Are criminals rational decision makers,or are most of them motivated by uncontrollable psychological and emotional drives or social forces such as poverty and despair?

MIDTERM EXAM

Answer each question in depth 1 page per question.

1.)   What are the specific aims and purposes of criminal law? To what extent does criminal law control behavior? Do you believe that the law is too restrictive? Not restrictive enough?

2.)  How would you explain gender differences in the crime rate? Why do you think males are more violent than females?

3.)  Do people bear some of the responsibility for their victimization if they maintain a lifestyle that contributes to the chances of becoming a crime victim? That is, should we “blame the victim”?

4.)  Are criminals rational decision makers,or are most of them motivated by uncontrollable psychological and emotional drives or social forces such as poverty and despair?

5.)  Considering the evidence on the association between media and crime, would you recommend that young children be forbidden to view films with violent content?

6.)  How would a social process theorist explain the fact that many children begin offending at an early age and then desist from crime as they mature? Take, for instance, differential association and other learning theories. If you learn criminal definitions, how do you “unlearn” them as you mature?