CRIMINOLOGY ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is Crime?
Crime is defined as human actions that violate the formalized laws of a country, state, or local
area like a city or township.
What must be established before a crime can be committed?
At the heart of this definition is the idea that a law has to be present before we can consider an
act a crime. If there is no law, there is no crime, even if the act is immoral or disgusting to us.
How was crime defined in many ancient societies?
In the past, many societies would judge behavior on what was accepted by the society at the time
rather than having written laws so that by this definition "murder" might be a crime because
there was no formalized law about it.
What make laws?
Humans make laws, especially those humans that are in power because the powerful in society
often have more influence on what is considered a crime.
Do laws sometime change as society changes so that what is a crime may also change?
Yes, for example, during the Prohibition Era in the United States it was against the law to sell or
manufacture alcohol but in today' society that is no longer a law and thus, no longer a crime.
What are norms?
Norms are standards of behavior; they are formal and informal rules about what is considered
appropriate in a society in terms of behavior, beliefs, and values.
What is an example of a norm in our society?
An example of a norm in our society is that it is the accepted behavior to say "Hello" when you
answer a telephone call.
What are the different categories of norms?
Norms can be separated into the following categories: (1) Folkways, (2) Mores, and (3) Laws
What is the category of norms known as Folkways?
Folkways are everyday customs or ways of doing things but are informal and rarely written
down.
What are some examples of Folkways norms?
, Some examples of folkways norms include (1) waiting in line at the grocery store checkout (as
opposed to pushing your way to the front), (2) dressing in jeans when the situation calls for more
formal dress, (3) telling a third party a secret that we know, or (4) walking up the down escalator.
What is the category of norms known as Mores?
Mores are norms that have an underlying shared assumption of approval or disapproval. For
example, not stealing from a friend would be a more.
What is the category of norms known as Laws?
Laws are formal norms that have been written down and there are formal consequences for
breaking the norm.
What is Deviance?
Deviance is simply any act that violates society's norms.
Is deviance the same as crime?
No, the two concepts are actually distinct and only overlap in some areas
Do all deviance behavior result in serious consequences?
No, because all deviance behaviors are not crimes. In general, most of the folkways norms that
we violate will not result in serious consequences although we may get a bad look from
someone, but we aren't likely to be arrested or fined for them.
What are some deviance behavior that is more serious and result in serious consequences?
Murdering someone or robbing a bank are more serious acts of deviance that we want to prevent
in society.
How does society control serious deviance behavior?
For both informal and formal norms, society uses "social control" or restraints on people to keep
them from breaking norms.
What is social control?
Social control refers to social mechanisms that regulate individual and group behavior, leading to
conformity and compliance to the rules of society and that control of social institutions should be
in the interest and welfare of the whole society.
How social control relate to none conformity of norms?
In general, the more formal or serious the norm that you violate, the more severe and formal the
social control will be.
How do scholars differ on the acceptance of deviance behavior?
Some scholars have argue that deviance is a normal part of society and has positive functions.
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is Crime?
Crime is defined as human actions that violate the formalized laws of a country, state, or local
area like a city or township.
What must be established before a crime can be committed?
At the heart of this definition is the idea that a law has to be present before we can consider an
act a crime. If there is no law, there is no crime, even if the act is immoral or disgusting to us.
How was crime defined in many ancient societies?
In the past, many societies would judge behavior on what was accepted by the society at the time
rather than having written laws so that by this definition "murder" might be a crime because
there was no formalized law about it.
What make laws?
Humans make laws, especially those humans that are in power because the powerful in society
often have more influence on what is considered a crime.
Do laws sometime change as society changes so that what is a crime may also change?
Yes, for example, during the Prohibition Era in the United States it was against the law to sell or
manufacture alcohol but in today' society that is no longer a law and thus, no longer a crime.
What are norms?
Norms are standards of behavior; they are formal and informal rules about what is considered
appropriate in a society in terms of behavior, beliefs, and values.
What is an example of a norm in our society?
An example of a norm in our society is that it is the accepted behavior to say "Hello" when you
answer a telephone call.
What are the different categories of norms?
Norms can be separated into the following categories: (1) Folkways, (2) Mores, and (3) Laws
What is the category of norms known as Folkways?
Folkways are everyday customs or ways of doing things but are informal and rarely written
down.
What are some examples of Folkways norms?
, Some examples of folkways norms include (1) waiting in line at the grocery store checkout (as
opposed to pushing your way to the front), (2) dressing in jeans when the situation calls for more
formal dress, (3) telling a third party a secret that we know, or (4) walking up the down escalator.
What is the category of norms known as Mores?
Mores are norms that have an underlying shared assumption of approval or disapproval. For
example, not stealing from a friend would be a more.
What is the category of norms known as Laws?
Laws are formal norms that have been written down and there are formal consequences for
breaking the norm.
What is Deviance?
Deviance is simply any act that violates society's norms.
Is deviance the same as crime?
No, the two concepts are actually distinct and only overlap in some areas
Do all deviance behavior result in serious consequences?
No, because all deviance behaviors are not crimes. In general, most of the folkways norms that
we violate will not result in serious consequences although we may get a bad look from
someone, but we aren't likely to be arrested or fined for them.
What are some deviance behavior that is more serious and result in serious consequences?
Murdering someone or robbing a bank are more serious acts of deviance that we want to prevent
in society.
How does society control serious deviance behavior?
For both informal and formal norms, society uses "social control" or restraints on people to keep
them from breaking norms.
What is social control?
Social control refers to social mechanisms that regulate individual and group behavior, leading to
conformity and compliance to the rules of society and that control of social institutions should be
in the interest and welfare of the whole society.
How social control relate to none conformity of norms?
In general, the more formal or serious the norm that you violate, the more severe and formal the
social control will be.
How do scholars differ on the acceptance of deviance behavior?
Some scholars have argue that deviance is a normal part of society and has positive functions.
