules that represents an absolute moral code.

Radical criminology takes the view that crime is a product of the capitalist system.

Structural Marxists focus on threats to capitalism posed by criminals rather than differentiating between the rich and the poor.

Marxists research tends to be historical and analytical, not quantitative and empirical.

Mainstream criminologists agree with the Marxist thought that crime is indeed a function of capitalist society's inability to regulate itself and implement adequate social reforms.

Left realism's view of crime causation closely resembles the cultural deviance approach.

Research shows that a significant number of girls who are sent to hospital emergency rooms to be treated for sexual abuse later report engaging in physical fighting as a teen or as an adult.

Deconstructionists critically analyze communication and language in legal codes to determine whether they contain language and content that institutionalize racism or sexism.

According to John Hagan and his associates, within the paternalistic home, mothers are expected to control the behaviour of their daughters, while granting greater freedom to sons.

According to John Hagan and his associates, by implication, lower-class girls are the most likely to violate the law because they are less closely controlled than their middle-class counterparts.

Postmodern theory shows how family structure, women's economic status, and gender inequality interact to produce male/female differences in the crime rate.

Restorative justice is a healing process rather than a distributor of retribution and revenge.

One of the main principles of restorative justice is that crime is fundamentally a violation of people and interpersonal relationships.

Discuss Richard Quinney's social reality of crime theory. Do you agree with Quinney's view? Why or why not?

Compare and contrast instrumental Marxism and structural Marxism.

Discuss the following statement: Structural Marxists disagree with the view that the relationship between law and capitalism is unidirectional, always working for the rich and against the poor.

Examine the critical viewpoint of mainstream criminologists regarding Marxist criminology. With which view do you agree? Explain your reasoning.

Discuss the left realism theory. What are the critiques of this theory?

In regard to the Canadian Justice System and its treatment of women, describe changes that have occurred and those that are still needed. What suggestions do you have for a more equitable justice system for Canadian women?

Discuss how Marxist feminists link criminal behaviour patterns to the gender conflict created by the economic and social struggles common in postindustrial societies. The well-written answer will include specific examples to explain this link.

Power-control theory has received a great deal of attention in the criminological community because it encourages a new approach to the study of criminality. Discuss the approach taken by this theory.

One of the newer movements in radical theory is peacemaking criminology. Explain what the main purpose of criminology is for the members of this movement. How do these thinkers view the efforts of the state to punish and control? What alternatives do they suggest?

In 1999 the Law Commission of Canada formally endorsed restorative justice as a practice. Discuss the historical roots and examine the benefits that the program is expected to have on contemporary Canadian society.