Chapter 10 Flashcards
A misdemeanor is a
less serious crime that could subject a person to a fine or up to a one year sentence in county jail.
Statutory probate courts are designed to
The governor must follow the recommendations of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
What is the process for granting clemency in Texas?
The governor must follow the recommendations of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Based upon a provision in the penal code, a person convicted of ______ felonies can be sentenced to life in prison
3
Arraignment before a judge is necessary at what stage of the criminal justice process?
after a person is arrested for a crime
When does the grand jury vote a “true bill?”
When does the grand jury vote a “true bill?”
What is a grand jury?
a jury that determines whether there is enough evidence to justify a trial
Prosecuting attorneys are, according to the authors of the textbook,
the most important actors in the Texas criminal justice system.
The head of every district attorney’s office in Texas is
an elected official who runs under a party label.
Shortly after Texas joined the union, the first state ____________ in Texas was constructed in Huntsville.
prison
What was the effect on Texas prisons of the Supreme Court case Ruiz v. Estelle?
Texas’s prison system was declared unconstitutional, and the federal courts stepped in to oversee its administration.
In which decade did the federal courts declare Texas’s prison system to be in violation of the U.S. Constitution?
1980s
Which of the following best describes capital punishment in Texas?
Texas executes more individuals than any other state and has a statistically low rate of successfully appealed capital cases
Which of the following best describes the incarceration rate in Texas, compared to that in other states?
Texas’s incarceration rate is one of the top two state incarceration rates.
What percentage of Texas prison inmates has been convicted of drug offenses alone?
18 percent
