Charles O Agwa 1

CJU 330 Criminology

Module 1
Chapters 1 and 2
For the multiple choice and T / F questions, highlight your answers.
1. The field that attempts to define, explain, and predict criminal behavior is known as:
A) Criminalistics
B) Applied criminology
C) Criminology
D) Theology

2. Behavior that is outside the range of normal societal toleration is best described as:
A) Criminal
B) Deviant
C) Felonious
D) Mala in se

3. As society becomes increasingly complex and heterogeneous, which of the following is

typically true of society's efforts to maintain order?
A) Society becomes increasingly reliant on informal methods of social control.
B) Society becomes increasingly reliant on formal, codified laws.
C) Society becomes entirely reliant upon police and the criminal justice system.
D) Society becomes more reliant on religious organizations.

4. Which of the following is true of laws?

A) Laws are the most efficient means of social control.
B) Laws define which behaviors classify as “deviant” in a given society.
C) Laws can be enforced by either political or moral authorities.
D) Laws become more common when informal methods of social control are
weakened.

5. Gemeinschaft refers to:

A) A communal society that predominantly relies on informal methods of social
control
B) A heterogeneous society in which codified laws are necessary to maintain control
C) A view that holds that law is a means of preserving the status quo on behalf of the
powerful
D) A person who has a strong knowledge of law and criminal justice procedures
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6. Overall crime rates:

A) Remain stable across societies and through time
B) Tend to be stable across societies, but fluctuate over time
C) Vary across societies, but within a particular society tend to be stable over time
D) Vary by social and historical context

7. Famed sociologist Émile Durkheim argued that crime is normal. By this, he meant that:
A) Criminals should be viewed no differently than non-criminals within society.
B) Criminal labels are arbitrary and serve no function in society; thus, criminal law
should be abolished.
C) Crime is a predictable product of, and in some ways a useful element of, the
structure of society.
D) Crime is so pervasive in society that it becomes normalized.

8. Driving 26 miles per hour in an area where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour would
best be described as an act:
A) Mala in se
B) Mala prohibita
C) Of overcriminalization
D) Of felonious proportions

9. Mores are:
A) Norms that are preferred, but carry no serious consequences if broken
B) The comprehensive set of morals in a given society
C) Strong norms that carry sanctions if broken
D) Always codified into law

10. A particular crime is punishable by 5 years in prison; this crime is most likely:
A) A misdemeanor
B) A felony
C) A folkway
D) Mens rea

11. Which of the following is not a characteristic of criminal law?

A) It is assumed by political authority.
B) It contains penal sanctions.
C) It is uniformly applied.
D) It must be administered by federal authorities.
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12. Criminology is considered a sub-discipline of:

A) Biology
B) Psychology
C) Sociology
D) Theology

13. Which of the following refers to “consistency and/or stability of measurement”?

A) Validity
B) Reliability
C) Triangulation
D) Unobtrusiveness

14. Which of the following is true of participant observation in the field of criminology?
A) The researcher should carefully conceal his or her real identity and pretend to be
part of the group being studied.
B) Tape recorders should be used in the field to ensure accuracy of data.
C) Participant observation is a valuable methodology for studying groups that have
historically been little-understood.
D) Participant observation is a good way of obtaining quantitative data on various
criminal phenomena.

15. A criminologist decides to study the way in which violent crime is portrayed in
newspaper headlines. This type of research is known as:
A) Content analysis
B) Media survey
C) Participant observation
D) Secondary analysis

16. A fanatical adherence to a particular research method, often at the expense of a concern
for substance, is known as which of the following?
A) Methodological narcissism
B) Research incoherence
C) Telescopic visioning
D) Triangulation
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17. The use of pretests and posttests applies to which of the following research
methodologies?
A) Content analysis
B) Experimentation
C) Participant observation
D) Secondary analysis

18. As an independent field, criminology has:

A) Largely disregarded the issue of ethics in research
B) Long recognized the ethical codes of its parent disciplines, but only recently begun
to adopt its own ethical guidelines
C) Long relied upon its own code of ethics, compiled by the American Society of
Criminology since the early 1900s
D) Long relied upon its own code of ethics, compiled by the Academy of Criminal
Justice Sciences since the early 1900s

19. True or False? Crime as a violation of criminal law can only have negative
consequences for the social solidarity of any society.
A) True
B) False

20. True or False? “Deviant behavior” is defined as “behavior which is in violation of

written laws.”
A) True
B) False

21. True or False? Definitions of deviance are relative to the time, place, and person(s)
making the evaluation.
A) True
B) False

22. True or False? Folkways refer to serious customs that involve moral judgments as well
as sanctions.
A) True
B) False

23. True or False? As society becomes more complex, it becomes increasingly reliant on
informal methods of social control to maintain order.
A) True
B) False
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24. True or False? Criminologists have a clear understanding of the economic impact of
crime.
A) True
B) False

25. True or False? The field of criminalistics is focused on the scientific evaluation of
physical evidence.
A) True
B) False

26. True or False? Gambling is an act that would be considered mala prohibita.
A) True
B) False

27. True or False? “Deviant behavior” is defined as “behavior which is in violation of

written laws.”
A) True
B) False