Exam 1: Fundamentals of Criminal Justice: Essential Themes and Practices

A criminal defendant can be found guilty by a jury, a judge, or through a guilty plea. What is this legal finding called?

Which of the following individuals would be responsible for exercising discretion after an individual is convicted and sentenced?

Define and give examples of aggravating and mitigating factors at a sentencing hearing.

In 1994, Orenthal James "OJ" Simpson was tried for the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. The 11-month televised trial that ended with his acquittal has been described as the most publicized criminal trial in history, with an estimated 51 million audience watching the verdict. Based on this information, in what layer of the wedding cake model would this case belong?

Which model of criminal justice portrays the criminal justice process as a four-tiered hierarchy?

Criminal laws are enacted to define acts that are criminal and proscribe punishments for those who engage in those acts. What is another purpose of criminal law?

What is the main focus of the due process model of criminal justice?

Which law was intended to reduce crime and protect the public, but actually proved to be costly, unnecessarily punitive, and did not actually reduce crime?

Contrast the original intent of the three-strikes laws in California with the law that was finally enacted, and discuss the consequences of the law.

Why is ethical behavior such an important consideration in the criminal justice system?

______ circumstances are elements that tend to increase the offenders' blame.

In the early days of the American automobile, there were very few privately owned cars because they were too expensive for most people to afford. In 1908, Henry Ford introduced the first affordable automobile, the Model-T, and the numbers of cars on the road grew exponentially. During this time, society began to recognize that drunk driving was a significant threat to public safety. The public advocated for the first laws prohibiting drunk driving emerged in 1920 in order to protect the well-being of all citizens from drunk drivers. Which theory best explains the emergence of drunk driving laws?

Probation, restitution and fines are all examples of penalties or punishments called ______.

This theorist argued all people are basically selfish and irrational; their primary purpose for forming a government was for self-protection.

What are the three major components of our criminal justice system?

Which of the following statements is true of the appellate process?

What did Locke believe was the chief purpose of government?

States with the death penalty have an automatic appeal for cases in which a defendant has been sentenced to death.

Three-strikes laws stipulate that offenders must be sentenced to life in prison after their third felony conviction.

When the accused enters a plea of nolo contendere, he/she accepts the penalty ordered by the court without admitting his/her guilt.