The exam is 100% based on the theories we have covered. Developmental crimininolgy will not
be on this exam (it will be on the final exam). The following are the theories that are “fair
game.”
Social Structural Theories
Durkheim as root of much of these theories: views on humans (insatiable desires) and “industrial
prosperity” ; concept of anomie
Social Disorganization
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Chicago School + Shaw and McKay’s research and their central findings; their original social
disorganization theory
Sampson and colleagues updates
W.J. Wilson and the “truly disadvantaged” (cultural isolation)
Sampson and Wilson (race and social disorganization)
Anomie/Strain Theories
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Roots in Durkheim (too much emphasis on industrial prosperity breeds anomie)
Merton
Agnew’s GST
Messner and Rosenfeld (Institutional Anomie)
Social Process Theories
Social Learning
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Sutherland’s differential association
o Sykes/Matza techniques of neutralization
Aker’s social learning theory
Social Control
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Types of control
Hirschi’s social bond theory
Gottfedson and HIrschi’s theory of low self-control
Sampson and Laub’s age graded theory
Labeling
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Basic labeling process (how exactly does criminal justice system cause more crime),
“dramatization of evil,” primary/secondary deviance, etc.
Tannenbaum, Lemmert
Critical Theories
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Conflict theory (pluralistic)
Marxist/radical theory
o Jeffrey Reiman
o Critique/criticism
 Feminist/Gender issues
o Gender ratio/gap
o Generalizibiltiy issue
What You Should Know for All Theories
Basic concepts in theories-be able to apply them
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Examples: collective efficacy, elements of the social bond, types of indirect control, the four
concepts in Aker’s social learning theory; Merton’s modes of adaptation; different sources of
strain in GST, elements of the American Dream in Messner andRosenfeld’s institutional anomie
theory, and so forth
Assumption theory makes about human nature
How theories were measured, tested, whether they are supported by research
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Examples: most common measures of social learning theory are delinquent peers and antisocial
attitudes
Policy implications of theory (what should be done about crime if the theory is correct)
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Examples: social disorganization = fix ecological factors (e.g., urban renewal projects) or build
collective efficacy (idea behind neighborhood watch); self-control theory = make parents better
at parenting (recognizing and consistently punishing deviance)
Theories/People That Will Not Be on the Exam
Elliott Currie, Subcultural Theories (Cloward and Ohlin, Cohen, Miller), Bonger, Theories in the book that
were not covered in class or put on slides