final exam Flashcards
what are the three entities of the criminal justice system?
law enforcement, courts, and corrections
what is the responsibilities of the courts
the courts are responsible for interpreting and applying the law
what is the most reported street crime
motor vehicle theft
what government agency is responsible for the UCR program
the FBI
what is mens rea
guilty mind (done with intent)
who is more likely to get charged:
- a black man who murdered a white woman
- a black man who murdered a black woman
- a white man who murdered a black man
- a white man who murdered a white woman
a black man who murdered a white woman
after a person is charged for a crime, what is the next step in the criminal justice system?
a judge informs the defendant of their charges – an arraignment
murder, rape, and robbery are commonly categorized as which type of crime?
street crimes
_________ is the most reported street crime
motor vehicle theft
the president of a financial consultant firm is accused of stealing money from the company that normally would have gone to shareholders. this is an example of what?
white collar crime
online identity theft is an example of what category of crime?
cybercrime
what evidence is necessary to claim justifiable homicide
imminent threat to human life
__________ perspective holds the belief that if a punishment is weak criminals won’t feat the punishment
crime control
a criminal justice advocate argues that all people accused of crimes must be treated fairly and equally, regardless of personal characteristics in accordance with the US constitution. the advocate’s argument reflect the _______________ perspective
due process
one of the biggest problems with the media’s portrayal of the criminal justice system is the
spread of inaccurate views of crime and victimization
the two primary ways in which researchers collect nationwide data on crime are via official reports from law enforcement and
voluntary surveys of citizens
the two organizations that collect crime data on a federal level are the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the FBI. which agency is responsible for maintaining the Uniform Crime Report?
the FBI
what is the general public’s perception of crime rates?
crime has gotten worse and people feel less safe than 20 years ago
the media is a key factor in the fear of victimization because
it tends to exaggerate stories that lead people to believe they are going to be victims (lack of media literacy)
the central assumption of classical crime theory is that crime occurs
when the benefit of committing the crime outweighs the potential punishment
in incidents with multiple crimes, the hierarchy rule records only the first crime committed for statistical purposes (true or false)
false; it records the more serious one not the first
larceny in the most common form of property crime according to the national crime victims survey. true or false
true
___________ is a foundation for punishment that is directed towards individual people who are incarcerated to discourage reoffending
specific deterrence
what is the difference between general deterrence and specific deterrence
general deterrence: meant to deter all members of society
specific deterrence: directed towards a specific individual’s behavior
____________ is a sentencing goal that aims to protect the public by removing the person who’s incarcerated from society
incapacitation
__________ is a sentencing goal that aims to reduce crime by treating the person who is incarcerated via educational programs, drug and alcohol programs, and other treatments
rehabilitation
a state is instituting a new program aimed at reducing offending. the program offers academic and vocational training in prisons to improve employment opportunities for people who are incarcerated after the are released. which concept best describes that goal of training programs that are mandated by law
rehabilitation
the origin of us legal tradition is
english common law
what kind of law provides a template for governmental powers, civil rights, and civil liberties.
constitutional law
a teenager was stopped by the police for having a broken tail light. the police proceeded to search the vehicle and find marijuana. they arrested him. the judge, however, dismissed the charges because they decided that the police did not have sufficient cause to search the car. the judges ruling is guided by what
procedural law
what is the source of procedural law involving arrests, warrants, searches and seizures, and trials
the bill of rights
what is the difference between statutes and ordinances
statutes: involve issues that impact the entire state or country
ordinances: deal with local matters
what type of law is based on previous court decisions
case law
what is another term for previous court decisions that judges used to establish case law
precedent
mens rea refers to
guilty mind (intent)
the elements of a crime must be proven
beyond a reasonable doubt
most cases of misdemeanors are punished by what
less than a year in jail
serious crimes such as murder, rape, and robbery are classified as
felonies (indictable crimes)
a __________ defense claims that the defendant could not have committed the crime for which they were charged because they have proof that they could not have been at the crime scene at the time of the crime
alibi
the origins of american policing are based on what
english common law and policing traditions
who is considered the father of american policing?
august volmer
what is the one difference between the duties of white and black police officers in the early days of american policing
black officers were not permitted to arrest white citizens
most police agencies have a ___________ structure with a clear chain of command
paramilitary
the _______ is ultimately responsible for everything that occurs in a police department
chief of police
________ is considered the backbone of policing
patrolling
the __________ have the power to change the meaning of due process
supreme court
due process rights are based primarily upon
case law
a police officer pulls over a motorist for a broken tail light. they smell marijuana in the car and decide to search the vehicle for drugs. what was the basis of the officer’s decision to conduct a search?
probable cause
__________ is a measure based on minimal or no evidence that leads an officer to believe that someone committed a crime
reasonable suspicion
the ________ amendment guarantees the right against self-incrimination
fifth
an individual’s miranda rights must be read when
custodial interrogation occurs (arrest and interrogation) (under custody already but read before questioning starts)
what is the supreme law of the land in the U.S.?
U.S. constitution
advocacy model
defendant and government are represented by advocates acting on their behalf
adversarial system
a quality of the U.S. justice system in which prosecutors and defendants compete to reveal the truth
prosecutor
represents the government or the “people” (represents victim in certain cases)
U.S. Attorney General (3)
chief law enforcement officer in the government, head of the Department of Justice; advisor appointed by president
U.S. Attorneys
responsible for trying cases at the federal court level; also appointed by president, supervised by AG
Special Prosecutors
special prosecutors may be appointed to investigate an official’s wrongdoing, historically appointed by president
state & local prosecutors
most states elect district attorneys (DAs)
prosecutor’s discretion (4)
encompasses who is charged and with what, whether to offer plea bargain, when or whether to drop charged, and refiling charges
influential factors (prosecutors) (5)
evidence, seriousness of crime, odds of winning, court resources, wishes of the victim, family, or public
exculpatory evidence
evidence which clears some or all guilt during criminal proceedings
legal and ethical concerns (prosecutors)
procedural missteps
discovery (the prosecutor)
process of defense learning about prosecution’s evidence
Brady v. Maryland (1963)
prosecutorial misconduct
defense attorney
advocates for client’s constitutional rights (nothing to do with guilt or innocence –> makes sure a client’s rights are not violated)
defense attorney is often misunderstood
negative public perception, misconception of proving innocence or guilt
only ______________ of defendants can afford to hire a private counsel; majority rely on ______ or private attorneys appointed ______________
a small percentage; public defenders; pro bono
process of charging defendant (four steps)
(1) crime is allegedly committed
(2) an arrest is made
(3) prosecuting attorney will decide whether or not to file charges (complaint = document that initiates legal proceedings)
(4) the grand jury
grand jury (6)
prosecutor may decide to seek an indictment from a grand jury; only hears evidence from prosecution, ranges from 16 to 23 jurors, no determination of guilt, serve 1 -12 months at state level and 18 at federal level; operate in secret, have subpoena power, unbound by rules of evidence
petit jury
jury that determines guilt/innocence in a single criminal trial
bail reform act of 1966
right to be released on bond or recognizance
recognizance
agreeing to show up for court (if you do not show up, you get a warrant out for your arrest)
victims rights vary by state, and may include (3):
- notifications of release
- pretrial release hearings (notification and/or participation)
- location monitoring of defendant
court may consider these reasons to grant/deny bail (5)
- type of offense
- character of suspect
- ties to the community
- employment status
- past record
preliminary hearing
determines the extent of evidence and if charges will be pressed; use less stringent rules of evidence to establish probable cause
arraignment
formal reading of charges in front of defendant
different kind of pleas
guilty, not guilty, nolo contendere (accept charges without admitting guilt)
plea bargain
prosecutor offers less charge or fewer charges in exchange for guilty plea; judge must determine that the plea was entered voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently (once a judge accepts the plea, the sentence may be imposed immediately;; if sentencing was not agreed upon, a sentencing hearing will be scheduled)
motion
to put in writing to the court; motions can be denied, they do not have to be approved
motion to suppress
request to disallow illegally obtained evidence
motion to limine
request to evaluate admissibility of evidence
motion for a change of venue
request for geographical change
motion for a discovery
mandate for prosecution to provide defense with evidence
motion for recusal
request for removal of a trial judge or prosecutor
motion for expenses of experts
request for the state to pay for expenses related to expert testimony
trial management order
a full schedule created by the court and court participants that designates what will happen and when as the parties work toward the trial date
- extensive scheduling is designed to meet the speedy trial deadline guarantee, which generally requires trial to be conducted within 6 months of arraignment
venire
list of potential jurors used to select jury
challenge to the array
argument that venire should be discharged due to the selection process
voir dire
questioning jurors under oath to uncover inappropriate jurors
challenge for cause
defense, prosecutor, or judge believes a juror cannot be unbiased
peremptory challenge
removing a prospective juror from the venire without legal justification
sixth amendment to the constitution requires:
impartial jury from area where crime was committed
defense or prosecution may file for sequestration of witnesses, which means
witnesses not allowed in the courtroom during other witness testimonies
_________ are less likely to be offered bail or reduced charges in plea bargains
blacks
___________ are less likely to be offered bail or lenient plea bargains in drug-related crimes
hispanics
civil rights act of 1875
federally prohibited racial exclusion from jury selection
technology has made it easier in bail by (3)
- post bail online quickly with e-forms and credit cards
- bond companies can easily follow up with those on bail in various ways
- GPS tracking helps check for risky behavior
no bill
they do not have enough evidence to believe that this case should be heard at a grand jury level —> they pass it back down to municipal courts (remand it back)
true bill
there is enough evidence to say that the case needs to be heard by a grand jury
criminal trials
ascertain guilt in those charged with crimes
legal guilt
prosecutor persuages judge or jury that defendant is guilty
factual guilt
whether the defendant actually committed a crime