Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Instructor Manual
Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Table of Contents
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter.......................................................................................................2
Chapter Objectives......................................................................................................................................2
Key Terms...................................................................................................................................................2
What's New in This Chapter........................................................................................................................6
Chapter Outline...........................................................................................................................................6
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 1
website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Purpose and Perspec琀椀ve of the Chapter
The purpose of this chapter is to set out the basic elements that constitute the field of criminology,
ranging from crime measurement to theories of the cause of crime. It also provides a detailed history of
the field, linking its historical origins to contemporary views. The various ways criminologists define the
concept of crime are set out. The chapter also covers the association of criminology with the criminal law
and criminal justice system. A Crime of the Century feature reviews the abduction and murder of Adam
Walsh. The chapter looks at racial disparity in the justice system and other ethical issues that
criminologists must confront.
Chapter Objec琀椀ves
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
LO1 Explain the various elements of criminology.
LO2 Give an overview of the history of criminology.
LO3 Discuss the three different definitions of “crime” used by criminologists.
LO4 Discuss the different purposes of the criminal law.
LO5 Describe the criminal justice process.
LO6 Identify the ethical issues in criminology.
[return to top]
Key Terms
Anomie – A lack of norms or clear social standards. Because of rapidly shifting moral values, the
individual has few guides to what is socially acceptable. (p. 9)
Appeal – Taking a criminal case to a higher court on the grounds that the defendant was found guilty
because of legal error or violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights. (p. 22)
Arraignment – The step in the criminal justice process in which the accused is brought before the trial
judge, formal charges are read, defendants are informed of their rights, a plea is entered, bail is
considered, and a trial date is set. (p. 22)
Arrest – The taking into police custody of an individual suspected of a crime. (p. 21)
Bail – A money bond intended to ensure that the accused will return for trial. (p. 22)
Booking – Fingerprinting, photographing, and recording of personal information of a suspect in police
custody. (p. 21)
Capital punishment – The execution of criminal offenders; the death penalty. (p. 6)
Chicago School – Group of urban sociologists who studied the relationship between environmental
conditions and crime. (p. 9)
Classical criminology – Theoretical perspective suggesting that people choose to commit crime and that
crime can be controlled if potential criminals fear punishment. (p. 8)
Code of Hammurabi – The first written criminal code, developed in Babylonia about 1750 BCE. (p. 15)
Common law – Early English law, developed by judges, which became the standardized law of the land
in England and eventually formed the basis of the criminal law in the United States. (p. 15)
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 2
website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Conflict theory – The view that human behavior is shaped by interpersonal conflict and that those who
maintain social power will use it to further their own ends. (p. 10)
Conflict view – The belief that criminal behavior is defined by those in power in such a way as to protect
and advance their own self-interest. (p. 12)
Consensus view – The belief that the majority of citizens in a society share common ideals and work
toward a common good and that crimes are acts that are outlawed because they conflict with the rules of
the majority and are harmful to society. (p. 12)
Criminal justice – System made up of the agencies of social control, such as police departments, courts,
and correctional institutions that handle criminal offenders. (p. 19)
Criminal justice system – The agencies of government—police, courts, and corrections—that are
responsible for apprehending, adjudicating, sanctioning, and treating criminal offenders. (p.19)
Criminology – The scientific study of the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior. (p. 4)
Critical criminologists – Critical criminologists examine how those who hold political and economic
power shape the law to uphold their self-interests. (p. 11)
Critical criminology – The view that crime is a product of the capitalist system. (p. 10)
Felony – A serious offense that carries a penalty of imprisonment, usually for one year or more, and may
entail loss of political rights. (p. 16)
Grand jury – A group of citizens chosen to hear testimony in secret and to issue formal criminal
accusations (indictments). (p. 21)
Hung jury – A jury that is unable to agree on a decision, thus leaving the case unresolved and open for a
possible retrial. (p. 22)
Indictment – A written accusation returned by a grand jury charging an individual with a specified crime,
based on the prosecutor’s demonstration of probable cause. (p. 21)
Information – A filing before an impartial lower-court judge who decides whether the case should go
forward. (This filing is an alternative to the use of a grand jury.) (p. 21)
Interactionist view – The view that one’s perception of reality is significantly influenced by one’s
interpretations of the reactions of others to similar events and stimuli. (p. 13)
Interrogation – The questioning of a suspect in police custody. (p. 21)
Mandatory sentences – A statutory requirement that a certain penalty shall be carried out in all cases of
conviction for a specified offense or series of offenses. (p. 6)
Misdemeanor – A minor crime usually punished by a short jail term and/or a fine. (p. 16)
Moral entrepreneurs – Interest groups that attempt to control social life and the legal order in such a
way as to promote their own personal set of moral values. People who use their influence to shape the
legal process in ways they see fit. (p. 14)
Mosaic Code – The laws of the ancient Israelites, found in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian
Bible. (p. 15)
Nolle prosequi – A declaration that expresses the prosecutor’s decision to drop a case from further
prosecution. (p. 21)
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 3
website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Penology – Subarea of criminology that focuses on the correction and control of criminal offenders. (p. 6)
Plea bargain – Agreement between prosecution and defense in which the accused pleads guilty in return
for a reduction of charges, a more lenient sentence, or some other consideration. (p. 22)
Positivism – The branch of social science that uses the scientific method of the natural sciences and
suggests that human behavior is a product of social, biological, psychological, or economic forces that
can be empirically measured. (p. 8)
Precedent – A rule derived from previous judicial decisions and applied to future cases; the basis of
common law. (p. 15)
Preliminary hearing – Alternative to a grand jury, in which an impartial lower-court judge decides
whether there is probable cause sufficient for a trial. (p. 21)
Probable cause – A set of facts, information, circumstances, or conditions that would lead a reasonable
person to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed that offense. It is the
level of proof needed to make a legal arrest. (p. 21)
Rational choice theory – The view that crime is a function of a decision-making process in which a
would-be offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of an illegal act. (p. 10)
Recidivism – Relapse into criminal behavior after apprehension, conviction, and correction for a previous
crime. (p. 6)
Recognizance – Pledge by the accused to return for trial, which may be accepted in lieu of bail. (p. 22)
Rehabilitation – Treatment of criminal offenders that is aimed at preventing future criminal behavior. (p.
6)
Reliable measure – A measure that produces consistent results from one measurement to another. (p. 5)
Scientific method – The use of verifiable principles and procedures for the systematic acquisition of
knowledge. Typically involves formulating a problem, creating hypotheses, and collecting data, through
observation and experiment, to verify the hypotheses. (p. 8)
Social harm – A view that behaviors harmful to other people and society in general must be controlled.
These acts are usually outlawed, but some acts that cause enormous amounts of social harm are perfectly
legal, such as the consumption of tobacco and alcohol. (p. 12)
Social process theory – The view that criminality is a function of people’s interactions with various
organizations, institutions, and processes in society. (p. 11)
Social structure theory – The view that disadvantaged economic class position is a primary cause of
crime. (p. 11)
Socialization – Process of human development and enculturation. Socialization is influenced by key
social processes and institutions. (p. 9)
Sociological criminology – Approach to criminology, based on the work of Émile Durkheim, that
focuses on the relationship between social factors and crime. (p. 9)
Statutory crimes – Crimes defined by legislative bodies in response to changing social conditions, public
opinion, and custom. (p. 15)
Trait theory – The view that criminality is a product of abnormal biological or psychological traits. (p.
10)
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 4
website, in whole or in part.
Instructor Manual
Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Table of Contents
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter.......................................................................................................2
Chapter Objectives......................................................................................................................................2
Key Terms...................................................................................................................................................2
What's New in This Chapter........................................................................................................................6
Chapter Outline...........................................................................................................................................6
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 1
website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Purpose and Perspec琀椀ve of the Chapter
The purpose of this chapter is to set out the basic elements that constitute the field of criminology,
ranging from crime measurement to theories of the cause of crime. It also provides a detailed history of
the field, linking its historical origins to contemporary views. The various ways criminologists define the
concept of crime are set out. The chapter also covers the association of criminology with the criminal law
and criminal justice system. A Crime of the Century feature reviews the abduction and murder of Adam
Walsh. The chapter looks at racial disparity in the justice system and other ethical issues that
criminologists must confront.
Chapter Objec琀椀ves
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
LO1 Explain the various elements of criminology.
LO2 Give an overview of the history of criminology.
LO3 Discuss the three different definitions of “crime” used by criminologists.
LO4 Discuss the different purposes of the criminal law.
LO5 Describe the criminal justice process.
LO6 Identify the ethical issues in criminology.
[return to top]
Key Terms
Anomie – A lack of norms or clear social standards. Because of rapidly shifting moral values, the
individual has few guides to what is socially acceptable. (p. 9)
Appeal – Taking a criminal case to a higher court on the grounds that the defendant was found guilty
because of legal error or violation of the defendant’s constitutional rights. (p. 22)
Arraignment – The step in the criminal justice process in which the accused is brought before the trial
judge, formal charges are read, defendants are informed of their rights, a plea is entered, bail is
considered, and a trial date is set. (p. 22)
Arrest – The taking into police custody of an individual suspected of a crime. (p. 21)
Bail – A money bond intended to ensure that the accused will return for trial. (p. 22)
Booking – Fingerprinting, photographing, and recording of personal information of a suspect in police
custody. (p. 21)
Capital punishment – The execution of criminal offenders; the death penalty. (p. 6)
Chicago School – Group of urban sociologists who studied the relationship between environmental
conditions and crime. (p. 9)
Classical criminology – Theoretical perspective suggesting that people choose to commit crime and that
crime can be controlled if potential criminals fear punishment. (p. 8)
Code of Hammurabi – The first written criminal code, developed in Babylonia about 1750 BCE. (p. 15)
Common law – Early English law, developed by judges, which became the standardized law of the land
in England and eventually formed the basis of the criminal law in the United States. (p. 15)
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 2
website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Conflict theory – The view that human behavior is shaped by interpersonal conflict and that those who
maintain social power will use it to further their own ends. (p. 10)
Conflict view – The belief that criminal behavior is defined by those in power in such a way as to protect
and advance their own self-interest. (p. 12)
Consensus view – The belief that the majority of citizens in a society share common ideals and work
toward a common good and that crimes are acts that are outlawed because they conflict with the rules of
the majority and are harmful to society. (p. 12)
Criminal justice – System made up of the agencies of social control, such as police departments, courts,
and correctional institutions that handle criminal offenders. (p. 19)
Criminal justice system – The agencies of government—police, courts, and corrections—that are
responsible for apprehending, adjudicating, sanctioning, and treating criminal offenders. (p.19)
Criminology – The scientific study of the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior. (p. 4)
Critical criminologists – Critical criminologists examine how those who hold political and economic
power shape the law to uphold their self-interests. (p. 11)
Critical criminology – The view that crime is a product of the capitalist system. (p. 10)
Felony – A serious offense that carries a penalty of imprisonment, usually for one year or more, and may
entail loss of political rights. (p. 16)
Grand jury – A group of citizens chosen to hear testimony in secret and to issue formal criminal
accusations (indictments). (p. 21)
Hung jury – A jury that is unable to agree on a decision, thus leaving the case unresolved and open for a
possible retrial. (p. 22)
Indictment – A written accusation returned by a grand jury charging an individual with a specified crime,
based on the prosecutor’s demonstration of probable cause. (p. 21)
Information – A filing before an impartial lower-court judge who decides whether the case should go
forward. (This filing is an alternative to the use of a grand jury.) (p. 21)
Interactionist view – The view that one’s perception of reality is significantly influenced by one’s
interpretations of the reactions of others to similar events and stimuli. (p. 13)
Interrogation – The questioning of a suspect in police custody. (p. 21)
Mandatory sentences – A statutory requirement that a certain penalty shall be carried out in all cases of
conviction for a specified offense or series of offenses. (p. 6)
Misdemeanor – A minor crime usually punished by a short jail term and/or a fine. (p. 16)
Moral entrepreneurs – Interest groups that attempt to control social life and the legal order in such a
way as to promote their own personal set of moral values. People who use their influence to shape the
legal process in ways they see fit. (p. 14)
Mosaic Code – The laws of the ancient Israelites, found in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian
Bible. (p. 15)
Nolle prosequi – A declaration that expresses the prosecutor’s decision to drop a case from further
prosecution. (p. 21)
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 3
website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Siegel, Criminology 2023, 9780357624746; Chapter 1: Crime and Criminology
Penology – Subarea of criminology that focuses on the correction and control of criminal offenders. (p. 6)
Plea bargain – Agreement between prosecution and defense in which the accused pleads guilty in return
for a reduction of charges, a more lenient sentence, or some other consideration. (p. 22)
Positivism – The branch of social science that uses the scientific method of the natural sciences and
suggests that human behavior is a product of social, biological, psychological, or economic forces that
can be empirically measured. (p. 8)
Precedent – A rule derived from previous judicial decisions and applied to future cases; the basis of
common law. (p. 15)
Preliminary hearing – Alternative to a grand jury, in which an impartial lower-court judge decides
whether there is probable cause sufficient for a trial. (p. 21)
Probable cause – A set of facts, information, circumstances, or conditions that would lead a reasonable
person to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed that offense. It is the
level of proof needed to make a legal arrest. (p. 21)
Rational choice theory – The view that crime is a function of a decision-making process in which a
would-be offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of an illegal act. (p. 10)
Recidivism – Relapse into criminal behavior after apprehension, conviction, and correction for a previous
crime. (p. 6)
Recognizance – Pledge by the accused to return for trial, which may be accepted in lieu of bail. (p. 22)
Rehabilitation – Treatment of criminal offenders that is aimed at preventing future criminal behavior. (p.
6)
Reliable measure – A measure that produces consistent results from one measurement to another. (p. 5)
Scientific method – The use of verifiable principles and procedures for the systematic acquisition of
knowledge. Typically involves formulating a problem, creating hypotheses, and collecting data, through
observation and experiment, to verify the hypotheses. (p. 8)
Social harm – A view that behaviors harmful to other people and society in general must be controlled.
These acts are usually outlawed, but some acts that cause enormous amounts of social harm are perfectly
legal, such as the consumption of tobacco and alcohol. (p. 12)
Social process theory – The view that criminality is a function of people’s interactions with various
organizations, institutions, and processes in society. (p. 11)
Social structure theory – The view that disadvantaged economic class position is a primary cause of
crime. (p. 11)
Socialization – Process of human development and enculturation. Socialization is influenced by key
social processes and institutions. (p. 9)
Sociological criminology – Approach to criminology, based on the work of Émile Durkheim, that
focuses on the relationship between social factors and crime. (p. 9)
Statutory crimes – Crimes defined by legislative bodies in response to changing social conditions, public
opinion, and custom. (p. 15)
Trait theory – The view that criminality is a product of abnormal biological or psychological traits. (p.
10)
© 2023 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible 4
website, in whole or in part.
