Integrating Criminological Theories/Life Course (Quiz 5)

Question 1

Theory Competition

Answer 1

The logical, conceptual, or empirical comparison of two or more theories to determine which offers the better or best explanation of crime

Question 2

Theory Integration

Answer 2

identify commonalities in two or more theories to produce a synthesis that is superior to any one theory individually

Question 3

Example of theory integration

Answer 3

Institutional-Anomie Theory: Merton’s Classic Anomie Theory+Marxist Theory

Question 4

Types of theory integration

Answer 4

conceptual, propositional, within level, cross level

Question 5

Conceptual (theory) integration

Answer 5

concepts from one theory overlap in meaning with concepts from another

Question 6

Propositional integration

Answer 6

using propositions about a variable from one theory to explain the variation in variables from another theory

Question 7

Within level integration

Answer 7

focusing solely on micro or macro level explanations

Question 8

Cross level integration

Answer 8

using macro level theories to frame micro level theories

Question 9

Examples of theoretical competitions

Answer 9

Free will vs. positivism, nature vs. nurture, innate human nature (noble savage vs. hedonistic calculator vs. tabula rasa), definition of crime (classical vs. consensus vs. conflict), and focus of criminology (causes of law breaking vs. process of law making)

Question 10

Each of these integrated theories must be

Answer 10

compatible with one another but also conceptually distinct

Question 11

Two of the most popular theory integrations have come from

Answer 11

Developmental/Life Course Criminology

Question 12

Developmental/Life Course theories focus on the link between

Answer 12

juvenile delinquency and adult offending

Question 13

What is the key assumption of developmental/life course theories/criminology?

Answer 13

the genesis of adult crime begins in adolescence (or earlier)

Question 14

Developmental/Life Course theories claim that anti-social behavior begins in childhood and

Answer 14

persists into adulthood

Question 15

Desistance

Answer 15

to stop

Question 16

DLC criminology also attempts to explain

Answer 16

desistance of crime

Question 17

Age crime curve

Answer 17

Crime is most prevalent during mid to late adolescence. The incidence of crime increases until ages 16-20. The incidence of crime then decreases with age in adulthood.

Question 18

What percent of juvenile delinquents stop committing crime?

Answer 18

85%

Question 19

What percent of juvenile delinquents continue to commit crime?

Answer 19

15%

Question 20

Big questions in the DLC theory

Answer 20

Why does juvenile delinquency start and end? Why does some juvenile delinquency grow into adult criminality and other juvenile delinquency doesn’t?

Question 21

Prior to age 20, most offenses are

Answer 21

group based

Question 22

Prior to age 20, the motivation for offending is

Answer 22

variable (e.g., utilitarian, for excitement/enjoyment, anger)

Question 23

Prior to age 20, diversification of offending

Answer 23

increases

Question 24

Three parts of the Developmental/Life Course Theory

Answer 24

Sources of Continuity, Sources of Change, Differing Theoretical Approaches

Question 25

Contemporary Continuity

Answer 25

processes attached to characteristics of the person

Question 26

Cumulative Continuity

Answer 26

social processes of stigmatization that affect opportunities, that is, becoming ensnared in a deviant lifestyle by crime's consequences/negative labeling

Question 27

Contemporary continuity involves

Answer 27

carrying the same problematic traits from childhood into adulthood (trait persistence), and is divided into homotypic and heterotypic forms

Question 28

Homotypic (contemporary) continuity

Answer 28

continuity over time in the same types of behaviors or traits

Question 29

A trait or behavior shows homotypic continuity if it can be measured by the

Answer 29

same set of indicators over time (childhood, adolescence, adulthood)

Question 30

Examples of homotypic (contemporary) continuity

Answer 30

Impulsivity and IQ, physical aggression

Question 31

Heterotypic (contemporary) continuity

Answer 31

continuity in the manifestation of an underlying characteristic, some behaviors or traits take different forms over time, but are the result of the same underlying tendency

Question 32

Examples of heterotypic continuity

Answer 32

forms of childhood aggression (e.g., punching, kicking, lying) can evolve over time into verbal aggression, social aggression, or instrumental (manipulation, coercion)

Question 33

Developmental Taxonomy of Crime (1993)-Terrie Moffitt

Answer 33

A theory about continuity OR change. It argues for distinct dichotomous developmental pathways where one group persists and one desists, a separate theory for both

Question 34

Two types of offending (Developmental Taxonomy)

Answer 34

Life Course Persistent vs. Adolescent Limited Offending

Question 35

Life-Course Persistent Offenders

Answer 35

Small group that engages in anti-social behavior at every point in life (root causes are more than just social context)

Question 36

Adolescent Limited Offenders

Answer 36

Large group of delinquents (nearly 90%) where anti-social behavior is confined to adolescence

Question 37

Moffitt views the behavior of Adolescent Limited Offenders to be

Answer 37

normative

Question 38

Maturity Gap

Answer 38

physical maturity does not equate to social maturity

Question 39

Social Mimicry

Answer 39

Mimic “bad” behavior in order to demonstrate a certain level of adult-like autonomy, behavior is reinforced by positive peer rewards

Question 40

But the pattern of social mimicry is one of

Answer 40

discontinuity-when the maturity gap closes, delinquency ends

Question 41

The behavior of Adolescent Limited Offenders are

Answer 41

typically low level offenses, rebellious and non-violent forms of delinquency

Question 42

Individual risk factors of LCP offenders

Answer 42

Neuropsychological deficits in verbal intelligence and executive functions

Question 43

LCP individual risk factors: verbal intelligence

Answer 43

reading ability, receptive listening, problem-solving skills, memory, speech articulation, and writing (essentially, IQ)

Question 44

LCP individual risk factors: executive functions

Answer 44

inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity

Question 45

LCP social risk factors

Answer 45

Anti-social tendencies in parents, impoverished physical and social environment

Question 46

Life Course Persistent Offenders is basically a

Answer 46

phenotypic argument

Question 47

The argument concerning Adolescent Limited Delinquents is basically a

Answer 47

strain argument

Question 48

The theory concerning Adolescent Limited Offenders assumes that

Answer 48

human agency is compromised by unseen sociological forces, micro level explanation: delinquency is a temporary condition caused by the environment

Question 49

The argument concerning Life Course Persistent Offenders is a

Answer 49

biosocial argument

Question 50

The theory concerning Life Course Persistent Offenders assumes that

Answer 50

human agency is compromised by unseen biological forces AND unseen sociological forces, humans are genetically variable

Question 51

Micro level explanation for Life Course Persistent Offenders

Answer 51

criminals are a set of people with certain genotypic tendencies that interact with the environment ….