Chapter 1: The Criminal Justice System

When can a law become void?

If a state or federal law violates any of the protections provided by the Constitution.

True or False: Before the Industrial Revolution, society was required to police itself.

True

True or False: Individual rights protected by law from violation by the government are civil liberties.

True

The term ___________ means that the jury decides whether the defendant is innocent or guilty.

finder of fact

Police are often called what?

"gatekeepers of the criminal justice system"

Citizens can sue government employees that violate their rights under Section ____ of the United States Code.

1983

What is the exclusionary rule?

An important remedy established by the Supreme Court. States that illegally obtained evidence cannot be used in court.

Police chiefs and investigation agency directors answer to this government branch...?

Executive

True or False: According to McKee, most criminal defendants do not plead guilty

False

True or False: According to McKee, the public generally agrees on a single definition of "justice."

False

True or False: Most crimes are violations of federal law.

False

True or False: Once a criminal case is heard, there is no right to an appeal.

False

True or False: The Uniform Crime Report (UCR) gets their data from the Census Bureau.

False

What is the rule of law?

In the US, it is the thing that binds all of the components and regulates them. It is the idea that everyone is subject to the law. Even those who make, interpret, and enforce the laws.

Which of these agencies is NOT part of the criminal justice system? a. Police b. Interior Department c. Corrections d. Courts

Interior Department

According to the author, the first step in the criminal justice process is what?

Investigation

Which branch interprets the laws?

Judicial

Criminal Justice agencies get their funding from this branch of government...?

Legislative

Enforcing the law is only a fraction of what the police do every day. What else do they do?

Maintain order and provide services to their communities. They also investigate crimes, collect evidence, and work with prosecutors to obtain convictions in court.

What are the 3 major components of the Criminal Justice System?

Police, Courts, Corrections

According to McKee, which justice is best described as "an eye for an eye"?

Retributive justice

It is up to appellate courts to do what?

They interpret the Constitution and determine the exact nature and scope of specific civil liberties in the US.

Because the US legal system is ____________ in nature, there must always be two teams in any court case.

adversarial

An officer can choose to ignore an offense, issue a verbal warning, issue a written warning, issue a citation, or _________.

formally arrest the person

A __________ is a trial where the judge takes on the role of the jury as finder of fact.

bench trial

At a criminal trial, the prosecution must prove its' case _________.

beyond a reasonable doubt

Major goal of prosecutor is to see the __________ found guilty of the alleged crime.

defendant

The ____________ has the job of trying to show that the defendant is not guilty.

defense attorney

The seriousness of the crime plays a major role in how the police exercise ___________.

discretion

The _________ serves as a referee, making sure that both side diligently follow the rules of the "game."

judge

The ______ is tasked with deciding (at the end) who the winner is.

jury

Unlicensed gambling may be considered by type of crime?

mala prohibita

The backbone of policing is the __________.

patrol division

Corrections can include:

probation parole jail prison many community-based sanctions

In a criminal matter, a lawyer known as the __________ presents the government's case.

prosecutor

The level of specialization depends largely on the ______ where the officer work.

size of the agency

If a person violates a crime, the court must decide __________.

the appropriate punishment