Chapter 2
Vocabulary
P.O.L.
Causation
The relationship in which a change in one measurement or
behavior creates a recognizable change in another
measurement or behavior
Chronic offender
A delinquent or criminal who commits multiple offenses
and is considered part of a small group of wrongdoers who
are responsible for a majority of the antisocial activity in
any given community
Correlation
The relationship between two measurements or behaviors
that tend to move in the same direction
Criminologist
A specialist in the field of crime and the causes of criminal
behavior.
Criminology
The scientific study of crime and the causes of criminal
behavior
Genetics
The study of how certain traits or qualities are transmitted
from parents to their offspring
Hormone
A chemical substance, produced in tissue and conveyed in
the bloodstream, that controls certain cellular and body
functions such as growth and reproduction
Hypothesis
A possible explanation for an observed occurrence that can
be tested by further investigation
Neurotransmitter
A chemical that transmits nerve impulses between nerve
cells and from nerve cells to the brain
Psychology
The scientific study of mental processes and behaviors
Repeat victimization
The theory that certain people and places are more likely to
be subject to criminal activity and that past victimization is
therefore a valuable crime prevention tool because it is a
strong indicator of future victimization
Strain theory
The assumption that crime is the result of frustration felt by
individuals who cannot reach their financial and personal
goals through legitimate means
Subculture
A group exhibiting certain values and behavior patterns that
distinguish it from the dominant culture
Utilitarianism
An approach to ethical reasoning in which the “correct”
decision is the one that results in the greatest amount of
good for the greatest number of people affected by that
decision
Victimology
A school of criminology that studies why certain people are
the victims of crimes and the optimal role for victims in the
criminal justice system