Chapter 1 - Criminal Justice Today Flashcards
crime
an act that violates criminal law and is punishable by criminal sanctions
consensus model
a criminal justice model in which the majority of citizens in a society share the same values and beliefs. Criminal acts are acts that conflict with these values and beliefs and that are deemed harmful to society
morals
principles of right and wrong behavior, as practiced by individuals or by society
conflict model
a criminal justice model in which the content of criminal law is determined by the groups that hold economic, political, and social power in a community
deviance
behavior that is considered to go against the norms established by society
murder
the unlawful killing of one human being by another
sexual assault
forced or coerced sexual intercourse (or other sexual acts)
assault
a threat or an attempt to do violence to another person that causes that person to fear immediate physical harm
battery
the act of physically contacting another person with the intent to do harm, even if the resulting injury is insubstantial
robbery
the act of taking property from another person through force, threat of force, or intimidation
larceny
the act of taking property from another person without the use of force with the intent of keeping that property
burglary
the act of breaking into or entering a structure (such as a home or office) without permission for the purpose of committing a felony
public order crime
behavior that has been labeled criminal because it is contrary to shared social values, customs, and norms
white-collar crime
nonviolent crimes committed by business entities or individuals to gain a personal or business advantage
organized crime
illegal acts carried out by illegal organizations engaged in the market for illegal goods or services, such as illicit drugs or firearms
criminal justice system
the interlocking network of law enforcement agencies, courts, and corrections institutions designed to enforce criminal laws and protect society from criminal behavior
justice
the quality of fairness that must exist in the processes designed to determine whether individuals are guilty of criminal wrongdoing
federalism
a form of government in which a written constitution provides for a division of powers between a central government and several regional governments
system
a set of interacting parts that, when functioning properly, achieve a desired result
formal criminal justice process
the model of the criminal justice process in which participants follow formal rules to create a smoothly functioning disposition of cases from arrest to punishment
discretion
the ability of individuals in the criminal justice system to make operational decisions based on personal judgement instead of formal rules or official information
informal criminal justice process
a model of the criminal justice system that recognizes the informal authority exercised by individuals at each step of the criminal justice process
ethics
the moral principles that govern a person’s perception of right and wrong
crime control model
a criminal justice model that places primary emphasis on the right of society to be protected from crime and violent criminals
due process model
a criminal justice model that places primacy on the right of the individual to be protected from the power of the government
homeland security
a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the United States and reduce the country’s vulnerability to terrorism
terrorism
the use or threat of violence to achieve political objectives
civil liberties
the basic rights and freedoms for American citizens guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, particularly in the Bill of Rights
