Deterrence Theory Assignment
Deterrence Theory
Directions: Using the readings assigned (ASJ Chapter 2 Parts 2-3 and CAW Chapter 28), answer the questions below using word-for-word citations from the textbook including page numbers where the citation can be found. You may use “ASJ” as an abbreviation for the Akers, Sellers, and Jennings text or “CAW” for the Cullen, Agnew, and Wilcox text. Include any and all relevant answers for each question as you will use these summary worksheets as the basis for your final paper in the course. However, you must include at minimum 20 complete statements that provide important information for understanding the theory. Please use bullet points for each section so that I can quickly assess what you intended to count as a single statement submission.
1. What is the context surrounding how/why this theory was first proposed? What social, political, or historical context of the time might help us understand why the theory proposed what is does to explain crime?
2. What is the basic question(s) the theory is attempting to answer?
3. What ideological assumptions about human nature, motives/drives, etc. does the theory rest upon?
4. What are the basic propositions the theory makes in attempting to explain law making, law enforcing, and/or law breaking? You do not have to answer each—just those sections that clearly apply depending on which type of theory is being summarized.
a. Propositions to explain law making:
b. Propositions to explain law enforcing:
c. Propositions to explain law breaking:
5. What key concepts are central to understanding the theory and it’s explanations of law making, law breaking, and law enforcing? Define each and provide enough context for why each concept is so critical in understanding the theory.
6. Given the concepts above, how can the theory be empirically evaluated? In other words, what measures/variables might we include in an empirical analysis and what methodologies (i.e., experiments, content analysis, observations, etc.) might be utilized to test the premise of the theory?
a. Measurable concepts/variables to be included in analyses? This would include specific variables to be analyzed—providing an explanation of how the theory proposed to measure each variable:
b. Methodology to be utilized in testing the theory? Provide insight on the methodological ways one could go about testing the theory:
7. Given the research reviewed—particularly in the Akers, Sellers, and Jennings text—is the theory supported by empirical testing? Note: there are often contradictory findings presented to clearly lay out what findings support the theory and/or parts of the theory and what findings refute the theory. Include citations of the researchers who conducted each empirical test of the theory.
a. Research findings supporting the theory (i.e., statistically significant findings even if correlations may be weak):
b. Research findings refuting/discrediting the theory (i.e., failure to find statistical significance):
8. What additions, modifications, or other changes have been made to the theory by other theorists given findings of their research testing the original theory?
9. What implications for criminal justice policies/programs/practices does the theory provide?
a. Policy implications:
b. Programming implications:
c. Practices such as policing, correctional, etc. implications:
10. Other key information needed to understand the theory but not clearly fitting into any of the above sections:
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