Chapter 1: The Criminal Justice System
TEST BANK
Chapter 1
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. According to Cole and Smith, which of the following is NOT a goal of the criminal justice system?
a. / doing justiceb. / controlling crime
c. / preventing crime
d. / dramatizing crime
e. / all of these are goals of the criminal justice system
ANS: D REF: Page 5 OBJ: 1
2. Offenses that are considered wrong by their very nature are traditionally referred to as:
a. / Feloniesb. / mala in se
c. / mala prohibita
d. / heinous
e. / natural crimes
ANS: B REF: Page 5 OBJ: 1
3. Mala prohibita offenses are:
a. / morally offensive acts that fall short of criminal statusb. / 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 felonies
ANS: D REF: Page 5 OBJ: 1
4. Actions that violate laws defining which socially harmful behaviors will be subject to the government’s power to impose punishments.
a. / Crimesb. / Mores
c. / Morals
d. / misdemeanors
e. / civil infractions
ANS: A REF: Page 5 OBJ: 1
5. According to Cole and Smith, the goal of criminal justice that concerns fairness and equity is referred to as:
a. / arbitrationb. / civility
c. / doing justice
d. / controlling crime
e. / preventing crime
ANS: C REF: Page 5 OBJ: 1
6. 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 crimeb. / doing justice
c. / arbitrating crime
d. / preventing crime
e. / developing legal parameters
ANS: A REF: Page 6 OBJ: 1
7. In the American system of federalism, which level of government is solely responsible for the administration of criminal justice?
a. / City governmentsb. / City and county partnerships
c. / State governments
d. / Federal government
e. / No single level of government is solely responsible
ANS: E REF: Page 7 OBJ: 2
8. 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 forceb. / 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. / The national police force is subordinate to the state governments
e. / The federal government is not allowed to participate in criminal justice activities
ANS: C REF: Page 7 OBJ: 2
9. Which of the following is a criminal activity that the federal government has power to control?
a. / Terrorismb. / Internet-based child pornography
c. / Interstate gang-related crimes
d. / Banking-related crimes
e. / All of the above have federal jurisdiction
ANS: E REF: Page 8 OBJ: 2
10. Which of the following would not be a top priority if the FBI’s enforcement efforts?
a. / Cyber attacksb. / Espionage
c. / Terrorism
d. / Local homicide rates
e. / National security
ANS: D REF: Page 9 OBJ: 2
11. What federal enforcement agency was created as a direct result of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks in 2001?
a. / Immigration and Naturalization Serviceb. / Department of Homeland Security
c. / Federal Aviation Administration
d. / Federal Emergency Management Agency
e. / U.S. Border Patrol
ANS: B REF: Page 9 OBJ: 2
12. The two justice systems in the United States are:
a. / Local and countyb. / County and state
c. / State and federal
d. / Federal and international
e. / Local and federal
ANS: C REF: Page 7 OBJ: 2
13. Which of the following federal agencies is responsible for protecting travelers and interstate commerce?
a. / the DEAb. / the ATF
c. / the FBI
d. / the TSA
e. / the CIA
ANS: D REF: Page 9 OBJ: 2
14. Corrections agencies are most often run by:
a. / Federal governmentsb. / State governments
c. / Local governments
d. / County governments
e. / Private corporations
ANS: B REF: Page 10 OBJ: 2
15. The components of criminal justice are best described as a/an:
a. / socialized entityb. / system
c. / isolated process
d. / contest
e. / bifurcation
ANS: B REF: Pages 10-11 OBJ: 2
16. A key concept in the criminal justice process, involving the mutual transfer of resources among individual actors, is known as:
a. / exchangeb. / due process
c. / system
d. / discretion
e. / disparity
ANS: A REF: Page 11 OBJ: 3
17. 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. / exchangeb. / due process
c. / system
d. / discretion
e. / disparity
ANS: D REF: Page 12 OBJ: 3
18. What proportion of criminal justice employees in the United States work at the federal level?
a. / Less than one percentb. / Ten percent
c. / One third
d. / Two thirds
e. / Over ninety percent
ANS: C REF: Page 10 OBJ: 2
19. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the criminal justice system?
a. / discretionb. / resource dependence
c. / filtering
d. / sequential tasks
e. / independence of actors
ANS: E REF: Pages 12-13 OBJ: 3
20. Which of the following is an established argument in favor of discretion in the criminal justice system?
a. / Some state constitutions require discretionb. / Discretion is non-controversial
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
ANS: E REF: Page 12 OBJ: 4
21. Which of the following is an appropriate duty and use of police resources?
a. / Educating the public about crimeb. / Preventing crime
c. / Helping give emergency medical assistance
d. / Helping people who have been locked out of their homes
e. / All of these are appropriate
ANS: E REF: Page 16 OBJ: 4
22. Which of the following ultimately happens to most defendants whose charges are not dropped?
a. / they go to trialb. / they plead guilty
c. / they are found innocent
d. / they are found not guilty by reason of insanity
e. / they are acquitted
ANS: B REF: Page 13 OBJ: 4
23. The criminal justice agency on the “front line” in controlling crime is…
a. / Citizensb. / Police
c. / Courts
d. / Corrections
e. / Parole
ANS: B REF: Page 14 OBJ: 4
24. The number of employees that work in state and local criminal justice agencies is
a. / under 50,000b. / approximately 100,000
c. / approximately 500,000
d. / over one million
e. / too numerous to determine
ANS: D REF: Page 16 OBJ: 2
25. Which of the following is not a major duty of the police?
a. / keeping the peaceb. / apprehending violators and combating crime
c. / preventing crime
d. / providing social services
e. / ensuring that offenders receive adequate sentences
ANS: E REF: Page 16 OBJ: 4
26. The United States has a....
a. / dual court systemb. / triple court system
c. / centralized court system
d. / federal court system
e. / synthetic court system
ANS: A REF: Page 15 OBJ: 2
27. Which of the following is an example of the police providing social services?
a. / intervening in violent domestic disputesb. / arresting persons dangerous to the community
c. / checking warrants in traffic stops
d. / providing first aid to a car accident victim
e. / all of these are examples of police providing social services
ANS: D REF: Page 15 OBJ: 2
28. The determination of whether or not a defendant is guilty is known as:
a. / Adjudicationb. / Indictment
c. / Booking
d. / Information
e. / Arraignment
ANS: A REF: Page 15 OBJ: 4
29. The primary duty of the courts is
a. / statutory complianceb. / oversight of police actions
c. / adjudication
d. / interpretation of constitutional mandates
e. / modification of unfair laws
ANS: C REF: Page 16 OBJ: 4
30. Which of the following administer prisons, jails, and other corrections facilities and programs?
a. / the federal governmentb. / state governments
c. / city governments
d. / county governments
e. / all of these
ANS: E REF: Pages 15-16 OBJ: 2
31. When a person is physically taken into custody, it is known as a(n):
a. / Warrantb. / Arrest
c. / Indictment
d. / Information
e. / Booking
ANS: B REF: Pages 17-18 OBJ: 4
32. Which of the following is not a process that takes place at the initial appearance?
a. / Miranda warnings are givenb. / Suspect is given formal notice of the charge for which they are being held
c. / Bail is set by the judge
d. / Judge will consider whether to proceed with the case or dismiss it
e. / Judge may consider whether to hold the defendant without bail
ANS: A REF: Page 20 OBJ: 4
33. When does plea bargaining take place in the decision-making process?
a. / At the time of arrestb. / Before a warrant is issued
c. / At the initial appearance
d. / Before sentence is imposed
e. / At any time in the criminal justice process
ANS: E REF: Page 20 OBJ: 4
34. At the ______, suspects are informed of the charges against them and advised of their rights.
a. / Arraignmentb. / Trial
c. / preliminary hearing
d. / Prison
e. / plea bargain
ANS: C REF: Page 19 OBJ: 4
35. Which of the following people is responsible for sentencing?
a. / Prosecutorsb. / Defendants
c. / Court clerks
d. / Wardens
e. / Judges
ANS: E REF: Page 20 OBJ: 4
36. Trial judges and other officials are determined to have acted properly in about ______of cases that are appealed.
a. / Less than ten percentb. / Ten percent
c. / Twenty percent
d. / Eighty percent
e. / Ninety-nine percent
ANS: D REF: Page 21 OBJ: 4
37. About ____ percent of criminal cases are heard by juries.
a. / 5b. / 15
c. / 25
d. / 50
e. / 80
ANS: A REF: Page 21 OBJ: 4
38. Which of the following refers to a serious crime, usually carrying a penalty of incarceration for more than one year?
a. / Indictmentb. / Misdemeanor
c. / Felony
d. / Warrant
e. / plea bargain
ANS: C REF: Page 21 OBJ: 5
39. The 2011 trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician who prescribed medications that caused the death of singer Michael Jackson would be found in which layer of the criminal justice wedding cake?
a. / Layer 1: the top layerb. / Layer 2
c. / Layer 3
d. / Layer 4
e. / Layer 5: the bottom layer
ANS: A REF: Page 22 OBJ: 5
40. Which layer of the criminal justice wedding cake consists of serious felonies?
a. / Layer 1: the top layerb. / Layer 2
c. / Layer 3
d. / Layer 4
e. / Any of the layers would include serious felonies
ANS: B REF: Page 22 OBJ: 5
41. Most homicide cases in the United States would fall into which category of the wedding cake model?
a. / Layer 1b. / Layer 2
c. / Layer 3
d. / Layer 4
e. / Local crimes are not included
ANS: B REF: Page 22 OBJ: 5
42. In 2012 former presidential candidate John Edwards was acquitted of charges that he violated campaign finance laws. According to the wedding cake model, this widely televised and reported trial had all of the earmarks of a ____ case.
a. / Layer 1b. / Layer 2
c. / Layer 3
d. / Layer 4
e. / botched
ANS: A REF: Page 22 OBJ: 5
43. Which model of criminal justice is more like an “obstacle course” than an assembly-line?
a. / The crime control modelb. / The diversion model
c. / The due process model
d. / The institutional model
e. / The misdemeanor model
ANS: C REF: Page 23 OBJ: 5
44. Which of the following is not a primary emphasis of Packer’s crime control model of criminal justice?
a. / efficiencyb. / speed
c. / finality
d. / capacity to adjudicate a high proportion of offenders
e. / ensure that offender rights are secured
ANS: E REF: Page 23 OBJ: 5
45. Which of the following is NOT an element of Packer’s due process model of criminal justice?
a. / the adversarial processb. / rights of defendants
c. / conviction rate of criminal prosecutions
d. / formal decision-making procedures
e. / decisions based on reliable information
ANS: C REF: Page 24 OBJ: 5
46. Which of the following refers to a difference in treatment between groups?
a. / Federalismb. / Prejudice
c. / Disparity
d. / Exchange
e. / Discretion
ANS: C REF: Page 24 OBJ: 6
47. The fact that federal sentencing guidelines punish users of crack cocaine more harshly than users of powder 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 policyb. / 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
ANS: A REF: Page 27 OBJ: 6
48. In the 40 most populous counties in the United States, the percentage of juvenile felony defendants that who are African-American is about: