Chapter 1: An Introduction to Crime and the Criminal Justice System

Test Bank

Multiple Choice

1. What are the three entities that comprise the criminal justice system?

A. lawyers, police, and probation officers

B. lawyers, courts, and police

C. courts, probation officers, and lawyers

D. courts, police, and corrections

2. Why is the U.S. criminal justice system so large?

A. The United States has a large population, and a large population of criminals.

B. There are a lot of adults in the criminal justice system.

C. There are a lot of minors and adults in the criminal justice system.

D. There are a lot of laws that have a consequence of jail time if broken.

3. Christopher was approved to leave prison by a panel of experts who deemed he was no longer a threat to the society. What is the condition of Christopher’s release called?

A. parole

B. probation

C. work release

D. recognizance

4. For every White male who is imprisoned, how many Black males are imprisoned?

A. 6

B. 8

C. 10

D. 12

5. Which statement accurately describes the distinction between probation and parole?

A. Probation is when a person serves a partial sentence, and parole is when a person serves a complete prison sentence.

B. Probation is when a person spends time in jail, and parole is when a person serves time in prison.

C. Probation is a suspended sentence allowing an individual to serve their sentence in a community, and parole releases convicts to serve the rest of their sentence in the community.

D. Probation is for misdemeanors, and parole is for felonies.

6. Which type of crime has the highest likelihood of capital punishment?

A. Black on non-Black murder

B. non-Black on Black murder

C. Black on Black murder

D. non-Black on non-Black murder

7. Which type of policy helps politicians appear to be tough on crime?

A. federal laws

B. three-strikes law

C. States’ Rights Prison Act

D. proactive policing

8. California was ordered by the federal government in 2009 to reduce the prison population. California voters passed Prop 47, which released certain offenders from prison. Which type of convictions were released under Prop 47?

A. grand theft

B. embezzlement

C. nonviolent property and drug crimes

D. nonviolent domestic battery

9. When does the criminal justice system process begin?

A. when a crime is committed

B. when law enforcement learns of a crime that was committed

C. when an indictment is issued

D. when a person is arrested

10. Which term refers to when the prosecutor drops the charges during a case?

A. nolle prosequi

B. nolo contendere

C. mallum in se

D. mallum prohibitum

11. At trial, the lawyers show evidence to prove or refute the claims. What does the judge do at trial?

A. uphold the rights of the defendant

B. question jurors

C. rule on legal issues

D. determine the facts

12. Who are the trained professionals who work with victims of crime in the criminal justice system?

A. victim coach

B. victim professional

C. therapists

D. victim advocates

13. Which concept describes when a judge is willing to override precedent or other branches of government based upon conscience or changing views?

A. judicial activism

B. judicial discretion

C. judicial sentencing

D. judicial opinion

14. How does the USA Freedom Act differ from the USA Patriot Act?

A. The Freedom Act stopped enhanced interrogation techniques.

B. The Patriot Act restricted immigration from terrorists supported countries.

C. The Freedom Act limited the ability of the NSA to track phone data on citizens.

D. The Patriot Act allowed the Executive Branch to monitor the progress of court cases on terrorism.

15. Which U.S. President signed the USA Patriot Act into law?

A. George H. W. Bush

B. George W. Bush

C. William J. Clinton

D. Barak H. Obama

16. A criminal defendant was charged with theft. He did not plead guilty but accepted the punishment for the crime without admitting guilt. What did the defendant plea?

A. nolo contendere

B. nolle prosequi

C. mallum in se

D. mallum prohibitum

17. What is the most common definition of crime?

A. breaking the law

B. malicious intent

C. hurting another person

D. violating a social norm

18. Murder, rape, and robbery are commonly categorized as which type of crime?

A. personal

B. victimless

C. property

D. street

19. What is the least common property crime?

A. petty theft

B. burglary

C. auto theft

D. grand theft

20. Legal and illegal immigrants are ______ in the incarcerated population while natives of the United States are ______.

A. overrepresented; underrepresented

B. underrepresented; overrepresented

C. adaptive; maladaptive

D. maladaptive; adaptive

21. Who was the first person to recognize white-collar crime as a serious issue?

A. Sutherland

B. Friedrichs

C. Locke

D. Fitzgerald

22. Can white-collar crimes be considered victimless crimes?

A. Yes, because the offender usually takes money that is insured by the bank.

B. Yes, because money is not a person and cannot be considered a victim.

C. No, because there are no victimless crimes.

D. No, because white-collar crimes harm individuals and the economy.

23. In 2006, Kenneth Lay, Enron CEO, was convicted on 10 charges of what?

A. securities fraud

B. embezzlement

C. Ponzi schemes

D. bank fraud

24. Which of the following is an example of cybercrime?

A. libel

B. illegal gambling

C. stealing a computer

D. identity theft via the Internet

25. Which example is a violent cybercrime?

A. theft

B. stalking

C. selling stolen electronics

D. violent crimes committed by Internet users

26. Who do terrorists target as victims?

A. military personnel

B. noncombatants/civilians

C. state buildings

D. other terrorist groups

27. What was the stated motivation for the Oklahoma City Bombing in 1995?

A. The domestic terrorists believed that the government was trying to steal their land.

B. The domestic terrorists believed that the government was trying to restrict their rights to bear arms.

C. The domestic terrorists believed that the government was trying to invade their privacy.

D. The domestic terrorists believed that the government was trying to allow too many illegals into the United States.

28. What is the most prominent international terrorist group in 2018?

A. ISIS

B. McVeigh

C. FBI

D. militia survivalists

29. What is the difference between mala in se and mala prohibita?

A. Mala in se is against the law and mala prohibita is immoral.

B. Mala in se is immoral and mala prohibita is against the law.

C. Mala in se is against the law and mala prohibita is against nature.

D. Mala in se is immoral and mala prohibita is against nature.

30. By early 2018, nine states had laws that allow the possession of small amounts of marijuana. These states did not legalize marijuana, but it is ______.

A. Castle Doctrine

B. justifiable

C. decriminalized

D. mala in se

31. What evidence is necessary for justifiable homicide?

A. protecting property

B. offender was fleeing the scene

C. immediate threat to a human life

D. physical altercation with police

32. Which statement accurately describes the duty to retreat?

A. attempt to avoid conflict before engaging with the offender

B. warn the suspect before using deadly force

C. a suspect’s right to flee from law enforcement

D. trespassing while perusing a suspect

33. What is the Make My Day Law?

A. when a person does not have to give a person the option to retreat

B. when a person does not have to retreat if they are in their home

C. when a person can use deadly force even death is immediate.

D. when the police can use deadly force to protect property

34. Historically, how was the criminal offense of adultery defined?

A. sex between an unmarried couple

B. any homosexual activity or sex outside of marriage

C. sex between a married man and a person other than his wife

D. sex between a married woman and a person other than her husband

35. What is the punishment for adultery in the U.S. military?

A. court-martial

B. dishonorable discharge

C. honorable discharge

D. nonjudicial proceeding

36. What is the blood alcohol limit in the United States?

A. 0.05%

B. 0.15%

C. 0.08%

D. 0.12%

37. In 2013, what word did the FBI remove from the definition of rape?

A. penetration

B. forcibly

C. married

D. consent

38. What is the function of rape shield laws?

A. Defense attorneys do not get to find out the name of the victim until trial.

B. Defense attorneys cannot cross examine a rape victim on past sexual behavior.

C. Victims of rape are not required to testify at trial.

D. Information about the accused is kept confidential until convicted.

39. What is the legal meaning of sexual abuse?

A. touching without consent

B. sexual violence against children

C. forcible penetration

D. nonconsensual marital sex

40. What is the meaning sexual assault?

A. touching without consent

B. sexual violence against children

C. forcible penetration

D. nonconsensual marital sex

41. What theory holds the belief that if a punishment is weak, criminals won’t fear the punishment?

A. recidivism theory

B. crime control theory

C. rehabilitation theory

D. criminal punishment theory

42. Crime control theory suggests that offenders are ______.

A. greedy and impulsive

B. morally corrupt and thrill seeking

C. reckless and evil

D. violent and impulsive

43. What do recidivism rates suggest about the crime control theory?

A. These tools work together to explain why criminals commit crimes.

B. Low recidivism rates show that crime control policies work.

C. High recidivism rates show that crime control policies do not work.

D. These tools explain why men commit more crimes than women.

44. Which statement is the central tenant of the rehabilitative perspective?

A. Everyone can be rehabilitated.

B. Rehabilitation options should be available to those who ask for it.

C. People who know that rehabilitation is an option won’t commit crimes.

D. People commit crime because of blocked opportunities.

46. Restorative justice is most concerned with ______.

A. reasons a crime was committed

B. punishment for the crime

C. elements that make up a crime

D. the victim of a crime

47. A person convicted of DUI was offered treatment, counseling, and probation in a work-release program. Which approach to criminal justice is enacted in this example?

A. due process

B. crime control

C. restorative justice

D. nonintervention

48. What do social control measures seek to accomplish in society?

A. law and order

B. conformity and compliance

C. order and compliance

D. law and conformity

49. What is the implicit agreement of the social contract?

A. Organized society created an agreement that is beneficial to everyone.

B. Organized societies agree on certain types of criminal justice systems.

C. Trade and commerce will be decided peacefully.

D. Criminals will obey the criminal justice system.

50. How does the consensus model view the function of criminal law?

A. Laws should be unanimously supported.

B. Laws protect public space.

C. Laws protect citizens and maximize peace.

D. Punishment should be decided by popular vote.

51. According to the conflict model, who has the power to define what is criminal?

A. people in power

B. judges

C. police

D. citizens

52. Which historical figure’s ideas support conflict theory?

A. John Locke

B. Thomas Jefferson

C. Karl Marx

D. Socrates

53. One of the biggest problems with media and the criminal justice system is ______.

A. exposing the names of people involved

B. intrusion into people’s privacy

C. reporting inaccuracies about crime and victimization

D. it causes the crime it reports on

54. How does framing impact criminal justice policies?

A. Media frames influence public opinion.

B. Framing is how detectives are educated.

C. Policy makers need topics framed to better understand the nature of the problem.

D. Framing helps bridge the gap between everyday citizens and policy makers.

55. Which frame explains that people commit crimes when they think they can get away with it?

A. blocked opportunities frame

B. crime control frame

C. social breakdown frame

D. faulty criminal justice system frame

56. An assumption of the faulty criminal justice system frame is ______.

A. the needs of victims come first

B. punishments are not harsh enough

C. that the criminal justice system oppresses minorities

D. rehabilitation is necessary

57. Which frame emphasizes environmental factors and circumstances that lead to crime?

A. blocked opportunities frame

B. crime control frame

C. social breakdown frame

D. faulty criminal justice system frame.

58. Which frame would support moral reform, social control, and traditional social expectations to deter crime?

A. blocked opportunities frame

B. crime control frame

C. social breakdown frame

D. faulty criminal justice system frame.

59. Which frame sees equality under the law as a solution to problems in the criminal justice system?

A. racist system frame

B. crime control frame

C. social breakdown frame

D. faulty criminal justice system frame.

60. Promoting policies that limit violence in movies, music, video games, and television aligns with the ______.

A. racist system frame

B. crime control frame

C. social breakdown frame

D. violent media frame

61. What is narrowcasting?

A. when judges and police in crime dramas are disproportionately played by White people

B. when criminals in crime dramas are disproportionately played by people of color

C. when small homogenous audiences get biased information from niche media outlets

D. when large diverse audiences are only offered one point of view from multiple media outlets

62. A student of criminal justice studies ______.

A. the system of police, courts, and probation

B. the nature of the crime committed

C. crime in communities

D. the interactions between civilians and police

63. A criminologist studies ______.

A. the system of police, courts, and probation

B. the nature of the crime committed

C. crime in communities

D. the interactions between civilians and police

64. A degree in criminal justice prepares people for careers in ______.

A. policing

B. firefighting

C. community organizing

D. psychology

65. Studying criminology prepares people for careers in ______.

A. policing

B. firefighting

C. community organizing

D. psychology

1. In 2015, 5 million adults were in the U.S. correctional system.

2. Prisons are for offenders who commit serious crimes and are sentenced to multiple years of incarceration.

3. Victims are usually the first people to alert the police of a crime.

4. President Obama allowed the USA Patriot Act to expire in 2011 without signing an extension.

5. Status offenses are crimes that would be illegal if committed by a minor, but legal if committed by an adult.

6. White-collar crimes usually involve fraud and the manipulation of finances.

7. Cybercrimes are victimless because there is no physical contact.

8. Acts of terrorism are usually spur of the moment with little to no planning.

9. People convicted of driving under the influence rarely spend time in prison or jail.

10. Until 2011, the FBI definition of rape did not allow men or boys to be victims of rape.

11. By 2018, 46 states have medical marijuana laws to use marijuana to treat disease.

12. What constitutes justifiable homicide has changed over time. Currently, anyone who unlawfully enters a person’s home can be justifiably murdered.

13. Due process requires different treatment for different groups of people.

14. Making a victim whole again after a crime is restorative justice.

15. The consensus model requires citizens to sign a social contract.

16. Conflict model is based on division among members of society.

17. Media outlets avoid framing when they report on crime.

18. Narrowcasting is the delivery of advertisements to viewers.

19. Criminology focuses on the behavioral aspects of crime and victims.

20. Criminology and criminal justice are two different names for the same area of study.

1. A White woman, Black man, and Hispanic man all are found guilty of murder under the same circumstances. Will they all serve the same sentence?

2. How has the role of victims changed in the criminal justice system over the past several decades?

3. Why are white-collar crimes so much more damaging than street crimes?

4. Edwin Sutherland and Paul Tappan held two different theories on what makes a criminal. What are those theories?

5. Why was Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) started?

6. The Brock Turner case lead to what changes in California law?

7. What does the nonintervention perspective advocate for?

8. Why is the understanding of public policy helpful in our understanding of criminal justice?

9. Why is narrowcasting an issue in society today?

10. Why is it important to know the differences between criminal justice and criminology?

1. How do the three main components of the criminal justice system work together?

2. The USA Patriot Act was passed in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001. The Act is argued to be an infringement on inalienable rights. Discuss what an inalienable right is and how the Patriot Act infringes on those rights.

3. Victimless crimes state that they have no victim. What are considered victimless crimes and are they truly victimless?

4. The castle doctrine allows people to defend the homes from violent intruders. Discuss what challenges this presents to both the people in the dwelling and the intruders.

5. What is infotainment and how does it affect the public perception the criminal justice system?