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One of the five major areas of civil law is domestic relations law. Brady material consists of any exculpatory material that the prosecutor has and must be turned over to the defense prior to trial. Answer: F Searches conducted at […]

Severe defects in trial proceedings that require reversal of a conviction and remand for a new trial in order to avoid a miscarriage of justice are called a. plain error b. harmless error c. reversible error d. none of these […]

The second step in jury selection is the drawing of the _____. Case scheduling is a simple process. Answer: F Victim/witness _____ programs are designed to help better navigate the court process. Answer: Assistance Defendants will opt for a trial […]

Which of the following statements is true about drug courts? a. The first drug court was in New York City. b. These courts assume that treatment will reduce the likelihood that convicted drug offenders will reoffend. c. Judges who oversee […]

1 Chapter 1 COURTS, CRIME, AND CONTROVERSY TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The most influential actor in the courthouse is the: a. judge c. clerk of court b. defense attorney d. prosecutor 2. A trial by a judge without a […]

192 ANS: C REF: The Criminal Justice Wedding Cake OBJ: 10 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 10 ARREST TO ARRAIGNMENT TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following is a major weakness of the Uniform Crime Reports? a. The data […]

235 Chapter 11 DISCLOSING AND SUPPRESSING EVIDENCE TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Brady v. Maryland prevents the suppression of what type of evidence? a. Incriminating c. Exculpatory b. Exclamatory d. Confessions 2. Some states […]

261 ANS: B REF: Law in Action: Bargaining and Discretion OBJ: 2 KEY: Chapter 12 NEGOTIATED JUSTICE AND THE PLEA OF GUILTY TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The principal weakness of the excessive caseload hypothesis, in plea bargaining, is what […]

283 Chapter 13 TRIALS AND JURIES TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Pretrial publicity can taint a jury pool. What process is supposed to screen out potential jurors who have been tainted? a. venire c. voir dire b. objections d. venue […]

312 Chapter 14 SENTENCING OPTIONS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. “Only by ‘locking him up and throwing away the key’ can we assure that he won’t be able to rape another woman.” That statement best matches which of the following […]

348 14. Researchers find that urban courts make greater use of probation and shorter prison terms than their rural counterparts. 15. A law on the books approach to mandatory minimum sentences stresses nullification by discretion, whereas a law in action […]

Chapter 15 SENTENCING DECISIONS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The most important factor in setting normal penalties is the a. seriousness of the offense. c. persuasiveness of the prosecutor. b. prior record of the offender. d. skill of the defense […]

359 ANS: C REF: Nature of the Appellate Process OBJ: 5 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 16 APPELLATE AND HABEAS CORPUS REVIEW TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following is a primary purpose of the appellate process? a. error […]

402 ANS: A REF: Transfer to Adult Court OBJ: 3 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 17 JUVENILE COURTS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Automatic waivers are built on what premise? a. some juveniles need to go to jail b. once an […]

20 ANS: B REF: Effects of Criminal Law on the Courts OBJ: 8 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 2 LAW AND CRIME TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The key characteristics of common law include all of the following, except: a. predominately […]

41 ANS: A REF: Basic Principles of Court Organization OBJ: 2 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 3 FEDERAL COURTS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The United States has a dual court system consisting of: a. district and superior courts. c. criminal […]

63 Chapter 4 STATE COURTS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Which of the following is not an essential element of therapeutic jurisprudence? a. immediate intervention c. treatment programs b. hands-on judicial involvement d. adversarial adjudication 2. How many layers exist […]

82 Chapter 5 THE DYNAMICS OF COURTHOUSE JUSTICE TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The _____ is responsible for transporting detained defendants from the jail to the courthouse. a. bailiff c. sheriff’s deputy b. bail bondsman d. clerk of court 2. […]

103 Chapter 6 PROSECUTORS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. The office of the prosecutor is in which branch of government? a. Executive c. judicial b. Legislative d. administrative 2. Prosecutor’s spend most of their time working with members of what […]

125 ANS: C REF: The Right to Counsel OBJ: 1 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 7 DEFENSE ATTORNEYS TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court hold that indigent defendants charged with a felony are entitled […]

148 Chapter 8 JUDGES TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. What is one of the most frustrating aspects of being a judge? a. heavy caseloads b. administrative problems c. heavy caseloads and corresponding administrative problems d. working with the courtroom work […]

170 ANS: C REF: Characteristics of Defendants OBJ: 2 KEY: Bloom’s: Remember Chapter 9 DEFENDANTS, VICTIMS, AND WITNESSES TEST BANK MULTIPLE CHOICE 1. Victims and witnesses face frustrations in coping with the court process a. but overall exhibit surprising support […]

Explain the difference between vertical and horizontal assignment of cases to prosecutors. Criminal law affects the courts in many ways, one of which revolves around sentencing of offenders. Describe the connection between the public, legislature and courts relating to criminal […]

Most state judges are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The “law in action” related to discovery is that prosecutors reveal information about their case to the defense in order to obtain a _____. Answer: guilty plea […]

CASE 6.1 The U.S. Attorneys serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the attorney general. One U.S. Attorney is assigned to each of the judicial districts, with the exception of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, where […]

Courts can be classified according to their function (rather than jurisdiction) into: a. local, state, and federal courts b. substantive and procedural c. national and multinational courts d. trial and appeals courts Which participants in the criminal justice system have […]

Who are the courtroom workgroup members? Why is it important that the members of the courtroom workgroup cooperate with each other? Answer: Judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys are representatives from separate, independent sponsoring institutions. They are drawn together by a […]

_____ jury review is required in all federal felony prosecutions. Reverse waivers allow a juvenile to _____ the criminal court to transfer jurisdiction to a juvenile court. Answer: petition Most assistant district attorneys are hired _____ after graduation from law […]

The primary justification for providing constitutional safeguards in the criminal justice process is to ensure that: a. innocent persons are not harassed or wrongly convicted b. the guilty are punished c. society administers justice to the accused d. convictions are […]

As prosecutorial dominance increased in the United States, the power of victims declined. _____ sentencing laws require that offenders convicted of certain offenses must be sentenced to a prison term of not less than a specified period of years, and […]

Original and appellate jurisdiction fall under what classification of jurisdiction? a. geographical jurisdiction b. subject matter jurisdiction c. hierarchical jurisdiction d. general jurisdiction Which of the following states does not have any trial courts of limited jurisdiction? a. California b. […]

Supporters of the Due Process Model worry that plea bargaining may undercut protections afforded individuals in our adversary system. Some states have two courts of last resortone for civil appeals and another for criminal appeals. Answer: T One of the […]

Juveniles were denied the right to a jury trial by the Supreme Court in 1971 in what case? a. McKeiver v. Pennsylvania b. O”Connor v. Pennsylvania c. Pittman v. Pennsylvania d. Solis v. Pennsylvania The traditional legal rule regarding confessions […]

The Victim and Witness _____ Act, a federal law passed in 1982, required greater protection of victims and witnesses and also mandated guidelines for the fair treatment of victims and witnesses in federal criminal cases. Contrast the due process and […]

Once a not guilty verdict is returned the prosecutor cannot _____ the acquittal. The three major reasons for case attrition are: (1) legal judgments, (2) policy priorities, and (3) personal standards of justice. Answer: T Before jury deliberations the judge […]

What is an Alford plea? Explain what it is, whether or not it is constitutional, and why this type of plea has its critics. In _____ elections, the candidate’s political party is listed on the ballot. Answer: partisan Why are […]

CASE 6.1 The U.S. Attorneys serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the attorney general. One U.S. Attorney is assigned to each of the judicial districts, with the exception of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, where […]

Judge who disagree with the majority opinion in an appeal may write a dissenting opinion. In some cases, the fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine bars _____ evidence. Answer: derivative Juvenile court proceedings emphasize informality. Answer: T The defense has […]

To gain a potential advantage in plea bargaining, prosecutors sometimes a. deliberately overcharge. b. waive grand jury review. c. demand a preliminary hearing. d. refuse to take Alford pleas. A basic principle of U.S. law is that the losing party […]

What were the main objectives of changes in sentencing structures beginning in the 1960s? What were the major consequences of these changes? Answer: During the late 1960s and early 1970s, an unusual political coalition developed between liberals and conservatives. Both […]

What rule prohibits the prosecutor from using illegally obtained evidence during a trial? a. the exclusionary rule. b. the discovery rule. c. the alibi rule. d. the suppression rule. A common civil remedy used in drug cases is: a. writ […]

The importance of the Supreme Court is measured in terms of: a. the cases it does not hear. b. the sheer volume of cases that they are required to hear each year. c. the wide-ranging impact their decisions have on […]

American prison populations have been leveling off since 1995. Lawyers must assert valid defense and ensure _____. Answer: confidentiality The principal objective of a _____ court system is a shift in judicial administration from local control to centralized management. Answer: […]

A successful mistake of fact defense negates the _____ of the crime with which the defendant is charged. The organization of courts in the United States impacts case processing. Answer: T What are the most recent changes by the U.S. […]

Which of the following is not one of the justice professionals in the courthouse? a. social services personnel b. prosecutors c. judges d. police The principal weakness of the excessive caseload hypothesis, in plea bargaining, is what assumption? a. a […]

The results of the most recent and methodologically sophisticated studies provide evidence that the contemporary sentencing process is not racially neutral. In the bifurcated process used in death penalty cases, during the first phase of the trial the jury considers […]

Proponents of the _____ Model of criminal justice argue that children who commit crimes should be punished as adults. The use of precedent promotes fairness and consistency. Answer: T The “law in action” represents an idealized view of law, one […]

Many defendants view the public defender as similar to what other courtroom actor? a. The judge b. the bailiff c. the victim d. the defendant What effect can the exclusionary rule have on the prosecutor when questions of the constitutionality […]

Criminal trials start with two presumptions: the presumption of innocence and the presumption of a. sanity b. Fairness c. reasonable doubt d. justice Around ninety percent of felony convictions result from: a. a plea bargain b. a trial by jury […]

What Amendment gives a criminal defendant the privilege not to testify at trial? a. 4th b. 5th c. 6th d. 7th During trials, attorneys must make timely objections to judge’s rulings on points of law, or the objection will be […]

When prosecutors are not acting as the government’s advocate in some judicial phase of the criminal justice process they enjoy only qualified immunity for their actions. Assistant prosecutors are often judged not on how many cases they win, but on […]

Some proponents of the crime control model of criminal justice go as far as to argue that it is time to abolish the juvenile court altogether. Prohibition on conduct that brings the judicial office into disrepute is a requirement of […]

In the courtroom work group, the judge generally knows less about the case than the attorneys. SVU often bases its storylines on real cases. Answer: T _____ are conclusions or deductions that can be made based on the facts that […]

What prompted the passage of the Victim and Witness Protection Act? In what way(s) did the Act help victims and witnesses? Explain why most searches by law enforcement are legally conducted without a search warrant. Answer: The majority of searches […]

Assistant district attorneys spend most of their time not in the central office but in the ____. Changes in sentencing structure since the 1960s have resulted in a major increase in the number of persons in prison in the United […]

Which of the following actors would be in favor of broader discovery laws? a. prosecutors b. judges c. defense attorney d. police officers An advantage to the public defender system is that a. it likely provides more experienced counsel. b. […]

The three major agencies involved in prosecution in state courts are the state attorney general, the chief prosecutor and the a. local prosecutor b. federal attorney general c. solicitor general d. defense attorney CASE 3.1 The founding fathers engaged in […]

What factor(s) affect the availability of lawyers to represent defendants in major cities? a. low status b. difficulty in securing clients c. low fees d. all of these answers are correct What happens when victims a. lack of cooperation b. […]

The “trial” to determine whether a youth is guilty or not guilty is called what in juvenile court? a. initial hearing b. detention hearing c. adjudicatory hearing d. conference hearing Which of the following is not a traditional aspect of […]

What types of evidence must always be turned over by the prosecutor to the defense in virtually all jurisdictions? a. all open files of any type b. all exculpatory evidence and all impeachment evidence c. all witness statements d. all […]

Jury _____ use social science research to _____ jurors. The UCR is based on crimes reported to police. Answer: T The collection of certain debts owed the federal government is one of the responsibilities of ____. Answer: U.S. attorneys Use […]

What statements consist of written or oral information about the impact of crime on the victim and the victim’s family? a. victim impact statements b. victim testimony c. eyewitness testimony d. circumstantial evidence Courts of therapeutic jurisdiction do not include […]

In recent years, state high courts have become important _____. Victim cooperation with the prosecution dramatically _____the odds that a case will be prosecuted. Answer: increases The _____ branch of government controls the length of the prison term. Answer: Executive […]

Victim/witness _____ programs encourage cooperation in the court process by reducing inconveniences faced by citizens appearing in court. The clerk of court is responsible for maintaining order in the courtroom. Answer: F The three major methods of judicial selection include […]

Closed discovery encourages a. plea-bargains. b. jury trials. c. trials without a jury. d. guilty pleas. CASE 1.3 As a result of increased enforcement efforts, the courts and correctional facilities are inundated with mostly low-level drug offenders. Public support of […]

CASE 16.2 Criminal appeals are generally routine because they seldom raise meritorious issues (Primus, 2007; Wold & Caldeira, 1980). Current standards of effective assistance of counsel often force lawyers to appeal, no matter how slight the odds of appellate court […]

Overall, states in the western region of the United States impose the harshest punishments for crime. Brief, limited investigative detentions (‘stop and frisk”) are also known as _____ stops as a result of the landmark Supreme Court decision authorizing them. […]

Trial courts of _____ jurisdiction are commonly referred to as major trial courts. According to the wedding cake model, the top layer of the criminal justice system consists of _____ cases. Answer: celebrated Evidence of racial imbalance in prison populations […]

In the United States, separate systems of federal courts and state courts exist. The race of the offender and victim is less important in sentencing the race of the offender alone. Answer: F The major alternatives to imprisonment include probation; […]