SOC 229 Midterm 2 Exam With
Complete Solutions
Summary Conviction - ANSWER Up to 6 months in prison
Indictable Offence - ANSWER Different categories, robbery in highest
Defining Robbery (Components) - ANSWER - Violence or threat of violence,
- victim and offender are present at the same time,
- don't necessarily have to have a weapon on hand
- Most note pushers carry a replica or no weapon at all
Cooperativeness of Participants (Desroches) - ANSWER - Nothing to hide/crimes
in public record
- Agreement to avoid sensitive topics
- Consent/legitimization - info going back to parole board
- Flattered
- Saw significance of study (altruistic component)
- Break from the routine
Police View of Violence - ANSWER - Use of weapon, trauma, and threats
Offender View of Violence - ANSWER - Self-servingly non-violent (a form of
justification)
Types of Robberies - ANSWER 1. Individual/muggings
2. Commercial/retail
3. Institution/bank
Individual Robbery/Muggings - ANSWER - Uncommon in Canada
- Young, inexperienced, often armed offenders (individual/group)
- Violence as a result of resistance & preemptive force
- Hotspots - vulnerable victims
Commercial/Retail Robberies - ANSWER - Most common in Canada
- Known targets, local, individual, young
- Convenient places, fast getaway
- Small rewards ($100s)
- Violence escalates with resistance
Institution/Bank Robberies - ANSWER - Industry-standard policy to comply
- Least violence
, - Reward minimal ($2k)
- Banks sued if customer is harmed
Robber & Victim Relationship - ANSWER - Unlike other crimes, there is NO
relationship
- May be acquaintances (e.g., drug dealer, prostitute, adolescents)
- Engagement in illicit activity by the victim means that crime goes unreported
Victim Confrontation & Management - ANSWER - Gaining compliance through
victim management/manipulation
- Overpower vulnerable person
- Capitalize on policy & speed/surprise
- Utilize weapon
- Minimize violence/harm
Variables (In offenders) - ANSWER - SES: Apply merton's strain theory
- Race & Ethnicity: Conflict & anomie theory
- Drugs & gambling
Offenders' Socioeconomic Status - ANSWER
Impact of Race & Ethnicity on Offenders - ANSWER
2 Hypotheses around Drugs/Gambling and Offenders - ANSWER 1.
Drugs/gambling lead to crime - legitimate avenues to fund addiction are
exhausted
2. Criminalization Hypothesis - deviant lifestyle comes first (dabble), addiction
later
"Need to Greed" - ANSWER - Drug use increases, especially with bank robbery
- Hedonistic pursuits is a factor for continuing
Unemployment-Crime Relationship - ANSWER - No causal relationship
- As unemployment rises, robbery rates remain stable or decline
- Desroches argues an improved job market would not influence these men to
seek employment
Specialization in Bank Robbers - ANSWER Bank robbers are "garden variety"
type
- Commit a variety of offences in spurts
Recidivism in Bank Robbers - ANSWER - Chronic offenders place a burden on
the justice system
- Policy ineffective because career criminals
- Maturational reform - desist in 40s
Complete Solutions
Summary Conviction - ANSWER Up to 6 months in prison
Indictable Offence - ANSWER Different categories, robbery in highest
Defining Robbery (Components) - ANSWER - Violence or threat of violence,
- victim and offender are present at the same time,
- don't necessarily have to have a weapon on hand
- Most note pushers carry a replica or no weapon at all
Cooperativeness of Participants (Desroches) - ANSWER - Nothing to hide/crimes
in public record
- Agreement to avoid sensitive topics
- Consent/legitimization - info going back to parole board
- Flattered
- Saw significance of study (altruistic component)
- Break from the routine
Police View of Violence - ANSWER - Use of weapon, trauma, and threats
Offender View of Violence - ANSWER - Self-servingly non-violent (a form of
justification)
Types of Robberies - ANSWER 1. Individual/muggings
2. Commercial/retail
3. Institution/bank
Individual Robbery/Muggings - ANSWER - Uncommon in Canada
- Young, inexperienced, often armed offenders (individual/group)
- Violence as a result of resistance & preemptive force
- Hotspots - vulnerable victims
Commercial/Retail Robberies - ANSWER - Most common in Canada
- Known targets, local, individual, young
- Convenient places, fast getaway
- Small rewards ($100s)
- Violence escalates with resistance
Institution/Bank Robberies - ANSWER - Industry-standard policy to comply
- Least violence
, - Reward minimal ($2k)
- Banks sued if customer is harmed
Robber & Victim Relationship - ANSWER - Unlike other crimes, there is NO
relationship
- May be acquaintances (e.g., drug dealer, prostitute, adolescents)
- Engagement in illicit activity by the victim means that crime goes unreported
Victim Confrontation & Management - ANSWER - Gaining compliance through
victim management/manipulation
- Overpower vulnerable person
- Capitalize on policy & speed/surprise
- Utilize weapon
- Minimize violence/harm
Variables (In offenders) - ANSWER - SES: Apply merton's strain theory
- Race & Ethnicity: Conflict & anomie theory
- Drugs & gambling
Offenders' Socioeconomic Status - ANSWER
Impact of Race & Ethnicity on Offenders - ANSWER
2 Hypotheses around Drugs/Gambling and Offenders - ANSWER 1.
Drugs/gambling lead to crime - legitimate avenues to fund addiction are
exhausted
2. Criminalization Hypothesis - deviant lifestyle comes first (dabble), addiction
later
"Need to Greed" - ANSWER - Drug use increases, especially with bank robbery
- Hedonistic pursuits is a factor for continuing
Unemployment-Crime Relationship - ANSWER - No causal relationship
- As unemployment rises, robbery rates remain stable or decline
- Desroches argues an improved job market would not influence these men to
seek employment
Specialization in Bank Robbers - ANSWER Bank robbers are "garden variety"
type
- Commit a variety of offences in spurts
Recidivism in Bank Robbers - ANSWER - Chronic offenders place a burden on
the justice system
- Policy ineffective because career criminals
- Maturational reform - desist in 40s
