LAFREE - in addition to thinking about the questions below, you want to be sure that you understand each and every one of the charts that he includes, and how those relate to the general model he is proposing.
What is the outcome to be explained; i.e., what is the focus?
On what bases does he select UCR" On what bases does he say we should take it seriously?
What, descriptively, are the characteristics of the changes in serious crime from the 50s to the early 90s (what are the three periods)?
Why are biological or psychological theories inadequate to explaining his outcome?
In what ways is anomie theory perhaps inadequate?
How does he define institutions?
For each of his three key institutions, describe the specific processes linking changes in the legitimacy of that institution to changes in crime rates.
How does he define legitimacy?
What kinds of political changes do we see in this period?
What kinds of economic changes?
WHen looking at economic changes, is absolute or relative inequality more important and why? Can you see how this connects to the legitimacy issues?
What kinds of political changes?
What kinds of family changes?
Describe the institutional responses to changes in crime rates? Can you see how these may have "stabilized" crime rates or helped them decline?
For what reasons might the effects of the criminal justice system responses to crime be especially ineffective among African-American populations?
Which of the policy recommendations he makes, based on his model, do you find most closely connected with his argument and his evidence?