2- Criminological Theory

This is a Criminological Theory online class. The “Subject” block did not have a Criminal Justice option (perhaps Law might have sufficed). Below is the instructions regarding the examination:
Your answers to the following two questions are to include only those theories that have been covered
so far in this course. Use a different theory for each question.
Answer BOTH questions. Each answer will be 3-5 pages in APA format (Times New Roman font,
double-spaced, 1” margins, etc.) DO NOT include a title page or an abstract.
Each answer should be followed by references in APA format. Reference each book chapter you use
separately. You also should include in-text (parenthetical) citations in APA format. Refer to the OWL
Purdue web site for guidance on APA formatting and citation:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html
I encourage you to use material from your journals and paper 1 in answering these questions. You
may of course use any available academic sources for reference, but your answers must be your own
work. Give full credit when you use the words and ideas of other people and you’ll avoid the serious
consequences of plagiarism.
Turn in your answers by February, as a Microsoft Word (.docx) file.
1. Taking into account what you have learned in CJ 521, provide a thorough discussion of the following
aspects of one (1) criminological theory:
a. The purpose, utility, and importance of criminological theory. Name the criminological theory that you
are discussing describe a behavior to which you will apply it for this answer.
b. Present a summary of the theory, including the theorist(s), the theory’s hypotheses, propositions, and
major concepts, and how the constructs operate (alone and/or in combination) in explaining the behavior
you have chosen. Discuss any weaknesses the theory might have in explaining the behavior you have
chosen.
2. Discuss the criteria for evaluating a theory (Hint: Higgins and Marcum, ch. 1).
Now choose a theory, which cannot be the theory you discussed in question 1, and evaluate it according to
those criteria.