Archives: Quiz

CASE 14.3 In Trop v. Dulles (1958), the Supreme Court explained that the scope of the Cruel and Unusual Punishments Clause of the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is not static, but rather should be interpreted on the basis […]

Which of the following are negative consequences of delay in the courts? a. Delay works to the disadvantage of the prosecutor. b. Delay works to the advantage of the judge. c. Delay jeopardizes the rights of defendants. d. All of […]

CASE 1.1 The creation of “designer drugs” is outpacing the ability of society to enact laws to prohibit them. Many of these substances have negative side effects, ranging from violent behavior to death. Which of the following responses to the […]

Joe Smith suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. He has been under a doctor’s care for ten years, but often stops taking his medication because he thinks he’s cured. While off his medication, Joe steals a car to “escape from a CIA […]

Formal methods for removing unfit judges include which of the following? a. impeachment proceedings b. recall elections c. impeachment proceedings and recall elections d. impeachment proceedings, recall elections, and judicial conduct commissions One of the alternatives to institutional incarceration is […]

A Batson challenge, derived from the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Batson v. Kentucky, alleges what? a. that the prosecutor or defense attorney is exercising his/her peremptory challenges to exclude jurors solely on the basis of their race. b. that […]

With a “plea on the nose”, a defendant a. pleads guilty to the original charge. b. pleads guilty only to the top charge. c. avoids later prosecution for possibly related offenses. d. accepts the maximum sentence. In Ewing v. California […]

The due process model of criminal justice believes the death penalty should be abolished because a. it is morally wrong for the state to take a life. b. it is legally wrong for the state to take a life. c. […]

CASE 2.2 Uniformed officers are driving a marked car into an area known for heavy drug trafficking, intending to investigate drug activity and anticipating encountering drug customers and lookouts. One officer sees the suspect standing next to a building and […]

Federal judicial appointments must be confirmed by a. the President of the United States. b. the Vice President of the United States. c. members of the U.S. House of Representatives. d. members of the U.S. Senate. CASE 17.2 The nature […]

CASE 17.1 Beginning around 1890, members of the Progressive movement advocated a variety of political, economic, and social reforms. They were genuinely concerned about the economic disparities, social disorders, and excesses of industrialization, particularly as they affected children. Progressives denounced […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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: […]

_____ 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 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; […]

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 […]

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. […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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. […]

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 […]

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 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 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 […]

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 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 […]

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 […]

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 […]