Qualifiers

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: Trait Genetics Theories (Committee hates these, AVOID)[/b][/center]

[b]Walsh and Ellis (2007) – [/b]There is a correlation between gene and environment interaction. G-E Correlation means there is a relationship between genotype and the environment.

[b]Lombroso (1876) – [/b]Criminals are atavistic throwbacks who have big jaws and thick skulls.

[b]Darwin (1859) – [/b]Evidence that traits transfer from parent to offspring.

[b]Ellis (2005) – [/b]Evolutionary neuro and cenic theory. ENA integrates evolutionary and neuroscience constructs. Broadly, crime is from evolutionary, neurological, and hormonal factors.

[b]Walsh (2002) – [/b]Genes are strands of DNA that code proteins, some produce neuro chemicals and hormones that facilitate feelings and behaviors. Genes create tendencies to respond to environment in certain way.

[b]Glueck & Glueck (1950) – [/b]Note need to establish theories with multiple factors. Delinquents have fewer intellectual traits and less school attainment. Delinquent parents are less intelligent and socially adept.

[b]Hirschi & Hindelong (1977) – [/b]Relationship between delinquency and IQ scores. IQ predicts delinquency as well as race and social class. IQ effects school performance and ability to adjust to this indirectly effects crime. Official data shows stronger relationship between IQ and crime compared to survey, because people with low IQ are less likely to take the survey and people with high IQ are less likely to get caught.

[b]Goddard (1912) – [/b]Examines the two lines of the Kallikaks family.

[b]Fishbean (1990) – [/b]Overall, there is evidence that biological conditions have an impact on factors that influence behavior. Biological defects or traits that create a disposition toward crime may be compounded over time by the environment.

[b]Christiansen (1977) – [/b]Calculated concordance rates for twins’ criminality. Identical male twins are 2.5x more likely to both be, if one is, compared to fraternal twins.

[b]Moffit et al. (2000) – [/b]Longitudinal study. Asked if characteristics are the same between general crime and partner abusers. 500 people sample, personality measured, 18 partner abusers and general crime at age of 21. Both result of negative emotionality. But crime related weak constraints, but had partner abusers. 2 variables not part of the same construct of anti-social behavior.

[b]Medneck et al. (1987) – [/b]Genetic factors pass parent to offspring. Adoption study in Denmark. Adopted kids with biological parents as criminals are more likely to commit crime than if adoptive parents and biological parents were not criminals. Most likely to offend if both the biological and adoptive parents were criminals.

[b]Caspi et al. (2002) – [/b]Study demonstrates that we need to take both biological and environmental factors into account. MAO maintain balance of several neurotransmitters, and if MAO levels are off, then it is possible to have a problem.

[Lisa]

You're going to dominate this time, BG!!!!!!!

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: Conflict Theories[/b][/center]

[b]General notes: [/b]Conflict provides an explanation for law formulation and violation.

[b]Quinney (1975) – [/b]Laws are enacted to protect the powerful. Laws serve the powerful over the weak, but all are indoctrinated to think that it is our law.

[b]Akers and Sellers (2004) – [/b]There are 4 types of empirical studies on conflict. A. Research on the influence of interest groups on legislation, court decisions, etc. (Crime formulation). B) Research on public opinion about what behavior is disapproved of. (Crime formulation). C) Research on relationship between presence of threatening social groups and its impact on crime control efforts within a geographical area (Law violation and enforcement). D) Research on the exercise of discretion in applying the law against the accused law violator (law violation and enforcement).

[b]Sumner (1906) – [/b]Consensus view on law formulation. Law developed primarily thru official codification of the prevailing “following mores”, unorganized intuitive principles of right and wrong.

[b]Selliu (1938) – [/b]Cultural rules dictate how we act in certain situations. Conflict is primarily between two cultures. Secondly, cultures divide into subcultures. Competing cultural norms for laws.

[b]Vold (1958)[/b] – People band in groups to serve their needs. Groups and interest groups struggle with each other, this results in constant conflict in society. Process of law making and crime control reflects conflict of interest groups.

[b]Gusfield (1963) – [/b]First type of conflict study (crime formulation). Examine the temperance movement, shows conflict between two groups; the nondrinking rural middle class Protestants and the urban, secular, most immigrants who the first group was losing ground to. 18[sup]th[/sup] Amendment passed.

[b]Turk (1969) – [/b]Conflict occurs between authorities and subjects. Theory of criminalization: Criminal status is determined by the authorities.. Thru use of power, criminal status is imposed. Process works so people play by the rules. Conflict when someone refuses existing order. More sophisticated able to achieve goals by means other than crime.

[b]Quinney (1970) – [/b]Different societal segments form: high and low standing. Segments of low standing more often law violators, different groups define criminal concepts differently.

[b]Jacobs et al. (2008) – [/b]As minority groups increase in size and power, majority exercise more social control on them to keep the status quo. Found that the death sentence for blacks was higher by population after controlling for non-racial variables.

[BG45]

[quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1324940182' post='2357800']
You're going to dominate this time, BG!!!!!!!
[/quote]
Thank you so much! I've spent all day typing up my notecards (other than labeling and social learning, left them back in PA I think) to include in my easier to read study guides.

*Theory notecards, Policy tomorrow

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: Social Disorganization Theories[/b][/center]

[b]General Definition: [/b] Inability of a community to realize the shared values of its citizens and maintain social control.
Socially organized communities have informal controls:
Solidarity – internal consensus on norms
Cohesion – Strong bond among neighbors
Integration – Regular social interaction
External factors can create barriers for social ties which limit informal controls.

[b]Park and Burgess (1925) – [/b]Concentric zones.

[b]Shaw & McKay (1942) –[/b] expanded on concentric zones

[b]Kornhauser (1978) – [/b]criticized theory.

[b]Stark (19987) – [/b]5 aspects of high deviance, 30 hypotheses to test.

[b]Bursick (1988) – [/b]gave criticisms and ways to continue theory. Stated Shaw and McKay did not say social, societal, and neighborhood conditions directly cause crime, but that social disorganization hinders social control in an area, allowing high crime. The absence or breakdown of social control is key component behind the concept of social disorganization.

[b]Sampson and Groves (1989) – [/b]Address criticism of proper testing, looked at intermediate variables. Agreed with Bursick, social disorganization not propose or suggest factors like social class and race are direct causes of crime. Yet, these are types of variables used in the past, so no direct tests of the theory. Provided empirical model to fix this, did not use official data. Included measures of external factors, but also more direct, such as measures of social control (team supervisors and friendship networks).

[b]Eliot et al (1995) – [/b]mixed support. Found informal control to be related to delinquency and mediates effects of disadvantaged neighborhoods, but social ties not significant.

[b]Sampson, Raudenbush, & Earls (1997) – [/b]Collective efficacy of a community.

[b]Sampson & raudenbush (1999) – [/b]Tested their 1997 adaptation and found support for it.

[b]Jang & Johnson (2001) – [/b]tried to measure social disorganization directly. Found significant but social control and social learning were stronger.

[b]Gottfredson, McNeil, and Gottefredson (1991) – [/b]Did not support, but only examined external variables.

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: Self Control Theories[/b][/center]

[b]Gottfredson & Hirschi (1990, 1993) – [/b]General Theory of Crime. Low self control is to cause for crime. Set after age 8 and internal to the person. Suggested analogous behavior measure: drinking, job instability, whining as a kid, etc.

[b]Hirschi & Gottfredson (1993) – [/b]Why they hate Grasmick: A) less valid because people with low self control are less likely to take the survey and more likely to lie on it. B) Concerned it will imply self control is a personality concept that predisposes people to crime, reminded theory states people are not predisposed but develop self control, don’t want seen as a trait. Said the best identifier of self control are the acts it is used to explain. Acknowledge this may not be acceptable, so attitudinal > behavior, whining as a child, employment instability, etc.

[b]Grasmick et al. (1993) – [/b]Developed a 25 item cognitive scale to measure self control. E.G. impulsivity as a sign of low self control. “I often act without thinking”. Self con reps underlying personality threads. Some support for unidimensional trait.

[b]Keane et al. (1993) – [/b]Others risky behavior (drugs and drinking) predicts drunk driving. Attempts to explain driving under the influence with measures relating to drinking and driving behavior. People pulled over, breathalyzer and survey given. Questions dealt with risk driving, no seatbelt, drinking. Inferred behaviors to low self control.

[b]Sampson & Laub (1993)- [/b]People can change (but that could be due to a pustunny, as a theory suggests).

[b]Pratt & Cullen (2000) – [/b]Most studies use attitudinal measures. Meta analysis of self control, both attitudinal and behavioral measures. Showed support for attitudinal. .257 and behavioral .277. Concluded effect size would rank self control as one of the strongest known correlates of crime.

[b]Laub & Sampson (2003) – [/b]Changes in behavior due to events

[b]Burt et al. (2006) – [/b]Showed measured levels of self control can increase and decrease.

[b]Bacon (2003) –[/b]Study of homeless street youth in Canada. Self control and deviant peers and strain variables on crime and drug use. Found low self control predicted deviant peers and values and unemployed status. Strain values not related self control and impacted crime separately. Also, low self control could not explain all of impact of deviant peers and values.

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: Just Strain Theories[/b][/center]

[b]Durkheim (1897) – [/b]Original concept of anomie developed. A state of normlessness.

[b]Cohen (1955) – [/b]Considered the inability of obtaining status as causing crime. Delinquent subcultures in lower class, form due to status frustration.

[b]Clowards and Ohlin (1960) – [/b]Differential illegitimate opportunity structures. 3 types of delinquent subcultures: criminal, conflict, retreatist.

[b]Hirschi (1969) – [/b]Examine the relationship between education expectations and aspirations. Concluded goal-means gap not a good predictor. Few in sample had aspirations that exceeded expectations.

[b]Kornhauser (1978) – [/b]Critical of strain, no goal means no goal-means gap support.

[b]Farnsworth and Lieber (1989) – [/b]Suggested measuring strain as economic goals and educational expectations. It was a better predictor than other ways. Best measure was educational aspirations which can support social control theory.

[b]Burton & Cullen (1992) – [/b]Reviewed over 50 studies of classic strain and found them largely unsupportive of the theory. However, the majority of unsupportive studies measured strain as a goal-means gap. Of studies that measured strain as blocked opportunities, 50% supported.

[b]Burton et al. (1994) – [/b]Tested 3 measures of strain on 477 whites. A) Perceptions of blocked opportunities. B) Gap aspirations and expectations. C) relationship deprivation. found all correlated with crime, however when control and learning variables were included, no strain variables were related.

[b]Agnew et al. (1996) – [/b]Added variable of satisfaction with monetary situation because strain is likely to be felt by those with high monetary expectations. With a sample of 400 white adults, found positive correlation with new measure and income generating crime. (Spins off General Strain Theory).

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: Classical Strain Theories[/b][/center]

[b]Durkheim (1897) – [/b]Original concept of anomie in suicide, defined as a state of normlessness. Saw as a result of rapid social change and industrial revolution.

[b]Merton (1938) – [/b]Adopted to anomie-strain. Macro component: Because legitimate means are not stressed enough, people are more likely to use any means available. Success is stressed to all, but not all have the same means. Creates strains which can lead to crime. Micro responses to strains: Conformity, innovation, ritualism, retreatism, and rebellion.

[b]Cohen (1955) – [/b]States frustration, delinquent subculture.

[b]Cloward & Ohlin (1960) – [/b]differential illegitimate opportunity structures.

[b]Farnsworth and Lieber (1989) – [/b]Suggested measuring strain as economic goals and educational expectations. It was a better predictor than other ways. Best measure was educational aspirations which can support social control theory.

[b]Burton & Cullen (1992) – [/b]Reviewed over 50 studies of classic strain and found them largely unsupportive of the theory. However, the majority of unsupportive studies measured strain as a goal-means gap. Of studies that measured strain as blocked opportunities, 50% supported.

[b]Burton et al. (1994) – [/b]Tested 3 measures of strain on 477 whites. A) Perceptions of blocked opportunities. B) Gap aspirations and expectations. C) relationship deprivation. found all correlated with crime, however when control and learning variables were included, no strain variables were related.

[b]Agnew et al. (1996) – [/b]Added variable of satisfaction with monetary situation because strain is likely to be felt by those with high monetary expectations. With a sample of 400 white adults, found positive correlation with new measure and income generating crime. (Spins off General Strain Theory).

[BG45]

[center][b]Theory Note Cards: General Strain Theories[/b][/center]

[b]Agnew (1985) – [/b]Earliest revision of theory. Youth in Transition survey. Focused on inability to escape negative situations. Included multiple scales to measure. Found aversive environments to have direct and indirect effect on anger. Concluded inability to escape negative situations leads to anger and crime.

[b]Agnew (1985, 1992) –[/b] Sources of strain, negative effective states, internal and external.

[b]Agnew and White (1992) – [/b]First real test of General Strain. Dependent variable was delinquency and drug use. Found negative life events and hassels to be highly correlated with delinquency. Partia test – no emotions. Also found interaction effect between strain and delinquent peers.

[b]Agnew (2001) [/b]– Began to argue certain types of strain more likely to cause crime. A) if viewed as unjust or institutional. B) High in magnitude. C) If caused by low self control. D) If it creates pressures and incentives to rely on illegitimate coping mechanisms.

[b]Paternoster & Mazerolle (1994) - [/b] Longitudinal test supports.

[b]Mazeroue et al. (2000) – [/b]Theory better explains violent crime, found strain not to lead to anger.

[b]Agnew (2001) – [/b]Focused on strain likely to cause crime, also argued that strains should be measured separately, not put into a big variable.

[b]Broidy (2001) – [/b]Coping mechanism may blunt the impact of strain on crime. Anger increases involvement in crime. Hypothesize negative effect states may not always lead to crime if there are legitimate coping strategies available. Found anger lead to crime, not other negative emotions. Suggests that anger leads to illegitimate coping mechanisms.

[b]Mesner & Rogenfeld (2001) – [/b]institutional anomie. The economy, as an institution, causes strain.

[b]Maume & Lee (2003) –[/b] Non-economic institutions act as buffers against delinquency and strain.

[b]Baron (2004) – [/b]support, measured types of strain individually. Study of homeless in Vancouver. Found most strain measures related to crime and anger, mediated some of those. Support Agnew’s suggestion to look at types of strain separately.

[b]Kubrin, Stucky, and Krohn (2009) –[/b] Not many recent studies provide support for this theory.

[MissyP89]

When's your test? Fingers crossed for you.

[MissScripture]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1325003853' post='2358095']
When's your test? Fingers crossed for you.
[/quote]

[quote name='BG45' timestamp='1324939438' post='2357793']
Have them on January 13th and week after...
[/quote]

[MissyP89]

Oh. My bad.

[MissScripture]

It took me a minute of scrolling through to find it. He hid it above a bunch of notes.

[BG45]

[quote name='MissyP89' timestamp='1325003853' post='2358095']
When's your test? Fingers crossed for you.
[/quote]They're in January.

Friday the 13th I have Methods, where I'll get 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the evening for my questions. Morning will be designing quantitative and qualitative studies for a question. Afternoon is stats for a question.

Wednesday the 18th is Theory. 3 hours for the morning question, 3 hours for the afternoon question.

Friday the 20th is Policy. 3 hours for the morning question, 3 hours for the afternoon question.

I have to pass all three this time or I'm out of the program at the end of the semester, so I deeply appreciate crossed fingers and prayers. i'll admit, I'm scared poopless of failing. I had a mixed thanatophobia and Quals panic attack last night after I went to bed; bad enough I found myself puking and holding myself. The only thing I have to look forward to (aside from hopefully passing all three) is my dinner on the 20th after it's done.

No Quals on MLK Day because of the holiday, the administering prof was willing to come in, but not the person with the key to the building we'll be using. The Theory and Policy Committees assure me that I know my material, that I just need to focus on answering the question that is asked. The Methods committee pretty much said I'm worthless in all aspects. I wrote 56 pages last time with over 100 citations from memory to fail all 3 x.x The committees don't even read your answer if it's under 5 pages in the 3 hours, you auto-fail.

Thank you so much for the good luck wishes, I really appreciate them!

Some example questions, well, the ones I failed last time (Methods afternoon won't have charts like it does for me. I tried and couldn't get the formatting to hold.):

Policy:

[quote]
POLICY QUALIFYING EXAM ---August 2011

[b]MORNING QUESTION[/b]

Governor Corbett has contacted you about criminal justice policy. Specifically, he asks that you brief him on the top three issues that he should address in his Administration. For this project, you will need to do the following.[list=1]
[*]Identify the [b]three issues[/b], provide a two paragraph description of each one, and then choose one to elaborate on for this segment. You should indicate why you selected one topic rather than the other two.
[*]Using Welsh and Harris as a model, develop a policy paper for the Governor on the topic you have chosen. Specifically, explain the steps that you will be following; and why they are important. Incorporate the relevant and current literature in your presentation. It is critical that you demonstrate the seriousness of the problem with the published literature.
[*]Be sure to identify and include the relevant stakeholders, evidence based strategies, the media, and collaborative approaches.
[*]Explain the evaluation process. What strategies will you be using? Why?
[*]What is the role of criminologists in this process? Discuss the dissemination and application of your proposed policy initiatives.
[/list]

[b]AFTERNOON QUESTION---August 2011[/b]

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania reportedly is experiencing a budget shortfall. In light of the economic situation, the Governor and the legislature would like to re-visit policies in the areas listed. You have been asked to elaborate on [b]one [/b]of the five topics. Specifically, choose [b]one[/b] of the five and prepare a presentation using the published literature. Based upon your research, what proposed changes we should consider? Why? Please [b]do not select[/b] the same issue you wrote on for the morning question.

1. Mass Incarceration

2. Juvenile justice policy

3. Sex Offender notification policy

4. Law enforcement initiatives

5. Sentencing Issues

In your answer, you will need to include justice reinvestment, evidence based policy, the iron triangle, and the role of ideology and politics.
[/quote]

Methods:
[quote]


[center][b]August 2011[/b][/center]
[b] [size=3][u]Research Methods Qualifying Exam[/u][/size][/b]



[center][b][u]Morning Questions[/u][/b][/center]

[b]Instructions: [/b]The morning session is comprised of two (2) questions. You have three (3) hours to answer the morning questions. Answer the questions asked. Read the entire question before you begin to write your answer. Each question is divided into several parts. Answer each part of the question and label your answers (1a, 1b, etc.).

[b]Question #1: General Research Methods (33% of grade)[/b]
The FBI has released the preliminary UCR data for 2010. The violent crime and property crime rate did not increase, but decreased. You would like to search out possible explanations for this crime drop. You decide to develop a [b]quantitative survey[/b] seeking out these explanations. Your first research step is to issue the survey to Criminologists.
Cover the following areas in your answer:[list=1]
[*]State a [b]one-tailed[/b] research hypothesis about the crime drop that can be tested by a quantitative survey.
[list]
[*]Conceptually and operationally define your dependent variable as stated in your research hypothesis.
[*]Conceptually and operationally define your independent variable as stated in your research hypothesis.
[/list]
[/list][list=1]
[*]Write two survey questions designed to help explain the crime drop. Be sure that the questions are consistent with your independent and dependent variables.
[list]
[*]What steps will you take to ensure that your measures are reliable and valid?
[/list]
[/list][list=1]
[*]How would you select a sample of Criminologists that would be a representative sample? Justify your choice and explain how your sampling technique would work.
[/list][list=1]
[*]Explain some potential limitations to your research design.
[/list]

[b]Question #2: Qualitative Methods (33% of grade)[/b]
After analyzing you quantitative data, you decide to dig deeper into the explanations of the crime drop. You have decided to interview Criminologists during an annual conference. Design a [b]qualitative study[/b] that will permit you to understand the drop in the crime rate.[list=1]
[*]State your research question (make sure it is qualitative in nature).
[/list][list=1]
[*]Describe and discuss the primary qualitative method used (interviewing) to answer your research question. Be sure to provide enough detail to demonstrate that you fully understand this method.
[/list][list=1]
[*]Describe your sampling strategy.
[/list][list=1]
[*]Discuss the human subject protection issues raised by your design.
[/list][list=1]
[*]What is the main limitation you see in your design?
[/list]



[center][b][u]RESEARCH METHODS[/u][/b][b][u] Qualifying Exam[/u][/b][/center]
[center][b][u]Afternoon Question –August 2011[/u][/b][/center]
[b]Instructions: [/b]You have two (2) hours to answer the afternoon questions. Answer each part of the question and label your answers (1, 2, 3, …).
[b]Question #3: Quantitative Analysis (34% of grade)[/b]
Researchers often contend that when the economy is stagnant or poor crime rates should increase. A measure of the economy is the unemployment rate. A researcher has collected data on the violent crime rate in each state along with the unemployment rate.
Interpret the following tables:



a. Dependent Variable: violent crime rate [list=1]
[*]State a [b]two tailed[/b] research hypothesis for the dependent and independent variables.
[*]Compute and interpret the coefficient of determination.
[*]Interpret the unstandardized and standardized coefficients. Demonstrate you know what they mean, and discuss the uses of each measure. Which do you think would be the better measure to use for these data? Justify your choice.
[/list][list=1]
[*]Construct and interpret the 95% confidence interval for the unstandardized coefficient. Demonstrate that you understand the process of statistical inference.
[/list][list=1]
[*]Explain whether or not the findings support your research hypothesis.
[/list][list=1]
[*]You decide to recode unemployment rate into unemployment rates as “above or the same as national unemployment average” or “below the national unemployment average” Interpret the following table. Once you have completed the recode, what type of analysis would you conduct to determine the relationship between this recoded variable and violent crime rate?
[/list]

[/quote]


(Anyone else enjoy their misnumbering on the Methods Question for afternoon?)

Theory:


[quote]
[b]THEORY ---August 2011[/b]
[b]Morning:[/b]

It has long been stated that the USA has a large amount of crime and delinquency—perhaps the
largest in the world. As a theorist, discuss this possibility and also state how you would explain such likelihood.


[b]THEORY Afternoon --- August 2011:[/b]

In his presidential address to the American Society of Criminology, Richard Rosenfeld presented an argument that “microanalysis holds sway over macroanalysis in contemporary criminology.” His position is that criminology should devote more attention to the “big picture” and that crime has a relationship with social institutions and whole societies.

Write a response essay that rebuts Rosenfeld’s position and offers support that microcriminology theories (i.e., those that focus on individuals) offer a greater explanation of crime than macrocriminology theories.

In your rebuttal essay, you must:[list]
[*]review examples from recent theoretical research that identify the benefits of microcriminology
[*]explain how this improved understanding of individual behavior is more likely to lead to a control of crime than a macrocriminology orientation.
[/list]
[/quote]

[BG45]

Yes I did, just like my thanks to Lisa lol. You all also posted like 4 times while I replied!