CJ Chapter 3

Atavism

A condition characterized by the existence of features thought to be common in earlier stages of human evolution. ( a reappearance of an earlier characteristic)

Behavioral Conditioning

A psychological principle that holds that the frequency of any behavior can be increased or decreased through reward, punishment, and association with other stimuli.

Broken Windows Theory

A perspective on crime causation that holds the physical deterioration of an area leads to higher crime rates and an increased concern for personal safety among residents. (a theory proposing that even small acts of crime, disorder, and vandalism can threaten a neighborhood and render it unsafe.)

Classical School

An eighteenth-century approach to crime causation and criminal responsibility that grew out of the Enlightenment and that emphasized the role of free will and reasonable punishments. Classical thinkers believed that punishment, if it is to be an effective deterrent, has to outweigh the potential pleasure derived from criminal behavior.

Deviance

A violation of social norms defining appropriate or proper behavior under a particular set of circumstances. Deviance often includes criminal acts. ( not all deviance is criminal)

Hypothesis

An explanation that accounts for a set of facts that can be tested by further investigation. Also, something that is taken to be true for the purpose of argument or investigation.

Neoclassical Criminology

A contemporary version of classical criminology that emphasizes deterrence and retribution and that holds that human beings are essentially free to make choices in favor of crime and deviance or conformity to the law.

Phrenology

The study of the shape of the head to determine anatomical correlates of human behavior.

Psychopath

A person with a personality disorder, especially one manifested in aggressively antisocial behavior, which is often said to be the result of a poorly developed superego.

Rational Choice Theory

A perspective on crime causation that holds that criminality is the result of conscious choice. Rational choice theory predicts that individuals will choose to commit a crime when the benefits of doing so outweigh the costs of disobeying the law. (A theory that states that individuals act in their own best interest.)

Routine Activities Theory

A neoclassical perspective suggests that lifestyles contribute significantly to both the amount and the type of crime found in any society.

Social Development Theory

An integrated view of human development that points to the process of interaction among and between individuals and society as the root cause of criminal behavior.

Social Disorganization

A condition said to exist when a group is faced with social change, uneven development of culture, maladaptiveness, disharmony, conflict, and lack of consensus.

Social Learning Theory

A psychological perspective that says that people learn how to behave by modeling themselves after others whom they have the opportunity to observe.

Somatotyping

The classification of human beings into types according to body build and other physical characteristics.

Supermale

A male individual displaying the XYY chromosome structure.

Theory

A set of interrelated propositions that attempt to describe, explain, predict, and ultimately control some class of events. A theory is strengthened by its logical consistency and is "tested" by how well it describes and predicts reality.