VIVES Kortrijk Criminography 380 Mastery Questions & Clinical Answers
Elevate your exam preparation for the Criminography module within the Bachelor of
Social Safety (BaMV) at VIVES Kortrijk. This practice bank contains 50 essential
multiple-choice questions focusing on key course objectives: the evolution of
criminological schools, the analysis of crime figures, the "dark number" phenomenon,
and victimology. Every entry provides the correct solution in bold italics along with a
comprehensive rationale to bridge the gap between theory and the Belgian social safety
context. Perfect for students aiming for a high grade on their final proctored
assessment.
1. Which theory focuses on the "Social Bond" and asks why people don't commit crimes?
o A. Strain Theory
o B. Social Control Theory (Hirschi)
o Rationale: Travis Hirschi argued that attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief
in social norms prevent individuals from deviating into crime.
o C. Labelling Theory
o D. Conflict Theory
2. In Labelling Theory, what is the term for the initial deviant act that does not yet result in
a criminal identity?
o A. Primary Deviance
o Rationale: Primary deviance refers to minor, often unnoticed acts. It only becomes
"Secondary Deviance" once society applies a label and the individual internalizes it.
o B. Tertiary Deviance
o C. Master Status
o D. Social Stigma
3. According to the Chicago School, which zone in the "Concentric Zone Model" has the
highest crime rates?
o A. The Commuter Zone
o B. The Zone in Transition
,o Rationale: This area, characterized by poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and high
population turnover, lacks the social cohesion needed to prevent crime.
o C. The Central Business District
o D. The Working Class Zone
4. What is "Neutralization" according to Sykes and Matza?
o A. Mental techniques used by offenders to justify their behavior and silence their
conscience.
o Rationale: Examples include "denial of responsibility" or "denial of injury," allowing the
offender to maintain a positive self-image.
o B. The process of DNA matching.
o C. Police de-escalation techniques.
o D. Abolishing the death penalty.
Section 2: Criminological Schools & Biological Trends
5. Which concept describes the belief that specific areas of the brain or skull shape dictate
criminal tendencies?
o A. Positivism
o B. Phrenology
o Rationale: Gall’s phrenology was an early, though now debunked, attempt to link skull
physical structure directly to personality and criminality.
o C. Bio-criminology
o D. Somatotyping
6. Sheldon’s "Somatotyping" identified which body type as most prone to aggression and
crime?
o A. Ectomorphs (Thin/Fragile)
o B. Endomorphs (Soft/Round)
o C. Mesomorphs (Muscular/Athletic)
o Rationale: Mesomorphs were categorized as being more active and aggressive,
therefore more likely to engage in physical crime.
o D. Polymorphs
Section 3: Victimology & The Victim’s Role
7. What is "Victim Blaming" in a clinical/sociological context?
o A. Shifting the responsibility of the crime from the offender to the victim’s actions
or appearance.
o Rationale: This often leads to "secondary victimization," where the victim suffers further
trauma from society's judgment.
o B. Punishing the victim for lying.
o C. A legal defense strategy.
, o D. Insurance fraud.
8. In Routine Activity Theory, a "Capable Guardian" can be:
o A. Only a police officer.
o B. Anyone or anything that discourages crime (e.g., a neighbor, a dog, or a CCTV
camera).
o Rationale: A guardian is anyone whose presence makes the target "unsuitable" or risky
for the offender.
o C. A lawyer.
o D. A social worker.
9. Which survey is the primary source for understanding the "Dark Number" in Belgium?
o A. The Police Report Log
o B. The Veiligheidsmonitor (Security Monitor)
o Rationale: This survey reaches out to citizens to report their experiences with crime,
regardless of whether they went to the police.
o C. The Belgian Census
o D. The Prison Intake Record
Section 4: Statistics & The "Trechtermodel" (Funnel)
10. If the "Donker getal" (Dark Number) is high for a specific crime, it means:
o A. The crime is very rare.
o B. The crime is significantly under-reported (e.g., domestic violence or petty
theft).
o Rationale: A high dark number indicates that official police stats are not reflecting the
true extent of the problem.
o C. The police are doing an excellent job.
o D. The crime only happens in the dark.
11. Why do criminologists prefer "Self-Report Studies" (Zelfrapportage)?
o A. They allow researchers to see crimes committed by the "middle class" that are
often missed by police.
o Rationale: People often admit to minor crimes (drug use, shoplifting) in anonymous
surveys that never lead to arrest.
o B. They are cheaper than police reports.
o C. They are always 100% honest.
o D. They replace the need for judges.
Section 5: High-Yield Mixed Review (12-50)
12. What is Situational Deterrence? A. Immediate fear of being caught at the scene of
the crime.
Elevate your exam preparation for the Criminography module within the Bachelor of
Social Safety (BaMV) at VIVES Kortrijk. This practice bank contains 50 essential
multiple-choice questions focusing on key course objectives: the evolution of
criminological schools, the analysis of crime figures, the "dark number" phenomenon,
and victimology. Every entry provides the correct solution in bold italics along with a
comprehensive rationale to bridge the gap between theory and the Belgian social safety
context. Perfect for students aiming for a high grade on their final proctored
assessment.
1. Which theory focuses on the "Social Bond" and asks why people don't commit crimes?
o A. Strain Theory
o B. Social Control Theory (Hirschi)
o Rationale: Travis Hirschi argued that attachment, commitment, involvement, and belief
in social norms prevent individuals from deviating into crime.
o C. Labelling Theory
o D. Conflict Theory
2. In Labelling Theory, what is the term for the initial deviant act that does not yet result in
a criminal identity?
o A. Primary Deviance
o Rationale: Primary deviance refers to minor, often unnoticed acts. It only becomes
"Secondary Deviance" once society applies a label and the individual internalizes it.
o B. Tertiary Deviance
o C. Master Status
o D. Social Stigma
3. According to the Chicago School, which zone in the "Concentric Zone Model" has the
highest crime rates?
o A. The Commuter Zone
o B. The Zone in Transition
,o Rationale: This area, characterized by poverty, crumbling infrastructure, and high
population turnover, lacks the social cohesion needed to prevent crime.
o C. The Central Business District
o D. The Working Class Zone
4. What is "Neutralization" according to Sykes and Matza?
o A. Mental techniques used by offenders to justify their behavior and silence their
conscience.
o Rationale: Examples include "denial of responsibility" or "denial of injury," allowing the
offender to maintain a positive self-image.
o B. The process of DNA matching.
o C. Police de-escalation techniques.
o D. Abolishing the death penalty.
Section 2: Criminological Schools & Biological Trends
5. Which concept describes the belief that specific areas of the brain or skull shape dictate
criminal tendencies?
o A. Positivism
o B. Phrenology
o Rationale: Gall’s phrenology was an early, though now debunked, attempt to link skull
physical structure directly to personality and criminality.
o C. Bio-criminology
o D. Somatotyping
6. Sheldon’s "Somatotyping" identified which body type as most prone to aggression and
crime?
o A. Ectomorphs (Thin/Fragile)
o B. Endomorphs (Soft/Round)
o C. Mesomorphs (Muscular/Athletic)
o Rationale: Mesomorphs were categorized as being more active and aggressive,
therefore more likely to engage in physical crime.
o D. Polymorphs
Section 3: Victimology & The Victim’s Role
7. What is "Victim Blaming" in a clinical/sociological context?
o A. Shifting the responsibility of the crime from the offender to the victim’s actions
or appearance.
o Rationale: This often leads to "secondary victimization," where the victim suffers further
trauma from society's judgment.
o B. Punishing the victim for lying.
o C. A legal defense strategy.
, o D. Insurance fraud.
8. In Routine Activity Theory, a "Capable Guardian" can be:
o A. Only a police officer.
o B. Anyone or anything that discourages crime (e.g., a neighbor, a dog, or a CCTV
camera).
o Rationale: A guardian is anyone whose presence makes the target "unsuitable" or risky
for the offender.
o C. A lawyer.
o D. A social worker.
9. Which survey is the primary source for understanding the "Dark Number" in Belgium?
o A. The Police Report Log
o B. The Veiligheidsmonitor (Security Monitor)
o Rationale: This survey reaches out to citizens to report their experiences with crime,
regardless of whether they went to the police.
o C. The Belgian Census
o D. The Prison Intake Record
Section 4: Statistics & The "Trechtermodel" (Funnel)
10. If the "Donker getal" (Dark Number) is high for a specific crime, it means:
o A. The crime is very rare.
o B. The crime is significantly under-reported (e.g., domestic violence or petty
theft).
o Rationale: A high dark number indicates that official police stats are not reflecting the
true extent of the problem.
o C. The police are doing an excellent job.
o D. The crime only happens in the dark.
11. Why do criminologists prefer "Self-Report Studies" (Zelfrapportage)?
o A. They allow researchers to see crimes committed by the "middle class" that are
often missed by police.
o Rationale: People often admit to minor crimes (drug use, shoplifting) in anonymous
surveys that never lead to arrest.
o B. They are cheaper than police reports.
o C. They are always 100% honest.
o D. They replace the need for judges.
Section 5: High-Yield Mixed Review (12-50)
12. What is Situational Deterrence? A. Immediate fear of being caught at the scene of
the crime.
