FAMILY QUESTIONS FOR FINAL EXAM

Below are the questions I accepted from the families for the final exam. You'll note I did some editing.

BLACK FAMILY (Meggan, Katie, Allie, Alex, Sterling) earn 8 points, plus one bonus point.

1. Identify any TWO things in Tom Coleman's background that should have disqualified him to be an undercover narcotics officer. (2)

ANSWER: Any TWO of the following: (a) he was openly racist, (b) was a pathological liar, (c) had an arrest warrant for theft and abuse of offical property from a previous job in law enforcement, (d) he walked away from debts, one of them over $6,900.

2. In "Gang Leader for a Day," identify any ONE thing that makes J.T. different from the stereotype of a typical gang leader.(1)

ANSWER: Any ONE of the following: (a) he had a college degree, (b) he had a corporate job which he quit to become a gang leader, (c) required his gang members to have a high school diploma and vote.

3. What is a "fence," and what crime type are fences involved with? (2)

ANSWER: A fence is a person who buys and sells stolen goods. Without fences, burglars (the crime type) would have a hard time converting stolen goods into cash.


RED FAMILY (Sami, Kirsten, Taylor) earn 8 points.

1. Common property crimes make up about what proportion of all crimes, and why? (2)

ANSWER: They make up TWO-THIRDS of all crimes because they require very little skill and offer instant gratification.

2. Gary Gardner was especially troubled by what specific headline in the "Tulia Herald," and why? (2)

ANSWER: "Tulia's Streets Cleared of Garbage," because this headline suggested that the accused defendants were guilty.


BLUE FAMILY (Lauren W., Brecken, Caroline, Hannah) earn 8 points.

1. What is the primary motivation of crimes within complex organizations? (1)

ANSWER: Instrumental motives such as greed and the desire for power/status.

2. Why are public order crimes rarely reported and hard to police? (2)

ANSWER: Because they are considered victimless crimes and are usually consensual. "Victims" of these crimes, like drug addicts, aren't likely to report this activity to the police because they want to maintain those relationships.


GREEN FAMILY (Michaela, Lauren A., Sarah, David) earn 8 points, plus one bonus point.

1. Identify ONE of the specific types of Sykes and Matza's "techniques of neutralization" that professional hitmen employ to rationalize their behavior. (1)

ANSWER: Any ONE of the following: (a) denial of victim, (b) denial of injury, (c) denial of responsibility.

2. In Chapter 7 of "Crime Types," Public Order Crime, what Latin term does Dabney use to categorize these types of crimes, and what does it mean? (2)

ANSWER: "Malum prohibitum" offenses -- offenses defined by law but not necessarily recognized as inherently evil.

3. Why is civil court, instead of criminal court, used more often to prosecute cases of crimes within complex organizations? (1)

ANSWER: Because it is difficult to clearly identify the guilty individual or individuals. This type of crime is more complex and institutional in nature.


YELLOW FAMILY (Frances, Cynthia, Anna, Patrick) earn 8 points.

1. When Gary Gardner wrote letters to the Tulia defendants, what sound legal recommendations did he make? (2)

ANSWER: Investigate Tom Coleman's background, and move the trial out of Tulia.

2. EXTRA CREDIT (1) Who is the French architect associated with modernism and the architectural faults of the Robert Taylor Homes in "Gang Leader for a Day?"

ANSWER: Le Corbusier
_________________________________

That's it. See you Monday afternoon.