Criminology: Social Theories, Crime Types, and Control Strategies

What percentage of the state inmate population consists of drug offenders?

15% to 20%

What is the theory of social harm?

The belief that an act should only be considered a crime if it causes injury to others

What is the difference between Legal Positivism and Natural Law?

Legal Positivism views law as rules created by the state, while Natural Law views law as based on universal moral principles

How does 'attachment' function in Social Bond Theory?

It represents sensitivity to the opinions of significant others like parents, friends, and teachers.

What are the three main factors of social disorganization identified by Shaw and McKay?

Poverty, residential mobility, and racial/ethnic heterogeneity.

What is the 'engine' that drives criminal behavior in General Strain Theory?

Negative emotions, specifically anger, resulting from strain.

What is the result of a 'moral vacuum' in a neighborhood?

Criminal traditions and gang cultures can take root and be passed down to younger generations.

What happens when collective efficacy breaks down in a neighborhood?

A moral vacuum is created, allowing criminal traditions to take root.

What is Mens Rea?

The intent to commit a crime, distinguishing accidental harm from criminal behavior.

What is the difference between deviance and criminality?

Deviance is behavior that departs from social norms, while criminality is behavior specifically prohibited by law.

What is the primary purpose of due process?

To ensure legal proceedings are fair and that individuals have notice and an opportunity to be heard before the government acts.

What is the 'void-for-vagueness' doctrine?

The principle that a law is unconstitutional if it does not clearly define the behaviors it prohibits.

How does the Due Process Model view the justice system?

As an 'obstacle course' that prioritizes the protection of rights and procedural fairness over efficiency.

What is the main focus of interdiction in drug control?

Sealing U.S. borders and arresting drug couriers to stop narcotics from entering the country.

What is 'Source Control' in drug enforcement?

Destroying drug crops and laboratories in foreign countries to stop production at the origin.

What is the 'Balloon Effect' in drug control?

The phenomenon where squeezing drug production in one area causes it to simply relocate to another.

What are the two main categories of public order crimes identified in the text?

Deviant sexual behavior and substance abuse.

What is the primary goal of the 'War on Drugs'?

To control substance abuse through prevention, deterrence, and law enforcement strategies.

What is a common criticism of the 'War on Drugs' regarding constitutional rights?

It has led to the erosion of privacy and the scaling back of protections against unreasonable searches.

What is the economic argument for legalizing and taxing drugs?

It could potentially yield nearly $46.7 billion in annual tax revenue.

What is the difference between legal guilt and factual guilt?

Legal guilt is proving a case while following all rules, whereas factual guilt is whether the person actually committed the act.

What is the definition of property crime?

Criminal acts involving theft, burglary, and arson.

What are white-collar and corporate crimes?

Financial crimes committed by individuals or businesses.

What is the definition of political crime?

Acts designed to undermine or overthrow the government.

What is the primary focus of the Crime Control Model?

Efficiency and the suppression of criminal activity, often contrasted with the Due Process Model.

What is the typical path of drug use according to the gateway model?

Alcohol leads to marijuana, which leads to 'hard' drugs like heroin, cocaine, or methamphetamine.

Why is the 'void-for-vagueness' doctrine important for citizens?

It ensures citizens have fair warning of what behaviors are considered criminal.

What is the effect of 'cutting' cocaine on its market value?

It can double or triple the value of the product

What trend has been observed in the street price of heroin and crack despite interdiction efforts?

The price has drifted downward, suggesting resilient distribution networks

What is the consequence of a 'damaged ego' in the psychodynamic model?

The individual struggles to cope with stress or reality, potentially leading to lashing out or substance abuse.

What are 'zones in transition'?

Areas undergoing a shift in population and structure, typically from residential to industrial, where social institutions become frayed.

What are the primary tools of formal control identified by Siegel?

Legislation, law enforcement, sanctions, and interdiction.

What is the 'social gap' in Robert Merton's theory of anomie?

The split between culturally defined goals, such as the American Dream, and the socially approved means to achieve them.

In Merton's theory, what is 'innovation'?

Accepting the goal of success but using illegal means, such as theft or drug dealing, to achieve it.

What is the 'transitional neighborhood' in the concentric zone model?

An inner-city zone shifting from residential to industrial use that is most plagued by social disorganization.

How does residential mobility contribute to social disorganization?

Frequent movement prevents residents from forming the social ties necessary to monitor and regulate neighborhood behavior.

What is behavioral coping in the context of GST?

Taking direct action to minimize the source of strain, such as working harder or moving away.

What role do families, schools, and churches play in Social Disorganization Theory?

They act as primary institutions of social control that, when weakened, lead to a moral vacuum.

What are the three channels through which collective efficacy operates?

Informal social control, institutional social control, and public social control.

How does institutional social control prevent crime?

By using local anchors like schools and churches to provide organized activities and supervision.

What is the core argument of Social Process Theory?

Criminality is a function of an individual's interactions with various organizations, institutions, and processes in society.

What is primary deviance?

A minor, initial act of rule-breaking that has little influence on a person's self-image.

What are victimless crimes?

Illegal acts that conflict with social policy and moral rules, often involving consenting adults.

What is the gateway model of drug use?

The theory that substance abuse follows a progressive path from 'softer' substances like alcohol to 'harder' drugs.

What is Actus Reus?

The physical act of a crime or a failure to act when a legal duty exists.

What is the definition of cybercrime?

Illegal acts performed through electronic means.

What is the definition of violent crime?

Acts such as homicide, assault, and rape.

What is the main challenge of interdiction?

The U.S. has extensive borders that are difficult to control fully, and traffickers are highly adaptable.

What is the alternative approach to treating drug abuse suggested by some experts?

Treating drug abuse as a public health issue rather than a criminal one.

What is the estimated value of a metric ton of pure cocaine in the United States?

Over $150 million

What are 'skeezers' in the context of drug distribution?

Individuals who engage in prostitution specifically to trade sex for drugs

How could government-controlled drug legalization affect illicit markets?

It could destroy the power of gangs and cartels by removing the violent illicit market they control

What percentage of the federal inmate population consists of drug offenders?

45% to 50%

What is the primary reason for incarceration in state prisons?

Violent crimes such as assault and homicide

What is the 'Separate Sovereigns' doctrine?

A legal principle allowing both state and federal governments to prosecute an individual for the same crime without violating double jeopardy

What was the '100-to-1' ratio in federal law?

A sentencing disparity that punished crack cocaine offenses far more severely than powder cocaine offenses

What are 'truth-in-sentencing' laws?

Laws requiring violent offenders to serve at least 85% of their sentence

Who are 'moral entrepreneurs'?

Individuals or groups who use their influence to shape laws according to their own moral beliefs

What is the core premise of Natural Law?

Universal moral principles inherent in human nature are discoverable by reason

What is the 'Id' according to Freud's psychodynamic theory?

The primitive, biologically driven part of the mind that seeks instant gratification

What is the primary function of mandatory minimum sentences in federal law?

To strip judges of discretion and force long prison terms based on drug type and quantity

How does federal sentencing compare to state sentencing for similar drug crimes?

Federal sentences are often double or triple the length of state sentences

Why do local prosecutors sometimes 'go federal' with a case?

To ensure a longer, more certain sentence under federal guidelines

What is the main driver of the 'stickiness' of state prison populations?

The steady incarceration of violent offenders

What is the 'pleasure principle'?

The psychological force that drives the Id to seek instant gratification

What role do cartels play in the drug distribution hierarchy?

They handle large-scale manufacturing and importation of drugs

What are the three main forces of personality in Freud's model?

The Id, the Ego, and the Superego

How do state prisons differ from federal prisons regarding violent offender populations?

Violent offenders make up 50% or more of state inmates, but under 10% of federal inmates

What is the primary criticism of legislating morality?

It is argued that criminalizing acts without clear victims is ineffective or overreaching

What is the purpose of drug courts in state systems?

To provide diversion programs or treatment-based sentences for non-violent offenders

What are the three components of Freud's personality model?

The Id, the Ego, and the Superego.

According to psychodynamic theory, what is the result of a 'weak superego'?

The Id takes control, leading to impulsive, violent, or illegal acts.

How does psychodynamic trait theory explain criminal behavior?

It suggests that certain personality configurations, such as sensation-seeking or difficult temperament, combined with poor childhood attachment, predispose individuals to deviance.

What is Social Disorganization Theory?

A theory focusing on the breakdown of institutions in inner-city neighborhoods, leading to a lack of social control.

What three factors did Shaw and McKay identify as contributing to social disorganization in Chicago?

Residential mobility, ethnic heterogeneity, and poverty.

What is collective efficacy?

A community's ability to maintain order through informal, institutional, and public social control.

What does the 'Broken Windows' theory suggest?

Unchecked signs of disorder signal that a community is disorganized, which can lead to an escalation in serious crime.

How did Émile Durkheim define 'anomie'?

A state of 'normlessness' occurring during rapid social change where traditional rules no longer effectively control behavior.

Why did Durkheim argue that crime is a 'necessary' part of society?

It defines moral boundaries and creates social solidarity as the community unites against the criminal.

What is the core conflict in Merton's Strain Theory?

The gap between socially approved goals, such as financial success, and the legitimate means available to achieve them.

In Merton's Strain Theory, what is 'Innovation'?

An adaptation where individuals accept the goal of wealth but use illegal means to achieve it.

What is the central question of Travis Hirschi's Social Bond Theory?

Why do people obey the law instead of committing crime?

What are the four elements of Hirschi's Social Bond?

Attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief.

What does 'commitment' mean in the context of Hirschi's theory?

Having a 'stake in conformity,' such as a job or reputation, that an individual does not want to lose.

What is formal control?

Organized, institutionalized efforts by the state, such as the criminal justice system, to discourage or punish crime.

What is 'interdiction' in the context of drug control?

The formal effort to seal borders and intercept illegal substances.

How does formal control compare to informal control in effectiveness?

Formal control is often considered a 'last resort' and is frequently less effective than informal control mechanisms like family and community bonds.

What is the 'pleasure principle' in Freud's model?

The Id's drive to seek instant gratification.

What is the role of the 'Ego' in Freud's personality model?

It is the rational part of the personality that helps the individual navigate reality.

What is the 'Superego'?

The moral conscience developed through social and parental attachment that dictates right from wrong.

What is 'involvement' in Social Bond Theory?

Being busy in conventional activities, which leaves no time for criminal behavior.

What is 'belief' in Social Bond Theory?

Sharing a common moral code and maintaining respect for the law.

What is the primary risk of labeling theory in the criminal justice system?

Processing an individual as a criminal can push them further into a criminal career by causing them to be rejected by normal society.

How has intense formal control in the drug war affected constitutional protections?

It has led to the scaling back of constitutional protections and increased instances of unreasonable searches.

How did Émile Durkheim define anomie?

A state of normlessness where traditional rules guiding behavior have broken down or lost their power.

What conditions typically trigger anomie according to Durkheim?

Periods of rapid social change, such as economic booms, depressions, or wars.

Who are the primary architects of Social Disorganization Theory?

Clifford Shaw and Henry McKay.

What is the focus of Social Disorganization Theory regarding the cause of crime?

The physical and social environment of a neighborhood rather than the individual characteristics of its residents.

What is 'collective efficacy'?

The mutual trust among neighbors and their willingness to intervene to maintain public order.

How does cultural deviance manifest in high-crime city zones?

Criminal behavior becomes a learned norm passed down from older generations to younger ones as a survival and status-seeking strategy.