Deck 1: The Criminal Justice System

Question 1

One of the principles of "doing justice" involves protecting the rights of the accused.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Charging of an offender typically takes place between initial appearance and arraignment.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

A police officer who is providing emergency first aid after an automobile accident is engaging in the duty of "keeping the peace."

Answer 3

False

Question 4

Since the 1960s, Congres s ha s consistentl y refuse d t o expan d th e power s o f the FB I .

Question 5

Crime prevention depends on the actions of police, but does not require much from citizens.

Question 6

Nearly seventy percent of convicted offenders are supervised in the community.

Question 7

The filtering process refers to the authority to make decisions based on one's own judgment.

Question 8

The majority of police departments are administered by local government.

Question 9

Offenses that are wrong by their very nature have traditionally been called mala prohibata .

Question 10

Criminal justice is a system whose components-police, courts, corrections-are compartmentalized and have little or no influence on each other.

Question 11

Judges are the only actors in the criminal justice system who have discretion.

Question 12

The majority of case s i n th e America n crimina l justic e syste m wil l procee d t o trial.

Question 13

Federal authorities handle fewer cases annually than state and local authorities .

Question 14

Most criminal laws are written by state legislatures but enforced by federal agencies.

Question 15

Federalism involves the division of power between a central (national) government and regional (state) governments.

Question 16

The police are thought of as the "front line" in controlling crime.

Question 17

Jurisdiction typically goes to t h e FB I wher e stole n propert y has been moved acros s stat e lines.

Question 18

Criminal justice agencies are self-sufficient; which means they generate their own funding and are not dependent on outside financial sources.

Question 19

Plea bargaining is an example of an exchange relationship in the criminal justice system.

Question 20

The subsystems of the criminal justice system act independently of one another.

Question 21

The reading of a suspect's Miranda warnings occurs during the initial hearing.

Question 22

Offenses that are considered wrong by their very nature are traditionally referred to as:

A) felonies.
B) mala in se.
C) mala prohibita.
D) heinous.
E) natural crimes.

Question 23

Anyone in the United States, regardless of status or circumstance, may be drawn into ​the criminal justice system.

Question 24

Federa l sentencin g guideline s punis h individuals for possession of or trafficking in crac k cocain e mor e harshl y tha n user s o f powde r cocaine.

Question 25

Mala prohibita are offenses that are prohibited by law, but not necessarily wrong in themselves.

Question 26

An arrest is said to have occurred when a suspect is physically taken into custody.

Question 27

In the United States, minorities are more likely to be incarcerated than members of the majority.

Question 28

Discretion refers to  the authority to make decisions without reference to specific rules or facts, relying on one's own judgment.

Question 29

An exchange occurs when one benefit or resource is acquired at no cost.

Question 30

Disparity refers to  the authority to make decisions without reference to specific rules or facts, and relying on one's own judgment.

Question 31

Subsystems are the interdependent parts within the larger system.

Question 32

The crime control model is more concerned with those who have been wrongly accused than is the due process model.

Question 33

There is no evidence of racism in the operation of the criminal justice system.

Question 34

The crime control model is very similar to an assembly line.

Question 35

The Department of Homeland Security was created after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.

Question 36

The most publicized criminal cases make up the bottom layer of the criminal justice wedding cake.

Question 37

According to Cole and Smith, which of the following is not a goal of the criminal justice system?

A) Doing justice
B) Controlling crime
C) Preventing crime
D) Expanding the power of the police
E) All of these are goals of the criminal justice system.

Question 38

A goal of the criminal justice system is media exploitation of  crime for ratings.

Question 39

Adjudication refers to the process of determining whether the defendant is guilty.

Question 40

Evidence-based practices are those p olicies developed through guidance from research studies that demonstrate which approaches are most useful and cost effective.

Question 41

Which of the following is an established argument in favor of discretion in the criminal justice system?

A) Some state constitutions require discretion.
B) Discretion is noncontroversial.
C) Discretion is almost always effective.
D) It is impossible for any law to be fairly enforced.
E) Discretion is needed because the system lacks the resources to treat every case the same way.

Question 42

A key concept in the criminal justice process, involving the mutual transfer of resources among individual actors, is known as a/an:

A) exchange.
B) referral.
C) system.
D) discretion.
E) disparity.

Question 43

Whic h o f th e followin g i s a crimina l activit y tha t th e federa l governmen t does not  have  the powe r t o regulate?

A) Terrorism
B) Internet-based child pornography
C) Interstate gang-related crimes
D) Banking-related crimes
E) Speeding on Interstate highways

Question 44

The components of criminal justice are best described as a/an:

A) socialized entity.
B) system.
C) isolated process.
D) integrated process.
E) bifurcation.

Question 45

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the criminal justice system?

A) Discretion
B) Resource dependence
C) Filtering
D) Sequential tasks
E) Independence of actors

Question 46

The criminal justice agency on the "front line" in controlling crime is/are:

A) citizens.
B) police.
C) courts.
D) corrections.
E) parole officers.

Question 47

The U.S. Constitution provided which level of government with broad national police powers?

A) The federal government
B) State governments
C) Both state and local governments
D) The International Police or Interpol
E) None of these level of government have broad police powers

Question 48

According to Cole and Smith, the goal of criminal justice that concerns the processes of arresting, prosecuting, convicting, and punishing those who disobey the law is referred to as:

A) controlling crime
B) doing justice
C) arbitrating crime
D) preventing crime
E) developing legal parameters

Question 49

Which of the following terms refers to the authority to make decisions without reference to specific rules or facts, relying on one's own judgment?

A) Exchange
B) Due process
C) System
D) Discretion
E) Disparity

Question 50

Mala prohibita offenses include:

A) morally offensive acts that fall short of criminal status.
B) offenses that are considered wrong by moral standards.
C) offenses that are considered wrong in American culture.
D) offenses prohibited by law but not wrong in themselves.
E) all crimes which are classified as felonies.

Question 51

What federal enforcement agency was created as a direct result of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks in 2001?

A) Immigration and Naturalization Service
B) Department of Homeland Security
C) Federal Aviation Administration
D) Federal Emergency Management Agency
E) U.S. Border Patrol

Question 52

Th e Constitution creates tw o separate justic e system s i n th e Unite d State s.

A) Local and county.
B) County and state.
C) State and federal.
D) Federal and international.
E) Local and federal.

Question 53

What specific powers does the U.S. Constitution give to a national police force?

A) The Constitution allows the military to serve as a national police force.
B) The Constitution gives all national police powers to the FBI.
C) The Constitution does not allow for a national police force with broad powers.
D) Th e Constitution gives the nationa l polic e forc e power that i s subordinat e t o th e stat e governments.
E) Th e Constitution   restricts the federa l governmen t from participat ing i n crimina l justic e activities.

Question 54

What proportion of criminal justice employees in the United States work at the federal level?

A) Less than 1 percent
B) 10 percent
C) One-third
D) Two-thirds
E) Over 90 percent

Question 55

In the American system of federalism, which level of government is solely responsible for the administration of criminal justice?

A) City governments
B) City and county partnerships
C) State governments
D) Federal government
E) No single level of government is solely responsible

Question 56

The FBI is a part of which federal department?

A) Defense
B) Homeland Security
C) Commerce
D) Justice
E) Interior

Question 57

Which of the following ultimately happens to most defendants whose charges are not dropped?

A) They go to trial.
B) They plead guilty.
C) They are found innocent.
D) They are found not guilty by reason of insanity.
E) They are acquitted.

Question 58

Ensuring that the defendant receives a fair trial would satisfy which goal of criminal justice?

A) Arbitration
B) Civility
C) Doing justice
D) Controlling crime
E) Preventing crime

Question 59

______ are a ction s which violat e law s definin g those sociall y harmfu l behavior s subjec t t o th e government' s powe r to impose punishments.

A) Crimes
B) Mores
C) Morals
D) Misdemeanors
E) Civil infractions

Question 60

Which of the following is an appropriate duty and use of police resources?

A) Educating the public about crime
B) Preventing crime
C) Helping give emergency medical assistance
D) Helping people who have been locked out of their homes
E) All of the above are appropriate  duties and uses of police resources

Question 61

Which of the following is not a primary emphasis of Packer's crime control model of criminal justice?

A) Efficiency
B) Speed
C) Finality
D) Capacity to adjudicate a high proportion of offenders
E) Ensure that offender rights are secured

Question 62

Which of the following is not a process that takes place at the initial appearance?

A) Miranda warnings are given.
B) The suspect is given formal notice of the charge for which he/she is being held.
C) Bail is set by the judge.
D) The judge will consider whether to proceed with the case or dismiss it.
E) The judge may consider whether to hold the defendant without bail

Question 63

Which of the following is not an element of Packer's due process model of criminal justice?

A) The adversarial process
B) Rights of defendants
C) Conviction rate of criminal prosecutions
D) Formal decision-making procedures
E) Decisions based on reliable information

Question 64

Most homicide cases in the United States would fall into which category of the wedding cake model?

A) Layer 1
B) Layer 2
C) Layer 3
D) Layer 4
E) Local crimes are not included

Question 65

When does plea bargaining take place in the decision-making process?

A) At the time of arrest
B) Before a warrant is issued
C) At the initial appearance
D) Before sentence is imposed
E) At any time in the criminal justice process

Question 66

Which layer of the criminal justice wedding cake consists of serious felonies?

A) Layer 1: the top layer
B) Layer 2
C) Layer 3
D) Layer 4
E) Any of the layers would include serious felonies

Question 67

Federalism in the United States has created a:

A) single court system
B) streamlined court system
C) centralized criminal justice system
D) decentralized criminal justice system
E) synthetic court system

Question 68

The fact that federal sentencing guidelines punish users of crack cocaine more harshly than possession of or trafficking in  p owder cocaine is used by Cole and Smith as an example of which of the following?

A) That unequal status in society can shape criminal justice policy
B) That crack cocaine is more harmful to society than powder cocaine
C) That few people are arrested for using powder cocaine
D) That the effects of powder cocaine are not as strong as crack cocaine
E) That federal sentencing guidelines are very sophisticated and accurate in their application of each offense

Question 69

At the ____________________, suspects are informed of the charges against them and advised of their rights.

A) arraignment
B) trial
C) preliminary hearing
D) prison
E) plea bargain

Question 70

Which of the following refers to a serious crime, usually carrying a penalty of incarceration for more than one year?

A) Indictment
B) Misdemeanor
C) Felony
D) Civil infractions
E) T raffic violations

Question 71

Which of the following is a major duty of the police?

A) Keeping the peace
B) Apprehending violators and combating crime
C) Preventing crime
D) Providing social services
E) All of the above  are major duties of the police

Question 72

Which model of criminal justice is more like an "obstacle course" than an assembly-line?

A) The crime control model
B) The diversion model
C) The due process model
D) The institutional model
E) The misdemeanor model

Question 73

In the 40 most populous counties in the United States, the percentage of juvenile felony defendants who are African-American is about ______ percent.

A) 10
B) 20
C) 40
D) 60
E) 90

Question 74

The determination of whether or not a defendant is guilty is known as:

A) adjudication.
B) indictment.
C) booking.
D) information.
E) arraignment.

Question 75

The primary duty of the courts is:

A) statutory compliance.
B) oversight of police actions.
C) adjudication.
D) interpretation of constitutional mandates.
E) modification of unfair laws.

Question 76

Which of the following is an example of the police providing social services?

A) Intervening in violent domestic disputes
B) Arresting persons dangerous to the community
C) Checking warrants in traffic stops
D) Providing first aid to a car accident victim
E) All of the above are examples of police providing social services

Question 77

The number of employees that work in state and local criminal justice agencies is:

A) under 50,000
B) approximately 100,000
C) approximately 500,000
D) over one million
E) fluctuates too much to get an accurate count

Question 78

The function of the preliminary hearing/grand jury is to:

A) decide whether there is enough evidence to proceed.
B) for the prosecutor to prepare the formal charging document  and present it to the court.
C) bring the suspect before a judge.
D) for the judge to decide whether there is reasonable cause to believe that an offense was committed.
E) record that an arrest has been made.

Question 79

Which of the following refers to a difference in treatment between groups?

A) Favoritism
B) Prejudice
C) Disparity
D) Exchange
E) Discretion

Question 80

When a person is physically taken into custody, it is known as a(n):

A) warrant signing.
B) arrest.
C) indictment.
D) information.
E) booking.