Discussion Questions

Draft a response to each of the bulleted questions below. Each question must have its own response and have a minimum of 75 words.

1.       How is social policy in the area of crime control determined? What role does criminological research play in the establishment of such policy?

2.       In what way is contemporary criminology interdisciplinary? Why is the sociological perspective especially important in studying crime? What other perspectives might be relevant? Why?

3.       What three eras have characterized the field of criminology over the past 100 years? Describe each.

4.       What are some ethical considerations involved in conducting criminological research? How can researchers make sure that such considerations are met?

5.       What is a meta-analysis? For what purposes might a meta-analysis be conducted?

6.       Discuss the most common reasons for not reporting crimes to the police. How do these illustrate social problems or the social responsibility perspective?

7.       Is crime a matter of individual responsibility or a symptom of a dysfunctional society?

8.    Using legal, political, sociological, and psychological perspectives, how would each view the link between crime and deviance?