Deck 1: Criminal Justice Today

Question 1

Counties and municipalities control_______ ,while _______are the domain of federal and state governments.

A) police; corrections
B) jails; prisons
C) police; courts
D) probation; prisons

Answer 1

jails; prisons

Question 2

______house those convicted of minor crimes with relatively short sentences, as well as those awaiting trial or transfer, are held in:

A) jails.
B) parole agencies.
C) prisons.
D) probation offices.

Answer 2

jails.

Question 3

A dual court system means that there are:

A) local and state courts.
B) trial and appellate courts.
C) federal and state courts.
D) misdemeanor and felony courts.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

The United States has a_______ court system.

A) dual
B) primary
C) single
D) tertiary

Question 5

Community supervision that occurs after release from prison is called:

A) management time.
B) parole.
C) probation.
D) supervision period.

Question 6

Which officers often police a state's natural resources and often oversee its firearm laws?

A) fish, game, and watercraft officers
B) department of state security
C) highway patrol
D) sheriffs

Question 7

Wildlife wardens, alcohol and beverage control agents, and fire marshals are examples of law enforcement officers at the level.

A) municipal
B) county
C) state
D) federal

Question 8

The most common correctional treatment, which allows the offender to return to the community and remain under the supervision of the agent of the court, is:

A) house arrest.
B) intensive supervised probation.
C) parole.
D) probation.

Question 9

Which of the following is NOT one of the components in the integrated definition of crime?

A) punishable under criminal law, as determined by the majority of a society or, in some cases, a powerful minority
B) considered an offense against society as a whole and prosecuted by public officials, not by victims and their relatives or friends
C) punishable by statutorily determined sanctions that bring about the loss of personal freedom or life
D) considered an offense against an individual, but prosecuted by the state who is paid by the victim

Question 10

The consensus model is a criminal justice model in which:

A) the content of criminal law is determined by the groups that hold economic, political, and social power in a community.
B) a majority of citizens in society agree on what activities should be outlawed and punished as crimes.
C) specific social groups determine which deviant behaviors are to be defined as criminal.
D) the primary focus of law is to protect the individual from the power of government.

Question 11

______house those convicted of more serious crimes with longer sentences.

A) Jails
B) Parole agencies
C) Prisons
D) Probation offices

Question 12

______investigate most crimes and attempt to deter crime through patrol activities.

A) Local police
B) Highway patrol officers
C) State police agencies
D) Federal agencies

Question 13

Federalism refers to:

A) a system of government dominated by an all-powerful federal government.
B) a system of checks and balances within the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government.
C) a system of government in which states are independent and self-governing.
D) a sharing of government powers by federal and state authorities.

Question 14

Police powers allow states to enact laws necessary to protect the_____________ of their citizens.

A) health
B) morals
C) safety
D) all of these

Question 15

An act that violates criminal law and is punishable by criminal sanctions is:

A) a crime.
B) a felony.
C) a tort.
D) deviant.

Question 16

What level of law enforcement divides duties between counties and municipalities?

A) federal
B) local
C) national
D) state

Question 17

Which of the following is not considered an express power?

A) the power to coin money
B) police powers
C) the power to raise an army
D) the power to regulate interstate commerce

Question 18

Which of the following is true regarding deviance?

A) Deviance is an objective concept that all members of society agree upon.
B) Deviance is another term used to describe all criminal activity.
C) Deviance is behavior that is considered to go against the norms established by society.
D) Deviance is always considered criminal in nature.

Question 19

Once the court system convicts and sentences an offender, she or he is delegated to the_______ system.

A) corrections
B) management
C) supervision
D) treatment

Question 20

Which agency operates throughout the United States?

A) DEA
B) FBI
C) ATF
D) all of the these

Question 21

Collectively, the discretionary decisions made by criminal justice professionals are said to produce a(n):

A) due process model.
B) crime control model.
C) formal criminal justice process.
D) informal criminal justice process.

Question 22

Which of the following methods would NOT be appropriate according to the due process model?

A) Assure the safety of the public through long prison sentences for nonviolent offenders.
B) Assure the constitutional rights of those accused of crimes.
C) Whenever possible, allow nonviolent offenders to serve their sentences in the community rather than behind bars.
D) Protect the civil rights of all inmates, and focus on rehabilitation.

Question 23

Which of the following does not occur during the adjudication phase of the criminal justice process?

A) arrest
B) arraignment
C) criminal trial
D) verdict

Question 24

Discretion is defined as the ability to make operational decisions based on:

A) the law.
B) personal judgment.
C) trust.
D) rational thinking.

Question 25

Which of the following methods would NOT be appropriate according to the crime control model?

A) Allow the police to "do their jobs" by limiting the amount of judicial oversight of law enforcement tactics.
B) Limit the number of rights and protections enjoyed by defendants in court.
C) Assure that all defendants receive adequate counsel and are protected from prosecutorial pressure.
D) Incarcerate criminals for lengthy time by imposing harsh sentences, including the death penalty.

Question 26

Which of the following will likely decrease the ability of police to combat gangs, guns, and illegal drugs?

A) budget crisis
B) discretion
C) citizen oversight
D) expansion of constitutional rights of suspects

Question 27

Which of the following can occur in the prosecution and pretrial services step of the criminal justice process?

A) arrest
B) grand jury
C) criminal trial
D) sentencing

Question 28

Which of the following is not an illegal psychoactive drug?

A) marijuana
B) alcohol
C) heroin
D) cocaine

Question 29

During which step in the criminal justice process would the offender plead guilty to a criminal charge?

A) entry into the system
B) prosecution and pretrial services
C) adjudication
D) sentencing and sanctions

Question 30

The ability to choose between and among alternative courses of action is known as:

A) choice.
B) control.
C) discretion.
D) power.

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT a discretionary decision of police?

A) enforce laws
B) investigate specific crimes
C) search people or buildings
D) answer a 911 call

Question 32

The informal criminal justice process relies on the use of_______ to alleviate pressures from lack of funding to investigate every crime and increasing caseloads.

A) discretion
B) equal treatment
C) policy-guided decision making
D) statute-defined decision making

Question 33

What is the ability to make operational decisions based on personal judgment instead of formal rules?

A) discretion
B) ethics
C) justice
D) morals

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT a decision that is in the discretion of correctional officials?

A) assign convicts appropriate housing in prison or jail
B) impose sentences
C) punish prisoners who misbehave
D) reward prisoners who behave well

Question 35

Herbert Packer likened the idealized criminal justice system to a(n):

A) sports team.
B) assembly line.
C) tangled bureaucracy.
D) obstacle course.

Question 36

Which statement below is incorrect?

A) Ethics in criminal justice are closely related to the concept of justice.
B) Critical thinking is needed for an ethical response.
C) Intuition is enough for law enforcement to act.
D) Discretion in criminal justice can present a potential for abuse.

Question 37

Which of the following is a discretionary decision made by prosecutors?

A) the decision to release an inmate on parole
B) the decision to issue an arrest warrant
C) the decision to convict a defendant
D) the decision to reduce charges

Question 38

For the due process model, which of the following would be the preferred method of punishment for nonviolent offenders?

A) a few years in prison with the possibility of early release and parole
B) a few years in prison without the possibility of early release
C) a few months in jail
D) probation with a rehabilitation program

Question 39

What are the moral principles that govern a person's perception of right and wrong?

A) discretion
B) ethics
C) justice
D) laws

Question 40

Which of the following is not an example of a community-based sentence?

A) minimum security prisons
B) residential centers
C) halfway houses
D) work-release centers

Question 41

Officer Jones explains to John that local police departments are responsible for the "nuts and bolts" of law enforcement work and are probably not the agencies to conduct full investigations on terrorists. Which would most likely not fall under the responsibilities of a local police department?

A) investigating crimes
B) deterring crimes through patrol activities
C) participating in trial proceedings
D) educating the public on fire protection

Question 42

Who would not be part of the criminal court work group that has the responsibility of determining the innocence or guilt of Beth?

A) the probation officer
B) the judge
C) the prosecutor
D) the defense attorney

Question 43

Officer Jones explains to John what the crime of terrorism is. Which of the following is true concerning terrorism?

A) Terrorism is a set on interacting parts that, when functioning properly, achieve a desired result.
B) Terrorism always consists of a group of people, usually three or more.
C) Terrorism is the use or threat of violence to achieve political objectives.
D) The need to respond to terrorist threat led politicians to create the Department of Justice.

Question 44

In which step of the criminal justice system would Beth have her criminal trial?

A) entry
B) pretrial services
C) adjudication
D) sanctions

Question 45

In the_______ , victims' rights advocates began addressing what they perceived to be an imbalance in favor of criminal defendants in the criminal justice system.

A) 1950s
B) 1960s
C) 1970s
D) 1980s

Question 46

This model emphasizes that the individual is to be protected from the power of the government.

A) crime control model
B) due process model
C) consensus model
D) conflict model

Question 47

About _______of all American households possess at least one gun.

A) 75%
B) 50%
C) 30%
D) 10%

Question 48

Which would NOT be a sentence handed down by the judge in Beth's case if she were found guilty of the offense?

A) probation
B) prison
C) parole
D) a work­release center

Question 49

While most crime rates have declined, Chief Thomas notices that the arrest rates for illegal drug possession and use have increased. He especially notices an increase in the use of illegal psychoactive drugs. He wants to create some type of information pamphlet on illegal psychoactive drugs to distribute to schools and community centers. Which of the following would not be discussed in this pamphlet on illegal psychoactive drugs?

A) alcohol
B) cocaine
C) heroin
D) marijuana

Question 50

The consensus model assumes that as people gather together to form a society, its members naturally come to a basic agreement with regard to shared norms and values.

Question 51

Case 1-3
Chief Thomas is proud that the crime rates in his city have declined over the past year. Violent, property, and juvenile crimes have decreased. The community feels safer and the city commission wants to authorize more money to go into the crime-fighting measures of the police department.
Chief Thomas believes the reduced crime rates are because the department is utilizing a more rigorous enforcement of minor offenses such as drunkenness and public disorder. What is this practice known as?

A) proactive policing
B) hot­spot policing
C) biometrics
D) homeland security

Question 52

Case 1-1
John had a family member who was killed in the 9/11 attacks on the Twin Towers. He really wants to be involved in combating terrorism in the United States. He one day wants to work in law enforcement. He contacts a local police department's recruiting office to learn about job opportunities and speaks with Officer Jones.
Where will John most likely find a position that is most active in fighting terrorism?

A) Department of Homeland Security
B) Florida Highway Patrol
C) Federal Bureau of Investigation
D) King County Sheriff's Office

Question 53

This model emphasizes the right of society to be protected from crime and violent criminals.

A) crime control model
B) due process model
C) consensus model
D) conflict model

Question 54

Case 1-2
Beth was arrested by the San Francisco Police Department for the crime of burglary. San Francisco is in the state of California. She is charged with a violation of state law. In the state of California, burglary is a felony.
If the prosecutors decide to file formal charges against Beth, which court will Beth appear in?

A) the federal district court located in the state of Arizona where Beth resides
B) the federal district court located in the area of California where Beth is alleged to have committed the crime
C) the state court of Arizona because that is where Beth resides
D) the state court of California because that is where Beth is alleged to have committed the crime

Question 55

Different societies can have vastly different ideas of what constitutes criminal behavior.

Question 56

The_______ , passed six weeks after the 9/11 attacks, strengthened the ability of federal law enforcement to investigate and incarcerate suspects.

A) Patriot Act
B) Homeland Security Act
C) Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act
D) Counterterrorism Act

Question 57

Society is static and its concept of criminality remains the same.

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT a provision of the Patriot Act?

A) an expansion of the definition of what it means to "engage in terrorist activity" to include providing "material support" through such activities as fund­raising or operating Web sites for suspected terrorist organizations
B) greater protection of people's first and fourth Amendment rights
C) greater leeway for law enforcement agents to track Internet use, access private financial records, and wiretap those suspected of terrorist activities
D) a reduction in the amount of evidence that law enforcement agents need to gather before taking a terrorist suspect into custody

Question 59

According to the conflict model, different segments of society have different value systems and shared norms and are engaged in a constant struggle to control society.

Question 60

Chief Thomas wants to use the extra funding to increase the use of biometrics in his police department. Which of the following would Chief Thomas not consider biometrics?

A) fingerprints
B) hand geometry
C) facial features
D) blood­alcohol level

Question 61

Police have become smarter and more disciplined over the past two decades.

Question 62

The scope and size of the federal government's participation in the criminal justice system has expanded over the
past several decades.

Question 63

Most gang-related homicides are not crime-related.

Question 64

All deviant acts are criminal and all crimes are deviant.

Question 65

The United States has a dual court system; that is, we have two independent judicial systems, the federal level and the state level.

Question 66

The number of gangs has decreased since 2003.

Question 67

The bulk of all police officers are employed at the federal level.

Question 68

The chief law enforcement officer of most counties is the chief of police.

Question 69

Federal law takes priority over local and state criminal law.

Question 70

Probation is the most common correctional treatment.

Question 71

The most frequent type of release from a jail or prison is probation, in which an inmate, after serving part of his term in a correctional facility, is allowed to serve the rest of his term in the community.

Question 72

Discretion is associated with the informal criminal justice process.

Question 73

Laws differ across states.

Question 74

Justice is an easy concept to define.

Question 75

In some instances criminal law can be determined by a powerful minority.

Question 76

Under the concept of federalism, government powers are shared by the federal government and the states.

Question 77

Deviance is an objective concept; society agrees on which behaviors should be criminalized.

Question 78

In very personal crimes like rape and assault, victims and relatives are able to prosecute the offender instead of public officials.

Question 79

The two most common models of how society decides which acts are criminal are the crime control and due process models.

Question 80

Morals are principles of right and wrong behavior, as practiced by individuals or by society.