Criminology Exam 1 Test Review (Major Terms and Definitions for the first exam) Passed!!

Criminology Exam 1 Test Review (Major Terms and Definitions for the first exam) Passed!! criminology The scientific study of the nature, extent, cause, and control of criminal behavior. deviant behavior Actions that depart from the social norm. Some are considered criminal, others merely harmless aberrations. criminal justice System made up of the agencies of social control, such as police departments, courts, and correctional institutions that handle criminal offenders. criminological enterprise The various subareas included within the scholarly discipline of criminology, which, taken as a whole, define the field of study. valid measure Measure that actually measures what it purports to measure, measure that is factual. reliable measure A measure that produces consistent results from one measurement to another. victim precipitated homicide Refers to those killings in which the victim is a direct, positive precipitator of the incident. white collar crime Illegal acts that capitalize on a person's status in the marketplace. May include theft, embezzlement, etc. penology Subarea of the criminology that focuses on the correction and control of criminal offenders. rehabilitation Treatment of criminal offenders that is aimed at preventing future criminal behavior. 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. victimology Study of the victim's role in criminal events. precipitation The thought pattern of the victim about what they did to contribute to their own victimization. classical criminology Theoretical perspective suggesting that people choose to commit crime and that crime can be controlled if potential criminals fear punishment. positivism 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. sociological criminology Based on the work of Emile Durkheim that focuses on the relationship between social factors and crime. anomie Lack of norms or clear social standards. Because of rapidly shifting moral values, the individual has few guides to what is socially acceptable. socialization Process of human development and enculturation. Socialization is influenced by key social processes and institutions. 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. critical criminology Crime is a product of the capitalist system. rational choice theory The view that crime is a function of a decision-making process in which the would-be offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of an illegal act. trait theory The view that criminality is a product of abnormal biological or psychological traits. social structure theory Criminality is a function of people's interactions with various organizations, institutions, and processes in society. critical criminologists Examine how those who hold political and economic power shape the law to uphold their self-interests. crime An act, deemed socially harmful or dangerous, that is specifically defined, prohibited, and punished under the criminal law. decriminalized Having criminal penalties reduced rather than eliminated. consensus view The majority of citizens in a society share common values and agree on what behaviors should be criminal. criminal law Belief that criminal behavior is defined by those in power in a way as to protect and advance their own self-interest. interactionist view Those with social power are able to impose their values on society as a whole, and these values then define criminal behavior. precedent A rule derived from previous judicial decisions and applied to future cases; the basis of common law. 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 of the US. statutory crimes Crimes defined by legislative bodies in response to changing social conditions, public opinion, and custom. felony Serious offense that carries a penalty of imprisonment, usually for one year or more, and may entail loss of political rights. misdemeanor Minor crime usually punished by short jail term or fine. process of justice 1. Initial Contact 2. Investigation 3. Arrest 4. Custody 5. Complaint/Charging 6. Preliminary Hearing/Grand Jury 7. Arraignment 8. Bail 9. Plea Bargain 10. Adjudication/Trail Process 11. Disposition 12. Appeal arrest Taking into police custody of an individual suspected of a crime. probably cause Set of facts, info, circumstances, or conditions that would lead a reasonable person to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed the offense. booking The finger printing, photography, and recording personal info of a suspect in custody. interrogation The questioning of a suspect. nolle prosequi Component of complaint that expresses the prosecutor's decision to drop a case from further prosecution. indictment A written accusation returned by a jury charging a person with a crime, based on the prosecutor's demonstration of probably cause. grand jury A group of citizens are chosen to hear testimony in secret and to issue formal criminal accusations. information Component of a preliminary hearing that is a filing before an impartial lower-court judge who decides whether the case should go forward. preliminary hearing An alternative to a grand jury, in which an impartial lower-court judge decides whether there is probably cause sufficient for a trial. arraignment