First, check off on a checklist any crimes that you have committed in the last five years (This has already been done in the Criminal Activity Part I shown below). Justify your own deviant behavior. The objective of this exercise is to help you learn more about the way people think about crime and deviance.
Format of Write-Up:
This report should be about 1.5 pages in length, typewritten, double-spaced, spell-checked and proof-read. Good grammar,
sentence structure, and paragraph structure are expected.
1. State your total number of years in prisons calculated from the “Criminal Activity Part I.”(If none, then put you have none.)
2. Choose (a), (b), or (c) depending on the format from above:
a. Describe a criminal activity that you committed and the situation surrounding the activity. Try to reconstruct the way you actually thought about your actions just before, during, and after you performed them. Write down any justifications you used to help you avoid the feeling of guilt which many of us feel when we do something we know is wrong or illegal. If you have difficulty recalling your thoughts at the time, construct justifications which now seem applicable. OR
b. Describe the opportunity for criminal activity and the situation surrounding it. In your answer, consider a specific situation when the opportunity was available for criminal activity (as defined in checklist, but may also include other acts as well such as smoking marijuana). Try to reconstruct that situation in your mind and recall the way you thought about committing the act. Write down any reasons that you used to justify not committing the act. If you have difficulty recalling your thoughts at the time, construct reasons which now seem applicable. OR
c. Describe your personal belief for why you haven’t committed a crime. Please describe any and all factors which you believe influenced your decision and beliefs.
3. Summary and Interpretations:
a. Did you learn anything about yourself while doing this exercise? Why or why not?
b. Do you think that you are different from the “real criminals”? Why or why not
