GOVT Assignment Chapter 13

If you were wrongfully convicted and exonerated, the Timothy Cole Act requires that the state pays you __________________ per year you wrongfully spent in prison.

$80,000

In Texas, felony juries are composed of ________ people and misdemeanor juries are composed of ________.

12; 6

The most prison-prone group in society is between the ages of

20 and 29.

The prison population reached its highest level in which year?

2000

Regarding the rules of community supervision (probation) requirements, what are the results of compliance versus violation?

A criminal in compliance will likely receive an early release of up to one-third of the term, while a criminal in violation may be sent to jail for the remainder of his or her sentence.

________ is a punishment where, instead of a jail or prison sentence, an offender remains in the community with the understanding that the offender will meet certain requirements that are imposed by the court.

Probation

In Texas, the legal standard of proof "beyond a reasonable doubt" is used in which type(s) of cases?

both felony and misdemeanor cases

The most serious felony is ________, for which the penalty can be death or life imprisonment without parole.

capital murder

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles makes recommendations about

clemency and parole.

The ________ usually provides legal advice to the county commissioners.

county attorney

It is often quite difficult for people to readjust to life after prison because

family members may have moved, died, or cut off communications, thereby removing a support network.

Which of the following issues was part of the Ruiz case?

health care

When thinking about the total number of people in state prisons across the United States, which of the following is true?

Texas has more people incarcerated in its state prisons than any other state.

A(n) ________ is a common method prosecutors use to maintain high conviction rates.

plea bargain between the defendant and the state

What is the maximum sentence of an offender who is sentenced to serve time at state jail?

two years

A major criticism of the grand jury is that it

usually hears only what the prosecutor chooses to let it hear.

For which type of offenses are Texas prison inmates most likely to be imprisoned?

violent

Grand juries do not find people guilty of a crime but instead will

vote a "true bill."

Jurors determine a guilty verdict in criminal cases

with a unanimous vote.

Constitutional carry

would not require gun training classes or any licensing process before someone could legally carry a weapon in public.

Texas has more verified ______________ than any other state.

wrongful convictions

If you are convicted of a misdemeanor in Texas,

you retain your right to vote and possess a weapon.

In the 1972 case of Ruiz v. Estelle, the U.S. federal court determined that

inmates' constitutionally guaranteed rights had been violated in Texas prisons.

In the state of Texas, which race/ethnicity is most likely to be on death row today?

African American

Drug and alcohol treatment programs throughout the criminal justice system in Texas began during the administration of which governor?

Ann Richards

Individuals who cannot afford an attorney have a constitutional right to have one appointed to them. Which Supreme Court case was instrumental in guaranteeing this right?

Gideon v. Wainwright

The Sandra Bland Act requires which of the following?

Jail deaths must be investigated by an independent agency.

________ are less serious crimes.

Misdemeanors

What is the process for granting clemency in Texas?

The governor must follow the recommendations of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Why would a judge direct an offender to be housed at the Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facilities (SAFPF)?

The offender has substance abuse problems that need to be treated, and treatment options are not always available in other prison facilities.

The licensing of police officers in Texas is regulated by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. How are the nine members of this commission selected?

They are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate.

Even if you are not sentenced to jail time, how is your freedom of movement restricted if you are convicted of a drug-related offense?

Your driver's license is suspended for six months. You have the option to go to court to get an occupational driver's license, but then you have to get an expensive high-risk SR-22 car insurance policy.

Today, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the prison system. Who runs this agency?

a nine-member board that is appointed by the governor

A(n) ________ is a lawyer who is appointed by a judge to represent an individual who can't afford legal representation.

assigned counsel

Money that is provided by the defendant to ensure his or her appearance in court is referred to as

bail

A serious criminal offense that subjects a person to state prison punishment is a(n)

felony

If a person cannot provide bail on his or her own or cannot pay a bondsman, the accused can possibly be released

on personal recognizance.

In order to use testimony from a jailhouse informant, prosecutors will now have to

share with the defense attorneys the criminal history of the jailhouse informant and anything offered to the informant in return for his or her testimony.

Which of the following makes the decision to grant parole?

the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles

A person convicted of a third felony can be sentenced to life imprisonment based on

the three strikes provision.