Criminological Theories

Instructions: Read all instructions and the essay questions thoroughly before proceeding with the exam.  I strongly recommend outlining all the questions and your intended responses. Answer the questions in the order of what I designated constitutes a good response for them. Do not include introductions to the responses. You are not writing a paper.

Please answer ALL four questions below in a double-spaced Word document.  The length of your responses for each question should be between 400-600 words.  Include the word count at the end of each of your responses (e.g., Word count = 500) and then begin the reference list for each response on a new page per APA requirements. Use 12-point font in Times New Roman only. Be sure to number each response. Write in essay format, with paragraphs (indent where appropriate).

Cite all sources in the text and in reference lists for EACH response, and do so in APA format (7^th edition).   See the Hacker and Sommers book. Do not have a single reference list at the end of the document.  You are to avoid quoting any definitions or other explanations of concepts, as that does not demonstrate that you comprehend the material.  However, in other areas of a response, if you feel that a passage cannot be said any better than the original author said it, which is rare, you are allowed no more than one short quote (~ four lines) per page of a response. You cannot quote when explaining principles of theories, as you must demonstrate your comprehension of and ability to apply the concepts.  Use the Discover search tool on the library homepage to help you get appropriate sources and check with me if you still have questions about a source.  You may use your assigned textbook. However, you can also use scholarly/peer-reviewed research article related to the question. You should use research articles that address the theories in question as they are going to be applicable to your responses. 

As always, mechanics (grammar, punctuation, and spelling) and style will be considered in the scoring. If your answer is too difficult to understand, then do not expect to earn a good score on a response.  If citation formatting is incorrect, remember that you risk plagiarism, and the severity of that plagiarism will determine the penalty level you will face.

Save your exam as one file rather than separate files for each question, but start each response on a separate page.  Please put your name at the top of the first page and number all pages according to APA format.

ESSAY QUESTIONS

1. Elijah Anderson noted that the “Code of the Street” determined when and where violence was appropriate.  Discuss how this theory might explain why one neighborhood has a high crime rate and its adjacent neighborhood (not city, town or state) has a low crime rate.  A good response will clearly and comprehensively lay out the principles of the theory and discuss three ways that those principles could be applied to explain the difference in crime rates between two adjacent neighborhoods. You must describe the characteristics of each of the neighborhoods. You cannot assume that in laying out traits of one neighborhood that the other neighborhood’s traits are implied.

2. In your view, do any of the learning theories offer any useful explanation for white-collar crimes, which are usually committed by those in the middle and upper-classes? Defend your answer. If the response is yes, a good response will indicate whether you think all of the learning theories or a specific learning theory or theories are useful (identify them and the theorist(s)) and discuss three reasons you hold your view.  If the response is no, a good response will indicate your position, discuss three reasons why you believe none of these theories are useful, indicate whether there is any new information that you could receive that could change your view, and offer two explanations for your stance on this point.

3. Are feminist criminological theories better at explaining gender differences in offending than traditional criminological theories? Defend your answer. A good response will clearly articulate your position of yes or no and then discuss three factors that led to your view.

4. Do you believe that peacemaking criminology provides a useful tool regarding policies for rehabilitating offenders? Explain your position.  A good response will clearly articulate what peacemaking criminology entails, explicitly and clearly articulate your position regarding whether peacemaking criminology is useful in rehabilitating offenders, and discuss three reasons for your position.