Criminal Justice Today Exam Questions Answered Correctly Latest Update 2024-2025 (Already Passed)
What is deviant behavior? - Answers A violation of social norms specifically appropriate or proper
behavior under a particular set of circumstances.
What is a theory? - Answers A set of interrelated propositions that attempt to describe, explain, predict,
and ultimately control some class of events.
How is a theory strengthened? - Answers Its logical consistency and by how well it describes and
predicts reality
What is a hypothesis? - Answers An explanation that accepts for a set of facts and that can be tested by
further investigation. Something that is taken to be true for the sake of argument and/or investigation.
What are the 8 general categories of criminal behavior theories? - Answers Classical, Biological,
Psychological, Psychobiological, Sociological, Social Process, Conflict, Emergent
Classical Theory - Answers Crime is caused by free will. Crime erodes bonds between individuals and
society which makes it fundamentally bad. Punishment is a necessary evil. Crime prevention is possible
through punishment that outweighs gains through criminal behavior.
Biological Theory - Answers Human behavior (criminal) is constitutionally or genetically based.
Criminality can be inherited. Biological characteristics that are considered primitive in their
developmental stages may lead to criminal behavior.
Psychological Theory - Answers Study of the individual personality as a motivational element for
committing crime. Crime results from inappropriately conditioned behavior or abnormal/dysfunctional
mental processes within the personality. A diseased mind, inappropriate learning, or improper
conditioning can lead to a defective mental process.
Psychobiological Theory - Answers Highlights the role of DNA, environmental contaminants, nutrition,
hormones, physical trauma, and body chemistry as it relates to crime.
Sociological Theory - Answers Social groups, social institutions, social structure, and social roles relate to
criminality. Social relationships can cause crime. The degree of social (dis)organization contribute to
criminal behavior.
Social Process Theory - Answers "Good" and "bad" behavior is learned and unlearned through social
learning, observation, and interaction.
Conflict Theory - Answers Crime is natural and unavoidable due to economic and social inequities.
Emergent Theory - Answers New developing criminal perspectives: Feminist Criminology (gender issues
in criminology), Constitutive Criminology (crime and crime control are produced through a combination
of offender, victim, and society), and Postmodern Criminology (past theories have failed to truly asses
crime)
, Which theory are today's systems and policies based upon? - Answers The Classical Theory.
Who is considered the founder of the Classical School of Criminology? - Answers Cesare Beccaria - spoke
out against the death penalty and physical punishment.
What is Hedonistic Calculus? - Answers Established by Jeremy Bentham - Free will would cause an
individual to avoid committing a crime as long as the punishment outweighed the benefits of the
committed crime.
What are the principles that punishment must founded on: (established by Beccaria and Bentham) -
Answers Swift, Certain, and Just
Under the Neoclassical Perspective, what is the Rational Choice Theory? - Answers Criminality is largely
the result of conscious choices that people make. Offenders choose to violate the law. Benefits
outweigh the punishment.
Under the Neoclassical Perspective, what is the Routine Activities Theory? - Answers Lifestyles
significantly affect the amount and types of crimes committed in any society.
What things must you have for the Routine Activities Theory? - Answers A motivated offender, a suitable
target, and no capable guardian
What is Cranioscopy? - Answers Coined by Franz Joseph Gall - the study of body construction and how it
may determine personality. Gall focused mostly on the brain and skull. Deterministic theory.
What is Phrenology? - Answers Coined by Francis Joseph - It is the study of the shape of one's head in
order to determine human behavior.
Who is the father of "modern" Criminal Justice? - Answers Cesare Lombroso - also know for establishing
the Positivist School of Criminology.
What is Atavism? - Answers A condition characterized be the existence of features thought to be
common in earlier stages of human evolution. Established by Cesare Lombroso, this theory basically said
that criminals had underdeveloped physical and mental characteristics.
What is Somatotyping? - Answers The classification of humans into types according to physical
characteristics. Established by William Sheldon.
What are the types of body structures? - Answers Mesomorphs - muscular
Endomorphs - soft and round
Ectomorphs - thin and fragile
What is a super male? - Answers Where you have XYY chromosomes (instead of XY). They are very
common in prisons, thought to be more aggressive, and exhibit certain traits: homosexual tendencies,
certain psychological traits, acne, thinness, and low IQ.
What is deviant behavior? - Answers A violation of social norms specifically appropriate or proper
behavior under a particular set of circumstances.
What is a theory? - Answers A set of interrelated propositions that attempt to describe, explain, predict,
and ultimately control some class of events.
How is a theory strengthened? - Answers Its logical consistency and by how well it describes and
predicts reality
What is a hypothesis? - Answers An explanation that accepts for a set of facts and that can be tested by
further investigation. Something that is taken to be true for the sake of argument and/or investigation.
What are the 8 general categories of criminal behavior theories? - Answers Classical, Biological,
Psychological, Psychobiological, Sociological, Social Process, Conflict, Emergent
Classical Theory - Answers Crime is caused by free will. Crime erodes bonds between individuals and
society which makes it fundamentally bad. Punishment is a necessary evil. Crime prevention is possible
through punishment that outweighs gains through criminal behavior.
Biological Theory - Answers Human behavior (criminal) is constitutionally or genetically based.
Criminality can be inherited. Biological characteristics that are considered primitive in their
developmental stages may lead to criminal behavior.
Psychological Theory - Answers Study of the individual personality as a motivational element for
committing crime. Crime results from inappropriately conditioned behavior or abnormal/dysfunctional
mental processes within the personality. A diseased mind, inappropriate learning, or improper
conditioning can lead to a defective mental process.
Psychobiological Theory - Answers Highlights the role of DNA, environmental contaminants, nutrition,
hormones, physical trauma, and body chemistry as it relates to crime.
Sociological Theory - Answers Social groups, social institutions, social structure, and social roles relate to
criminality. Social relationships can cause crime. The degree of social (dis)organization contribute to
criminal behavior.
Social Process Theory - Answers "Good" and "bad" behavior is learned and unlearned through social
learning, observation, and interaction.
Conflict Theory - Answers Crime is natural and unavoidable due to economic and social inequities.
Emergent Theory - Answers New developing criminal perspectives: Feminist Criminology (gender issues
in criminology), Constitutive Criminology (crime and crime control are produced through a combination
of offender, victim, and society), and Postmodern Criminology (past theories have failed to truly asses
crime)
, Which theory are today's systems and policies based upon? - Answers The Classical Theory.
Who is considered the founder of the Classical School of Criminology? - Answers Cesare Beccaria - spoke
out against the death penalty and physical punishment.
What is Hedonistic Calculus? - Answers Established by Jeremy Bentham - Free will would cause an
individual to avoid committing a crime as long as the punishment outweighed the benefits of the
committed crime.
What are the principles that punishment must founded on: (established by Beccaria and Bentham) -
Answers Swift, Certain, and Just
Under the Neoclassical Perspective, what is the Rational Choice Theory? - Answers Criminality is largely
the result of conscious choices that people make. Offenders choose to violate the law. Benefits
outweigh the punishment.
Under the Neoclassical Perspective, what is the Routine Activities Theory? - Answers Lifestyles
significantly affect the amount and types of crimes committed in any society.
What things must you have for the Routine Activities Theory? - Answers A motivated offender, a suitable
target, and no capable guardian
What is Cranioscopy? - Answers Coined by Franz Joseph Gall - the study of body construction and how it
may determine personality. Gall focused mostly on the brain and skull. Deterministic theory.
What is Phrenology? - Answers Coined by Francis Joseph - It is the study of the shape of one's head in
order to determine human behavior.
Who is the father of "modern" Criminal Justice? - Answers Cesare Lombroso - also know for establishing
the Positivist School of Criminology.
What is Atavism? - Answers A condition characterized be the existence of features thought to be
common in earlier stages of human evolution. Established by Cesare Lombroso, this theory basically said
that criminals had underdeveloped physical and mental characteristics.
What is Somatotyping? - Answers The classification of humans into types according to physical
characteristics. Established by William Sheldon.
What are the types of body structures? - Answers Mesomorphs - muscular
Endomorphs - soft and round
Ectomorphs - thin and fragile
What is a super male? - Answers Where you have XYY chromosomes (instead of XY). They are very
common in prisons, thought to be more aggressive, and exhibit certain traits: homosexual tendencies,
certain psychological traits, acne, thinness, and low IQ.
