Reference no: EM133342812
Assignment:
These are discussion questions for CRJ 277: Introduction to Criminology.
1. According to biosocial criminologists, examples of social and environmental factors that can potentially influence criminality include the following:
- Family life
- Peer influences
- Quality of education
- Level of neighborhood crime or violence
- Be prepared to share your findings with your classmates
For this activity, select a fictional or real-life criminal character from a book, movie, television show, newspaper, or magazine article. You may select a real-life criminal with whom you are personally familiar.
Also select a fictional or real-life character who does NOT participate in criminal behavior.
Write one paragraph about each character comparing their social and environmental factors.
2. Research suggests that individuals with antisocial personality disorder are prone to criminal behavior due to their inability to feel guilty and their low tolerance for frustration, impulsiveness, and tendency to take risks, among other factors and characteristics.
Imagine that you are a police officer investigating a violent crime scene in a neighborhood that is not prone to violence. Strong forensic evidence suggests the crime was committed by an individual within the household.
Why is it important that you, as a police officer, have a basic understanding of criminal psychological theories? For example, are there specific individual behaviors that you might be watching for as you interview members of the household and neighborhood?
3. View Robert Sampson's Poor Neighborhoods video and then answer the Discussion question.
Imagine that you are a law enforcement officer assigned to police a high-crime neighborhood. You are in a meeting with community leaders and organizers, including pastors, school principals, and parents.
The mayor asks you, "Officer, do you have any ideas on things we can do to change the conditions in this neighborhood?"
4. How do you believe reinforcement theory can be applied at the community level by police departments, schools, parishes, and other community organizations, to reduce criminal behavior?