Final Review of Criminology Theories

Flashcards covering key concepts from Social Structural, Anomie, Strain, Conflict, Marxist, Feminist, and Developmental Life Course Theories in criminology.

Social Structural Theories

Theories that provide macro-level explanations for variations in crime rates across communities.

Concentric Zone Theory

Burgess’s (1925) model explaining urban social structure through concentric circles with varying levels of social control.

High Delinquency Rates

Shaw and McKay's (1969) finding that the zone in transition had consistently high levels of delinquency.

Social Disorganization

A theory asserting that disorganized neighborhoods foster crime due to lack of social control.

Concentrated Disadvantage

An index assessing poverty, family structure, unemployment, and racial composition in neighborhoods.

Informal Social Control

Community members' ability to regulate behaviors and maintain order without formal institutions.

Collective Efficacy

Residents' perceived ability to activate informal social control to deter crime.

Anomie

A state of normlessness leading to higher rates of deviance as per Durkheim’s theory.

Strain Theory

Merton’s theory that crime arises when there’s a disconnection between societal goals and means.

General Strain Theory (GST)

Agnew's theory positing that crime results from failure to achieve valued goals, removal of positive stimuli, or confrontation with negative stimuli.

Types of Strain

According to Agnew, strains can be subjective, objective, vicarious or anticipated.

Conflict Theory

A theory that states power dynamics play a crucial role in conflict and crime.

Pluralistic Conflict Model

Akers’ model explaining how political pressure groups influence legal and governmental actions.

Threat Hypothesis

The idea that privileged groups use state apparatus to control perceived threats.

Marxist Theory

A perspective viewing crime in the context of capitalist exploitation and social relationships.

Bourgeoisie

The ruling class that owns the means of production in a capitalist society.

Proletariat

The working class that only has their labor to exchange.

Revolutionary Overthrow

The proposed method to address systemic injustices within the legal system.

Peacemaking Criminology

A philosophy advocating for a nonviolent justice system and conflict resolution.

Queer Criminology

A study focusing on LGBTIQ experiences in the legal system and societal treatment.

Green Criminology

The study of environmental harms and the preservation of nonhuman nature.

Feminism in Criminology

Focuses on gender-based behavioral norms and their impact on crime.

Generalizability Problem

The issue of whether male crime theories apply to female offenders.

Gender Ratio Problem

Questions why women commit significantly less crime than men.

Power-Control Theory

A theory explaining delinquent involvement differences based on family structure and control.

Developmental Life Course Theory

Focus on age-related patterns in crime across individuals' lives.

Trajectories

Pathways of behavior over the lifespan indicating criminal careers.

Turning Points

Events that significantly alter an individual’s trajectory toward or away from crime.

Age-Crime Curve

The pattern noting crime peaks during adolescence and declines in early adulthood.

Age of Onset

The age at which an individual first commits a crime.

Age of Desistance

The age at which an individual stops committing crimes.

Dual Taxonomy

Moffitt's classification of offenders into adolescence-limited and life-course persistent.

Adolescence-Limited Offenders

Individuals whose criminal behavior is temporary and ends as they mature.

Life-Course Persistent Offenders

Individuals displaying antisocial behavior from childhood into adulthood.

Finkelhor's Conditions of Victimization

Conditions that impact the development of negative behavioral factors in victims.

ACEs

Adverse Childhood Experiences that contribute to later criminal behaviors.

Victimization's Additive Effect

The compounding impact of various traumas on an individual.

Repetitive Victimization

Continuous victim experiences that alter personal support systems.

Critical Period Development

A time during development when experiences can significantly impact future behavior.