MODULE 1
INTRODUCTION

Reading Assignment
the book needed for this assignment is Criminological Theory: A Text/Reader 2nd ed. S. Tibbetts & C. Hemmens (SAGE)

Tibbetts & Hemmens pp. 1-25

Module Student Learning Objectives
By the end of this module students will be able to understand:
1. To define criminology and what distinguishes it from other perspectives of crime
2. To define theory and crime, and categorize various types of criminological theory
3. To identify and understand the characteristics that make a good theory, as well as the 3 criteria for determining causality
4. To identify and understand the most commonly used measures of crime and delinquency
5. To understand the various patterns and trends that the measures show how crime is clustered in certain times, places, persons, etc.

Key Terms
Classical School
Clearance rate
Conflict perspective
Consensus perspective
Correlation or covariation
Criminology
Dark Figure
Deviance
Empirical validity
Equivalency hypothesis
Logical consistency
Mala in Se
Mala Prohibita
National Crime Victimization Survey
Parsimony
Scope
Spuriousness
Temporal Ordering
Testability
Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

Review Questions
1. What is criminology and how does it differ from other perspectives of examining crime?
2. Understand the difference between “Conflict” and “Consensus” perspectives of crime?
3. What is the difference between “mala in se” and “mala prohibita” crimes?
4. Know the 4 Index Violent offenses as measured by the FBI.
5. Know the various characteristics that are found in a good theory, and be able to give an example of each to clarify.
6. Be able to identify and clearly define the 3 criteria for determining causality (i.e., X causes Y), and be able to give an example for each.
7. What is the UCR and how is it collected and by who? What types of crimes/categories are collected?
8. What are the biggest strengths and weakness of the UCR? Think of examples to support your conclusions.
9. What types of crimes are best measured by the UCR? Think of examples to support your conclusions.
10. What is the NCVS and how is it collected, and by who?
11. What are the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the NCVS? Think of examples to support your conclusions.
12. What types of crimes are best measured by the NCVS? Think of examples to support your conclusions.
13. What are self-report measures and how are they collected?
14. What do studies have to say about the validity/reliability of self-report measures?
15. Which of the three primary measures are most typically used for scientifically determining the causes of crime (e.g., personality, family interactions)?
16. What are the trends in serious street crime (particularly homicide) over the last century, from approximately 1900 to 1950. In other words, which decades showed significant increases/decreases in homicide (i.e., serious crime)? Know the key factors were believed to cause the increases and decreases seen prior to 1950?
17. After 1950, which 10-year period showed the greatest increase in homicide (note: this is the same for serious street crime) that we have ever seen? Which year do crime measures show was the peak year for homicide? Which 10-year period showed the greatest decrease in homicide/serious crime that we have ever seen?
18. Identify at least one factor that we know did NOT seem to matter in these recent trends for crime/homicide.
19. Know the various factors that evidence suggests DO seem to matter in these trends that we discussed in class.
20. In what region(s) of the US are crime rates the highest and lowest? Know some examples of how crimes rates can vary significantly in cities within both low and high regions of the US.
21. What time of day does adult offending peak? What time of day does juvenile offending peak (on an average [school] day)?
22. How does crime differ in terms of season?
23. At what age does the official offending rate peak?
24. Know the extent to which females commit serious violent crime in relation to males. For what FBI Index and non-Index crimes are females most representative?
25. Studies show which racial/ethnic group is generally the most victimized against? What other groups are disproportionately victimized? Understand the nature of victimization (i.e., degree to which racial groups offend against other racial groups).
26. Understand the nature of crime/victimization across different social classes, and how it can deviate from the “Equivalency Hypothesis”.
27. Know the differences in crime based on the density of the area (e.g., rural vs. urban).