CCJ 250 Possible Short Answer Questions

What is a paradigm? What are the three paradigms of Criminology?

A paradigm is a set of assumptions or organizing principles about human nature and how the world operates. It is a school thought within a discipline. The three paradigms of criminology is classical school of criminology, positivist school, and critical/conflict school.

Describe the importance of the Enlightenment to the rise of the Classical School of Criminology.

The importance of the Enlightenment period was it challenged the power of the Church and the Monarchy. It promoted a new scientific worldview based on rationality and reason, along with individual sovereignty. Also, feudalism effected it because on top was the landowners (Monarch, Church) the second group was guilds, and finally peasants. (Divine Right Of Kings)

Describe the importance of the rise of the bourgeoisie to the Classical School of Criminology.

This was important because it was the rise of the middle class! As an individual, what you did was important. When it came to laws, they were consistent, fair, and predictable. Then for punishment, they were also consistent, non-severe, fair, and predictable.

Distinguish between classical and neo-classical theories of crime

To distinguish classical and neo-classical theories, classical is considered to be the first attempt at penal reform, while neo-classical realizes not everybody should be treated equally. Classical has priority of the individual over the social. Neo-classical gets tough on crime.

What is meant by “pathology” according to positivist criminology?

According to positivist criminology, pathology refers to the idea that crime is a symptom of an underlying, abnormal "sickness" or deficiency within the individual or society, rather than a result of free will. Emerging in the late 19th century, this view suggests that criminals are inherently different from non-criminals due to biological, psychological, or social abnormalities.

Based in class discussion, what are “social statics” and “social dynamics”? How were these concepts important to the development of positivism?

Social statics examines the existing structures, institutions (e.g., family, religion), and processes that create order, stability, and harmony. Social dynamics examines the laws governing societal change, evolution, and progress over time. Together, they allowed for a comprehensive, scientific analysis of society, crucial for developing positivism.

What is atavism? How did Lombroso explain the relationship between it and crime?

Atavism is the belief that certain criminals are "evolutionary throwbacks"—biological regressions to an earlier, more primitive stage of human development. Lombroso’s theory is that serious offenders inherit criminal traits (“born criminals”). Along with that, the born criminals have physical features that suggest that they are biological throwbacks such as physical stigmata.

According to class lecture, what did Shaw and McKay mean by the concept of “social disorganization”?

Shaw and McKay meant that zone 2 was specifically characterized as “social disorganization.” Their interpretation was social disorganization led to crime and delinquency . It was the product of a detachment from conventional groups in certain areas of the city.

According to differential association theory, what differentiates the criminal from the non-criminal? Be specific.

According to differential association theory, the key differentiator between a criminal and a non-criminal is the ratio of learned definitions they receive regarding law violation. Along with that, learning criminal behavior is the same as learning any other behaviors. The different associations vary in frequency, duration, priority, and intensity.

Explain the difference between broken bond theories and failed to bond theories.

Broken bond theories posit that individuals initially developed healthy social attachments or social controls that later eroded or were interrupted, leading to antisocial behavior. In contrast, failed to bond theories suggest that the necessary attachments or conventional commitments never properly formed in the first place, leaving the individual without foundational restraints. Essentially, broken bond theories focus on the dissolution of established attachments, while failed to bond theories focus on a fundamental lack of socialization from the beginning.

What is meant by the “irony of state intervention”?

The "irony of state intervention" is a concept in labeling theory (criminology) stating that actions taken by the criminal justice system to stop crime—such as arrests, labeling, and incarceration—can actually worsen the situation. Instead of reducing crime, state intervention frequently causes it to increase by hardening individuals in criminal roles

Describe “retrospective interpretation.” What are the consequences of this process?

Retrospective interpretation is the process of re-evaluating or re-interpreting past events, behaviors, or data from the vantage point of the present, often using new information or a changed context to give them a different meaning. This cognitive process can reshape perceptions of the past, often leading to labeling individuals, revising personal history, or justifying new, contradictory understandings of old actions. Consequentially, it can trigger significant errors like [hindsight bias, foster excessive, inaccurate, or even unfair judgments of past decisions, and create new, sometimes restrictive, meanings for situations that were originally interpreted differently.

Describe what Richard Quinney meant by “the social reality of crime.”

He meant that criminalization maintains the current balance of power or increases a group’s power. Some meanings of crime has social reality. Behaviors that are most threatening to the powerful are most likely to be criminalized.

Briefly distinguish between conflict theories of crime and radical theories

For conflict theories, they believe that inequality is based on differences in wealth, status, ideas, religious beliefs, etc. Radical theories thinks that the economic inequality is at the root of all conflicts. One focuses on opinions while the other focuses on wealth.

Describe the “emancipation thesis.” How does it can explain the relationship between gender and crime?

The emancipation thesis, developed by Freda Adler in 1975, posits that as women gain greater social and economic equality, their criminal behavior becomes increasingly similar to that of men. It explains the relationship between gender and crime by suggesting that when traditional restrictions on women's roles are lifted, women gain access to the same illegitimate opportunities in the workplace and public sphere as men. Consequently, this theory argues that rising gender equality—not simply poverty or gender-specific abuse—is the primary driver for increased female involvement in both white-collar and, theoretically, violent offenses.