Deck 5: Problems and Solutions in Modern Policing

Question 1

Which of the following is a counterterrorism strategy employed by the federal government?

A) DNA fingerprinting
B) Preventive policing
C) Racial profiling
D) Incident-driven policing

Answer 1

B

Question 2

_____ is a bureaucratic response to an officer-involved shooting.

A) Administrative leave
B) Preventive patrol
C) Crime mapping
D) Incident-driven policing

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The application of science to establish facts and evidence during the investigation of crimes is called _____.

A) forensics
B) profiling
C) retrospective diagnosis
D) data mining

Answer 3

A

Question 4

One of the factors that influence police discretion is _____.

A) human rights policy
B) a bill of rights
C) a referendum
D) departmental policy

Question 5

As a bureaucracy, which of the following is considered the ultimate goal of a police department?

A) To provide the best service for the community within the confines of its limited resources
B) To recruit individuals from the community to serve in the department
C) To prevent criminal activities from taking place rather than solving a crime after it has happened
D) To ensure that all its officers have indulgent accountability to function properly

Question 6

Shirley is a police sergeant. She has twenty-one patrol officers reporting to her. In the context of the span of control, which of the following can be assumed about Shirley?

A) She will be eligible to be promoted as a police lieutenant.
B) She will not take part in patrolling activities herself.
C) She will not be able to effectively manage her team.
D) She will be projected as a role model for sergeants of other precincts.

Question 7

Which of the following statements is true of detectives?

A) They are lower in the police chain of command than are patrol officers.
B) Their job is primarily preventive in nature.
C) Their job is limited to law enforcement.
D) They have been the focus of much more reform attention than patrol officers.

Question 8

Forensic experts can determine _____ by applying their knowledge to items found at the crime scene.

A) the time of death or injury
B) the motive behind a crime
C) the identities of the witnesses to a crime
D) the extent of evidence tampering

Question 9

Which of the following organizational environmental factors influences the structure of a police department?

A) The kind of infrastructural facilities in a given area
B) The dominant class of police officers in a given jurisdiction
C) The budget allotted to the department
D) The demographics of the population it must police

Question 10

Which of the following is one of the factors on which the judicial support of police discretion is based?

A) Police officers use their intuition when a suspect gives a contradictory testimony.
B) Police officers may find themselves in danger of personal, physical harm and must be allowed to take steps to protect themselves.
C) The nature of their jobs prevents police officers from using deadly force under any situation.
D) Training allows police officers to determine threats to society but does not allow them to take action to prevent such activities.

Question 11

In a(n) _____, formal rules govern an individual's actions and relationships with co-employees.

A) bureaucracy
B) aristocracy
C) community
D) adhocracy

Question 12

Craig works as a detective with Ventura City's crime investigation department. Six months ago, his team received information about drugs being smuggled across the city border from the neighboring state. To obtain proof of the smuggling activities and to expose the smugglers, Craig assumed a false identity and became a part of the smuggling process. In this scenario, Craig was a(n) _____.

A) undercover officer
B) homicide detective
C) cold case detective
D) auxiliary police officer

Question 13

Identify an element of police discretion.

A) The attitude of a wrongdoer toward a police officer
B) The relationship between a victim and a police officer
C) A victim's criminal record
D) The human rights policy

Question 14

Barry is involved with a group of criminals who smuggle illegal items out of the country. Occasionally, he is summoned by the police to provide information about the people involved in the smuggling process with him, the items smuggled, and frequent routes used for smuggling. In this scenario, Barry is a(n) _____.

A) sleeper agent
B) undercover officer
C) confidential informant
D) agent provocateur

Question 15

In the context of the structure of a police department, which of the following activities can be categorized under field services?

A) Critical infrastructure protection
B) Maintenance of police vehicles
C) Special operations
D) Questioned document examinations

Question 16

Ken is a patrol officer in Orlando. As part of his routine patrolling activities, he spends the first half of the day responding to citizen complaints and emergencies on 911 on a daily basis. In the context of general categories of patrol activities-as classified by William Gay, Theodore Schell, and Stephen Schack, which of the following categories does this scenario illustrate?

A) Preventive patrol
B) Calls for service
C) Administrative duties
D) Officer-initiated activities

Question 17

According to Sir Robert Peel who founded the modern police department, which of the following is one of the basic purposes of police patrol?

A) The deterrence of crime by maintaining a visible police presence
B) The provision of protection against self-incrimination
C) The intermittent provision of crime-related services
D) The prevention of crime by punishing suspected criminals

Question 18

Assuming that most police officers stay on the right side of the Constitution in most instances, which of the following examples illustrates the influence of a wrongdoer's attitude on police discretion?

A) Randall, a patrol officer, tickets a speeding motorist who tries to bribe him instead of being apologetic.
B) Mike, a patrol officer, levies a heavy fine on the driver of a speeding car who refuses to bribe him.
C) An officer arrests Robin for a past crime for which he has been convicted.
D) An officer arrests Meera assuming she is guilty of a misdemeanor because she belongs to a different race.

Question 19

In which of the following ways can trace evidence be used in criminal investigations?

A) It helps to determine how a victim and an offender reached a crime scene.
B) It helps to locate and identify hot spots and cool them down.
C) It is used to link evidence to a suspect that increases the likelihood of a conviction.
D) It is gathered from a victim's body during the autopsy and is used to indicate the time of death.

Question 20

Joyelle is an undercover investigative officer. Last month, to solve a case of art theft, she posed as a purchaser and recovered stolen paintings worth $15 million and arrested the perpetrators responsible for the heist. It can be assumed that Joyelle _____ to solve the case of art theft.

A) conducted a sting operation
B) piloted a cold hit
C) engaged in racial profiling
D) carried out a civil rights violation

Question 21

Which of the following is a disadvantage of using fingerprints as a method of identification?

A) It is very difficult to match the fingerprints lifted from a crime scene with fingerprints stored in databases.
B) It can be inaccurate as some people share the same fingerprint.
C) It is often difficult to lift a suitable fingerprint from a crime scene.
D) It can be falsified based on the number of points of similarity.

Question 22

From the first day on the job, police officers are taught the values and rules of police work in a process called _____.

A) reformism
B) incarceration
C) communalization
D) socialization

Question 23

According to police theorist Harry J. Mullins, a ritual critical to a police officer's acceptance of police subculture is:

A) witnessing a felony arrest being made.
B) witnessing deadly force for the first time.
C) working with rookies to learn lessons of police work.
D) identifying potential criminals for the first time.

Question 24

The term _____ describes the basic assumptions and values that permeate law enforcement agencies and are taught to new members of these agencies as the proper way to think, perceive, and act.

A) police subculture
B) bureaucracy
C) blue curtain
D) force matrix

Question 25

Which of the following is an occupational stressor particularly faced by police officers?

A) The need to increase the clearance rate
B) Continuous exposure to harmful chemicals
C) The need to close every cold case
D) Negative media coverage

Question 26

As a patrol officer on duty, Clark patrols the streets in his police car to detect and prevent any disruptions to public life or potential criminal activity. In this scenario, Clark is engaging in _____.

A) incident-driven policing
B) random patrolling
C) directed patrolling
D) problem-oriented policing

Question 27

Robert is a responsible citizen and actively takes part in social welfare initiatives introduced by the local governing body and police. Recently, he enrolled in a program that requires residents of the locality to collaborate with the police to prevent nighttime robberies. Robert is most likely involved in a popular version of a community policing initiative called a _____.

A) blue curtain
B) neighborhood watch program
C) crime displacement program
D) crisis intervention task

Question 28

According to the _____, by cracking down on quality-of-life crimes, law enforcement convinces both criminals and law-abiding citizens that lawlessness will no longer be tolerated in a particular area.

A) documentary hypothesis
B) broken windows theory
C) crisis intervention model
D) use-of-force matrix

Question 29

Which of the following is a characteristic of directed patrols?

A) It surveils the complete area under a police department's jurisdiction.
B) It identifies potential criminals using government records.
C) It involves incident-driven policing.
D) It attempts to prevent a specific type of crime.

Question 30

In which of the following ways do lab technicians compare the DNA sample of a suspect with the evidence found at a crime scene?

A) They check if the DNA samples have sixteen points of similarity.
B) They create a 3D image of a suspect's genetic code using ballistics technology.
C) They verify the protein interactions mediated by DNA in the sample.
D) They look for thirteen points on the DNA fingerprint called markers.

Question 31

In the context of community policing, which of the following is a feature of collaborative reform?

A) Law enforcement officials form partnerships with local leaders to address difficult issues.
B) Police departments devote most of their resources to respond to calls for service.
C) Law enforcement officials form external partnerships with countries to address cross-border terrorism.
D) Police departments turn to confidential informants for information concerning illegal activities in a community.

Question 32

Which of the following is a way in which crime mapping can be used to predict future crime patterns?

A) Arrests made with the help of existing information are used to collect evidence about other criminals and crime gangs.
B) Information is gathered using geographic information systems to track criminal acts as they occur in time and space.
C) Investigators collect trace evidence by following cold trails that were deserted because of lack of witnesses.
D) Police departments use digital maps of their jurisdictions to monitor quality-of-life crimes in residential areas.

Question 33

Which of the following is a characteristic of problem-oriented policing?

A) It involves responding to crime-related incidents and notifying the appropriate authorities.
B) It encourages police officers to look at their work as a day-to-day proposition.
C) It encourages police officers to shift the patterns of criminal behavior in a negative direction.
D) It attempts to control or even solve the root causes of criminal behavior.

Question 34

Which of the following statements is true of the blue curtain?

A) It is a bureaucratic response to an officer-involved shooting.
B) It sets the guiding principles that help police officers make decisions.
C) It separates the police from the civilians they are meant to protect.
D) It is a popular counterterrorism strategy employed by the federal government.

Question 35

In the context of patrol strategies, calls for service are the primary instigators of action in _____.

A) community policing
B) incident-driven policing
C) problem-oriented policing
D) intelligence-led policing

Question 36

Kevin works in a police department and specializes in homicide cases. He has detailed knowledge of firearms. In his last homicide case, Kevin found a bullet at the crime scene and knew that the bullet was fired from a gun that is no longer manufactured. He immediately got his technicians to create a 3D image of the bullet and looked it up in a national firearms database to identify the gun and its last owner. This scenario illustrates that Kevin:

A) participated in a sting operation.
B) works as a forensic psychologist.
C) extracted trace evidence.
D) uses ballistics technology.

Question 37

Concentrated areas of high criminal activity that draw a directed police response are called _____.

A) hot spots
B) crime labs
C) blue curtains
D) cold cases

Question 38

Which of the following stressors is exclusive to female police officers?

A) Lack of media coverage
B) Lack of acceptance
C) Lack of community support
D) Lack of sleep

Question 39

Which of the following is a privilege granted to patrol officers under community policing?

A) They have discretion to formulate their own arrest policies.
B) They have the freedom to improvise.
C) They can work in teams of their choice.
D) They can request for a transfer to another community.

Question 40

Which of the following is a characteristic of community policing?

A) It focuses on community development and social service rather than fighting crime.
B) It allows police officers to work in smaller shifts.
C) It promotes proactive problem solving.
D) It offers additional protection to minorities.

Question 41

The blue curtain refers to the witnessing of major traumatic incidents for the first time.

Question 42

Steffi, a police officer, has lately been working long hours with two shifts of patrolling and has had additional paperwork to complete. Her friends and colleagues have noticed that she is stressed and dejected because of exhaustion. If Steffi continues to work like this, she is likely to _____.

A) become a division chief
B) suffer from burnout
C) suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome
D) get additional administrative responsibilities

Question 43

According to criminologists Joycelyn M. Pollock and Ronald F. Becker, police officers are likely to experience an ethical dilemma when:

A) they are bound by a zero-tolerance policy toward unethical decisions.
B) the wrong choice is the least tempting.
C) the course of action they consider right is easy.
D) they are unaware of the right course of action.

Question 44

To provide guidance for police officers regarding the appropriate utilization of force, law enforcement agencies design _____.

A) a reasonable force model
B) the resistive force theory
C) a use-of-force matrix
D) the normal force model

Question 45

The abuse of authority by a law enforcement officer for personal gain is called _____.

A) noble cause corruption
B) racial profiling
C) entrapment
D) police corruption

Question 46

According to John P. Crank and Michael A. Caldero, a police officer is likely to experience an ethical dilemma when the course of action he or she considers right is difficult.

Question 47

Crisis intervention teams teach officers to recognize behavioral cues associated with mental illness and develop strategies of de-escalation.

Question 48

In the context of the elements of ethics, the concept of discretion is linked with duty or the obligation to act in a certain manner.

Question 49

Reasonable force is force that an objective police officer realizes will place the subject in direct threat of serious injury or death.

Question 50

The U.S. Constitution and the courts have no role in determining a law enforcement agent's actions.

Question 51

Which of the following best describes noble cause corruption?

A) Officers arrest people from a minority community to cover for a dominant group.
B) Officers do bad things because they believe the outcomes will be good.
C) Officers attempt to coerce money or goods from a citizen or criminal.
D) Officers accept gifts such as cigarettes, liquor, or services in return for favorable treatment.

Question 52

In most states, the use of nondeadly force is regulated by the concept of _____.

A) reasonable force
B) deadly force
C) preemptive force
D) normal force

Question 53

Which of the following terms describes police action based on ethnicity or national origin of a suspect rather than any reasonable suspicion that he or she has broken the law?

A) Racial profiling
B) Psychological profiling
C) Ethnic penalty
D) Entrapment

Question 54

The purposes of police patrols are to prevent and deter crime and also to provide social services.

Question 55

Which of the following rules related to the use of deadly force was amended following the Tennessee v. Garner (1985) case?

A) The search and seizure rule
B) In re Gault
C) The fleeing felon rule
D) Mens rea

Question 56

According to the chain of command in a police department, the chief of police delegates authority to division chiefs, who delegate authority to commanders.

Question 57

Trace evidence does not require technological aid for detection.

Question 58

Dr. Anthony J. Pinizzotto and Charles E. Miller believe that although intuitive policing is often difficult to explain to those outside law enforcement, it is a crucial part of policing and should not be discouraged by civilian administrators.

Question 59

Sean served two tours in two war-torn countries as an Army Sergeant First Class. After being injured in a secret mission, he received an honorable discharge. However, on returning, Sean started suffering from insomnia and showing signs of detachment. Flashbacks of his missions caused him to have nightmares and panic attacks. In this case, Sean is displaying symptoms of _____.

A) autism spectrum disorder
B) obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
C) post-traumatic stress disorder
D) dissociative amnesia

Question 60

In which of the following cases is a law enforcement agent justified in using deadly force?

A) While interrogating a suspect
B) While demonstrating the importance of respecting the law
C) When protecting himself or herself from serious harm
D) When trying to coerce a confession from an offender

Question 61

Explain the consequences for police officers engaging in racial profiling.

Question 62

Explain the factors of police discretion that influence a police officer's decisions.

Question 63

Explain the difference between random and directed patrols. How do computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems assist police officers in their patrol duties?

Question 64

Explain the four categories of ethical dilemmas typically faced by a police officer as identified by criminologists Joycelyn M. Pollock and Ronald F. Becker.

Question 65

How do crisis intervention teams benefit law enforcement agencies especially with regard to handling of mentally ill individuals?