Deck 14: Going Forward: Challenges to and Opportunities for Criminal Justice Reform

Question 1

There is often a disconnect between criminal justice policy and scholarly research.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

Program evaluations tend to have major impacts on operational practices.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Legislation and policy are very often guided by political considerations.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Bill C-10 has been guided by the criminal justice experiences of the United States.

Question 5

The Canadian criminal justice system has been slow to discard ineffective programs and policies.

Question 6

The Canadian criminal justice system has recently begun to adopt evidence-based strategies to inform criminal justice practice.

Question 7

One of the challenges to developing evidence-based practices is concern about cost.

Question 8

Attempts to implement evidence-based practices have been most prevalent in the provincial/territorial correctional system.

Question 9

One of the challenges to developing evidence-based practices is the fear of the unknown.

Question 10

Canada is one of the leading countries in output of evidence-based criminal justice research.

Question 11

One of the challenges to developing evidence-based practices is a public desire for retribution.

Question 12

Canada has far more research funding for university scholars than the United Kingdom and Australia.

Question 13

The majority of civil suits against the criminal justice system are settled out of court.

Question 14

Levels of crime fluctuate based on the efforts of the criminal justice system.

Question 15

Criminal justice agencies and professionals cannot prevent and reduce crime alone.

Question 16

Much recent Canadian criminal justice research focuses on the topic of ethics.

Question 17

For some offenders, interactions with the criminal justice system may lead to increased likelihood of reoffending.

Question 18

There is clear evidence that adding more resources will improve the outcomes of crime victims, offenders, and communities.

Question 19

For some marginalized offenders, interactions with the criminal justice system only serve to intensify their marginality.

Question 20

As of late 2013, the Circles of Support and Accountability program has become completely inactive due to cuts in federal funding.

Question 21

Which of the following is true of evidence-based practices in the criminal justice system?

A) They are most prevalent in policing and federal corrections.
B) They are most prevalent in policing and provincial corrections.
C) They are most prevalent in sentencing and post-release supervision.
D) They are most prevalent in sentencing and alternatives to confinement.

Question 22

Mary is a policymaker who is very concerned about public opinion. For this reason, she tends to support the status quo because the public believes it works. Which of the following best describes Mary's attitude?

A) fear of the unknown
B) complacency among line staff
C) resistance to new strategies
D) lack of awareness of evidence-based practices

Question 23

Sebastian works in the criminal justice system. He enjoys performing his job the way he always has, and becomes very frustrated when his supervisor informs him that they are implementing a new evidence-based policy that will change the way he works. Which of the following best describes Sebastian's attitude?

A) cooperating with researchers
B) fear of the unknown
C) policymaker resistance to new strategies
D) complacency among line staff

Question 24

Francesca is a community member who has recently heard about a restorative justice program being introduced into her community. She is against the introduction of this program because she feels it is soft on crime. Which of the following best describes Francesca's attitude?

A) fear of the unknown
B) desire for retribution
C) concerns about cost
D) resistance to new strategies

Question 25

Which of the following is NOT a positive outcome of accountability in the criminal justice system?

A) increased legitimacy
B) increased public confidence
C) reductions in procedural complaints
D) professional commitment to policies and practices

Question 26

Kristin is a researcher who is interested in examining whether incarcerated persons should be required to participate in treatment programs. What type of a question is this?

A) an ethical question
B) a procedural question
C) an adversarial question
D) an evaluative question

Question 27

Josie is a researcher who is interested in examining how ethics are related to the exercise of police officer discretion. What type of a question is this?

A) an evaluative question
B) a procedural question
C) an adversarial question
D) an ethical question

Question 28

Which of the following is NOT a challenge to developing evidence-based practices raised by Griffiths?

A) concerns about cost
B) public complacency
C) issues defining success
D) lack of awareness about such practices

Question 29

Lara feels that she has been subject to police-based discrimination based on her cultural background. If her belief is true, which of the Charter sections has been violated?

A) section 15 (1)
B) section 8
C) section 2 (d)
D) section 9

Question 30

Tessa is a policy researcher who is recommending a form of criminal justice reform that emphasizes alternatives to incarceration, and evidence-based assessments of criminal justice policies. What approach is Tessa recommending?

A) a retributive approach
B) a rehabilitative approach
C) a tough on crime approach
D) a smart on crime approach

Question 31

Miko works in the criminal justice system and is very concerned about penalties being imposed that have no relation to offence seriousness or offender culpability. Which of the following best reflects Miko's concern?

A) under-criminalization
B) over-criminalization
C) hyper-criminalization
D) hyper-retribution

Question 32

Hank is a politician who justifies his stance on legislation and criminal justice policy by pointing to public pressure. What is this behaviour is an example of?

A) retributive politics
B) progressive politics
C) penal populism
D) penal politics

Question 33

Which of the following is NOT true of the recent trend towards increased use of technology in the criminal justice system?

A) Legislation and policy have not kept pace with technological change.
B) It is used under strict guidelines.
C) Its use may result in decreased human contact.
D) It is used for control and surveillance.

Question 34

Which of the following is NOT true of the operation of the criminal justice system in a diverse society?

A) The majority of research on this topic focuses on police interactions with cultural minorities.
B) Cultural diversity poses major challenges to the Canadian system.
C) The system may struggle to live up to the equality provision of the Charter.
D) Little research has focused on how criminal justice personnel manage diversity-related issues.

Question 35

Which of the following criminal justice initiatives has emerged in an effort to deal with the problem of over-criminalization?

A) electronic monitoring
B) throughcare
C) transformative justice
D) problem-solving courts

Question 36

What are some of the major challenges associated with developing evidence-based practices in the criminal justice system?

Question 37

Bill C-10 was developed without consideration of the experience of other jurisdictions (e.g., the United States). If the federal government had considered the U.S. experience, how might this Bill have differed?

Question 38

The development of evidence-based practice in Canada has been hindered by a lack of research. What are some of the major reasons for an absence of Canadian research in this area?

Question 39

What are some of the positive effects/consequences of criminal justice system accountability?

Question 40

Consider the arguments for and against introducing legislation requiring the criminal justice system to adopt evidence-based practices and to discontinue practices that are shown to be ineffective.

Question 41

The criminal justice system has a limited ability to solve problems, tending to react to them rather than get at the root causes. What are some examples of initiatives that offer the opportunity to address more than just criminal behaviour?

Question 42

What is the danger associated with the increasing use of technology in the criminal justice system?

Question 43

What are some of the key components of "smart on crime" criminal justice policies?

Question 44

Define the term "over-criminalization." Which initiatives have emerged out of an attempt to reduce this problem?

Question 45

According to Griffiths, which criminal justice interventions have been shown to produce positive outcomes? What is a key component of most successful initiatives?

Question 46

There is often a disconnect between criminal justice policy/practice and scholarly research. What are some key reasons for this? What can be done to rectify this shortcoming?

Question 47

Can the adversarial justice system function to reduce the marginal status of many offenders? Why or why not?

Question 48

Why is expecting the criminal justice system alone to address the issue of marginalization unrealistic? What might be a better solution?

Question 49

Though the criminal justice system has made some strides in recognizing and addressing the rights and needs of crime victims, much work remains to be done. In attempts to increase victim's rights, the federal government has proposed legislation that would allow victims to participate in the plea bargaining process. What are some benefits of this proposal? What are some drawbacks? Do you agree with the proposed legislation? Why or why not?

Question 50

Why is it crucial for the criminal justice system to adhere to the rule of law and respect the rights of accused individuals? Do you think the Canadian system does a good job of attaining this goal? Why or why not?

Question 51

Research evidence shows that the Canadian criminal justice system often struggles to meet the objectives of section 15(1) of the Charter. What are some examples of this? What can be done to address this issue?

Question 52

Griffiths argues that merely adding more resources to the criminal justice system will not necessarily improve case outcomes for victims, offenders, and communities. Why do you think this is? What can you suggest as an alternative way to improve these outcomes?

Question 53

What is the somewhat ironic consequence of funding cutbacks in the criminal justice system? Do you think this is a good thing or a bad thing for the future of criminal justice in Canada? Explain.