Practice Exam: Sociology of Crimes and Ethics (Set 15)
A 30-question practice exam covering Criminological Theories, Juvenile Delinquency, Victimology, and Professional Ethics.
Which school of criminology posits that crime is a result of a rational calculation of costs and benefits?
A.Positivist School
B.Classical School
C.Chicago School
D.Critical Criminology
According to Sutherland's Differential Association Theory, criminal behavior is:
A.A result of biological defects.
B.Learned in interaction with other persons in a process of communication.
C.Caused by a lack of self-control.
D.A product of societal conflict.
The concept of "anomie," a state of normlessness and social breakdown, was primarily developed by:
A.Karl Marx
B.Cesare Lombroso
C.Emile Durkheim
D.Travis Hirschi
Robert Merton's Strain Theory argues that crime occurs when:
A.A person's bonds to society are weak or broken.
B.A person learns pro-criminal definitions.
C.There is a disjunction between culturally prescribed goals and the legitimate means to achieve them.
D.There is a lack of capable guardians.
The study of the role of the victim in the criminal event is called:
A.Criminology
B.Victimology
C.Penology
D.Sociology
Which theory suggests that crime is more likely to occur in neighborhoods with physical and social decay, where residents are disengaged?
A.Broken Windows Theory
B.Social Disorganization Theory
C.Strain Theory
D.Labeling Theory
In the context of juvenile justice, what does "parens patriae" mean?
A."An eye for an eye."
B."The state as the parent."
C."Guilty mind."
D."Let the decision stand."
A child who violates a law that only applies to minors, such as truancy or running away, is known as a:
A.Delinquent offender
B.Status offender
C.Youthful perpetrator
D.Socialized delinquent
According to Hirschi's Social Control Theory, what prevents people from committing crimes?
A.Fear of punishment.
B.Strong bonds to conventional society.
C.Lack of criminal opportunity.
D.Rational choice.
The idea that the criminal justice system and its agents can actually perpetuate crime by branding individuals as criminals is central to which theory?
A.Strain Theory
B.Labeling Theory
C.Differential Association Theory
D.Routine Activities Theory
The "holy trinity" of Criminology (theorists) are often considered to be:
A.Marx, Weber, and Durkheim
B.Lombroso, Ferri, and Garofalo
C.Beccaria, Bentham, and Blackstone
D.Freud, Jung, and Adler
This branch of ethics is concerned with the specific moral principles and codes of conduct that govern a profession.
A.Meta-ethics
B.Normative ethics
C.Professional ethics
D.Descriptive ethics
The concept of "victim precipitation" suggests that:
A.Victims are always blameless.
B.The victim may, in some way, have initiated the confrontation that led to their victimization.
C.All victims deserve compensation.
D.Victims and offenders are the same.
Which of the following is NOT a requirement of the "crime triangle" in Routine Activities Theory?
A.A history of prior offending
B.A motivated offender
C.A suitable target
D.The absence of a capable guardian
A police officer who accepts a free coffee from a restaurant owner is engaging in what level of corruption?
A.Criminal enterprise
B.Gratuity
C.Bribery
D.Extortion
The "Positivist School" of criminology, led by Lombroso, famously argued that criminals were:
A.Rational actors making a choice.
B."Atavistic" throwbacks to an earlier, more primitive stage of human evolution.
C.Products of a capitalist society.
D.Lacking in social bonds.
What does the "Code of Silence" or "Blue Wall of Silence" refer to in police ethics?
A.The rule against talking to the media.
B.An informal code of loyalty where officers refuse to report or testify against a colleague's misconduct.
C.A vow taken by new recruits.
D.The confidentiality required during an internal investigation.
Victimology focuses on the study of the victim. What is a key component of victim assistance programs?
A.Helping the victim get revenge.
B.Providing crisis intervention, counseling, and financial compensation.
C.Investigating the crime on behalf of the victim.
D.Training the victim in self-defense.
According to Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime, the root cause of all criminal behavior is:
A.Social strain
B.Deviant labels
C.Low self-control
D.Economic inequality
The ethical principle that requires fairness, equity, and impartiality in the treatment of all individuals is known as:
A.Beneficence
B.Justice
C.Autonomy
D.Non-maleficence
This theory suggests that society is composed of different groups in conflict over resources, power, and status, and that the law is a tool used by the powerful to control the powerless.
A.Social Control Theory
B.Conflict Theory
C.Strain Theory
D.Labeling Theory
A repeat offender is also known as a:
A.First-time offender
B.Recidivist
C.Status offender
D.Professional criminal
The ethical duty to be truthful and honest is known as:
A.Veracity
B.Fidelity
C.Gratitude
D.Justice
The "age of onset" is a key concept in which area of criminology?
A.Developmental or Life-Course Criminology
B.Classical Criminology
C.Feminist Criminology
D.Environmental Criminology
Which of the following is an example of "victimless crime"?
A.Theft
B.Assault
C.Illegal gambling
D.Homicide
The principle of "proportionality" in sentencing, a key idea from the Classical School, means that:
A.The punishment should be as severe as possible.
B.The punishment must fit the crime.
C.The punishment should be determined by the victim.
D.The offender's background should be the primary consideration.
What is the term for the unwritten rules and values that are the "real" guides for police behavior, as opposed to the official, written rules?
A.The penal code
B.The police subculture
C.The procedural manual
D.The city ordinance
The theory that crime is a product of social learning and the observation of others, particularly through media, is a component of:
A.Anomie Theory
B.Social Learning Theory
C.Control Theory
D.Labeling Theory
A police officer who actively seeks out opportunities for financial gain through their position is known as a:
A."Grass-eater"
B."Meat-eater"
C."Blue-coat" criminal
D."Rogue cop"
The ethical framework that judges the morality of an action based on its adherence to rules is called:
A.Deontology
B.Consequentialism (or Utilitarianism)
C.Virtue Ethics
D.Relativism