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The Explanation of Crime
,ASSIGNMENT 02 - SEMESTER 1 – 2018 UNIQUE NUMBER: 770487
Question 1
The main strength of the differential association theory is that it showed that crime was not just a
product of ___ but that it could occur in all settings.
1. learned behaviour
2. poverty
3. criminal attitudes
4. delinquency
Answer: The correct answer is 2
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 102
Reasoning: “The main strength of the theory of differential association, according to Jones
(2001:147), is that it showed that crime was not just a product of poverty, but that it
could occur in all settings, ranging from slum areas to large business operations.”
Question 2
Discounting the existence of threatening impulses is called ___.
1) displacement.
2) denial.
3) determination.
4) sublimation.
Answer: The correct answer is 2
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 22
Reasoning: “DENIAL is simply discounting the existence of threatening impulses. For example, a
person with homosexual tendencies may vehemently deny ever feeling any physical
attraction to a person of the same sex (Cassel & Bernstein, 2007:82).”
Question 3
Becker (1963) is of the opinion that deviant behaviour is a social product created by:
1) Interactionism
2) Society
3) Labelling
4) Determinism
Answer: The correct answer is 2
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 124
Reasoning: “The primary focus of Becker's study was to explain how a person is labelled as an
outsider. Deviant behaviour, according to Becker, is a social product created by
society. Whether a juvenile is therefore labelled as deviant will depend on the
reaction of other people to the act, and not on the nature of the activity itself.”
Question 4
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,Which researchers indicated that there is moderate evidence of both genetic and environmental
influence in antisocial behaviour?
1) Christiansen and Lange
2) West and Farrington
3) Rhee and Waldman
4) Hutchings and Medwick
Answer: The correct answer is 3
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 35
Reasoning: “Rhee and Waldman (Jones, 2001:351) conducted an analysis of twin and adoption
studies. They concluded that there is moderate evidence of both genetic and
environmental influences in antisocial behaviour.”
Question 5
The positivist school focuses on the nature and characteristics of ___.
1) the criminal event.
2) the individual offender
3) the criminal behaviour.
4) the situational factors.
Answer: The correct answer is 2
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 26
Reasoning: “The basic assumptions of positivism are highlighted by Bartollas (2006:78) and
White and Haines (2004:40-42):
• It is the character and personal backgrounds of individuals that explain
criminal behaviour. The focus of analysis is therefore on the nature and
characteristics of the offender, rather than on the criminal act… “
Question 6
What, according to Lilly et al (2007), is the danger in rational choice theory?
1) Factors influencing offenders’ decision to break the law is ignored.
2) Offenders will be treated as being solely rational decision-makers.
3) Criminal justice policies only focus on making crime a costly decision.
4) Offenders’ social context is not taken into consideration.
Answer: The correct answer is 2
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 18
Reasoning: “The danger in rational choice theory, however, is that offenders will be treated as
though they were only rational decisionmakers. When this occurs, the context that
influences their decision to break the law is ignored, and commentators begin to
recommend harsh criminal justice policies that focus solely on making crime a costly
decision. In other words, they ignore the offender's social context (Lilly et al,
2007:277).”
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,Question 7
___ is associated with social learning and states that behaviour is shaped by the consequence that
follows the act.
1) Classical school
2) Psychological positivism
3) Operant conditioning
4) Sociological positivism
Answer: The correct answer is 3
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 23
Reasoning: “OPERANT CONDITIONING is associated with social learning theory which states
that behaviour is shaped by the consequences that follow the act (Anderson, Dyson,
Langsam & Brooks, 2007:156).”
Question 8
Neo-classicists assert that a person is still accountable for his or her actions but with minor
reservations. Which two specific factors will influence the offender to reform?
1) Free choice and feeble-mindedness.
2) Rationality and competence
3) Crime and punishment
4) Past history and present situation
Answer: The correct answer is 4
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 8
Reasoning: “According to neo-classicists, a person is still accountable for his or her actions, but
with certain minor reservations - it is acknowledged that the offender's past history
and present situation both influence the likelihood of reform (Joyce, 2006:4).”
Question 9
One of the biosocial theory’s core principles include that:
1) It only recognises genetics as the main contributing factor in human behaviour
2) All humans are born with equal potential to learn and achieve.
3) Individual behaviour patterns are produced by genetic traits and by the environment.
4) Biosocial theorists believe that biology leads to crime
Answer: The correct answer is 3
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 32
Reasoning: “Biosocial theory has several core principles, as indicated by Siegel (2004:141):
• It assumes that genetic makeup contributes significantly to human
behaviour. (option 1 therefore incorrect)
• It contends that not all humans are born with an equal potential to learn
and achieve. (option 2 is therefore incorrect)
• It argues that no two people are alike (with rare exceptions, such as
identical twins).
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, • It postulates that the combination of human genetic traits and the
environment produces individual behaviour patterns. (option 3 therefore
correct)”
Question 10
According to the interactionist, Edwin Lemert, primary deviance refers to ___ while secondary
deviance refers to ___.
1) initial deviant behaviour; repeated deviant behaviour.
2) commission of the crime; visible criminal behaviour.
3) initial deviant behaviour; stigmatisation of the person.
4) opportunity to commit crime; labelling the individual.
Answer: The correct answer is 3
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 120
Reasoning: “Primary deviance refers to initial deviant behaviour. An example of this is a person
who uses an opportunity to steal an item from a shop (without being caught) or
who drives a car under the influence of alcohol (without being caught). These
actions are regarded as wrong, but the person (offender) is not seen as a bad
person or labelled as deviant by others because he or she has not been caught.
Lemert does not attach much value to primary deviance, because the person's
self-image is not damaged in the process. There is no change in identity, and
deviance is seen as nothing more than a passing event.
Secondary deviance refers to the phase when a person's deviant behaviour is
repeated regularly, is visible, and is the subject of social reaction (punitive
measures). The offender is now stigmatised and labelled as a bad person. It is
possible that the offender may act in a way that shows acceptance of the new
deviant label (e.g. ``thief'' or ``criminal'').”
Option 1 is discarded as an option, as, while it is not incorrect, Lemert focussed on
the effect on the person’s identity, rather than mere observable behaviour.
Question 11
Merton (1938) postulates that an integrated society maintains a balance between two elements:
1) approved methods; culture
2) social structure; culture
3) cultural goals; objectives
4) social means; objectives
Answer: The correct answer is 2
Refer: CMY3701 Study Guide, pg. 81
Reasoning: “According to Merton (Burke, 2005:100; Bartollas, 2006:115), an integrated society
maintains a balance between the social structure (approved social means) and
culture (approved goals).”
Question 12
Which one of the following theories contend that certain changes in the modern world have
provided motivated offenders with a greater number of opportunities to commit crime?
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