Deck 5: Police Investigations in the Twenty-First Century

Question 1

Patrol officers are responsible for criminal investigations

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Detectives are responsible for criminal investigations.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

A criminal investigation is a lawful search for people and items useful in reconstructing an illegal act.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Successful investigations are based not only on fidelity, accuracy and sincerity in lawfully searching for the facts, but also on an equal faithfulness, exactness and probity in reporting the results.

Question 5

It is the job of detectives to collect all of the evidence and then make the criminal suffer.

Question 6

For detectives, one of the first concerns should be whether the evidence collected will be admissible in court

Question 7

Admissibility of evidence depends on whether the evidence is relevant, material, and competent

Question 8

The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution has an important function in preserving the rights of citizens in terms of evidence

Question 9

After marking, logging and photographing evidence, the next step is to physically collect the evidence for examination and testing

Question 10

The final step in the process of crime scene investigation has to do with after-search photographs; these photographs are intended to show evidence the detectives missed

Question 11

A police officer can search a suspect if the officer has a search warrant or if the search is incident to a lawful arrest

Question 12

In Terry v. Ohio, the Supreme Court held that a stop and frisk is not essential to the proper performance of a police officer's investigative duties.

Question 13

The exclusionary rule prohibits the use of evidence or testimony obtained in violation of the Constitution.

Question 14

In 1961, in Mapp v. Ohio, the Supreme Court extended the exclusionary rule by requiring that state courts use the rule

Question 15

Probable cause means that the police do not have to a direct link between a suspect and a crime

Question 16

The objective of a criminal investigation is to determine ______________.

A) Whether the police can get a suspect to confess
B) The truth as far as it can be discovered in any inquiry
C) Means, motive and opportunity for any suspect
D) Who did the crime; not necessarily the "truth"

Question 17

It is the job of detectives to collect all of the evidence and present it first to ______________.

A) Prosecutors and then to the courts
B) The media
C) The jury
D) Other detectives

Question 18

The reality of our legal system is this: Accusations of crime must be supported in court by legally significant ______________.

A) Hearsay testimony
B) Information gleaned from snitches
C) Evidence
D) Opinions by people paid for by the prosecution

Question 19

Once the crime scene is secured and photographed, the placement of markings next to items of evidence being seized helps to establish, by number, ______________.

A) Which evidence was planted
B) Which items were found first and the location of each item as it pertains to its collection by the police
C) Which items the lead detective thinks might be relevant
D) Which evidence is related to the principal suspect

Question 20

The before, during and after photographs of a crime scene help to complete a necessary visual aid, which is helpful for investigators to refer to as they continue on in their investigations, but also for ______________.

A) Newspaper crime reporters
B) Curious bystanders
C) Nonfiction authors who may write about the case
D) Any judge or jury to ponder as a point of reference when connecting an item to the location at which it was found

Question 21

There are three important elements of the Fourth Amendment that controls the activities of law enforcement when it comes to searching for and collecting evidence; these critical elements are: 1) When suspects and their property can be searched; 2) When a search warrant is needed and 3) _______.

A) How a search warrant is obtained
B) Who writes up a search warrant application
C) The timeliness of a search warrant
D) Whether there are grammar errors in the search warrant

Question 22

A police officer can search a suspect if the officer has a search warrant or if the search is ______________

A) Related to an officer's search for evidence
B) Done in good faith
C) Conducted on a minority youth
D) Incident to a lawful arrest

Question 23

In the 1968 case of Terry v. Ohio, the Supreme Court concluded that a police officer need not have probable cause in order to do a stop and frisk. The Court said that a frisk (or a pat-down of the outer clothing of an individual) is essential to the:

A) Use of aggressive policing
B) Proper performance of a police officer's investigative duties
C) Use of smart policing
D) Proper performance of harassing minority citizens

Question 24

The rules of evidence affect a police officers' conduct because collecting ______________ is part of their job.

A) Evidence
B) Clues
C) Motives
D) Payoffs

Question 25

The federal rules of evidence state that evidence gathered through immoral, illegal, or unconstitutional means should:

A) Be used in the trial
B) Be used to get a confession
C) Be used to convince the prosecutor to bring charges
D) Not be used as evidence in a trial

Question 26

The exclusionary rule prohibits the use of evidence or testimony obtained in violation of the ______________.

A) Victim's wishes
B) First Amendment
C) Constitution
D) Moral code of the suspect

Question 27

In 1961, in Mapp v. Ohio, the U.S. Supreme Court extended the exclusionary rule by requiring that ______________ must use the rule.

A) Federal courts
B) Police officers
C) District judges
D) State courts

Question 28

Primary evidence refers to direct evidence; direct evidence _______.

A) Supports the assertion of guilt or innocence
B) Comes directly from the victim
C) Supports what the defendant says
D) Is basically hearsay evidence

Question 29

The fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine declares that the rules of evidence applied not only to evidence directly obtained by illegal means, but also to any other ______________.

A) Evidence that came about because of bribes
B) Evidence garnered indirectly
C) Circumstantial evidence
D) Ballistics evidence

Question 30

In the 1949 case of Wolf v. Colorado, the Supreme Court held that state courts had to enact procedures to protect the rights of citizens against police abuses of search and seizure; essentially, this meant that the ______________ doctrine applied in state courts.

A) Monroe
B) Truman
C) Fruit of the poisonous tree
D) Stop and frisk

Question 31

In order for the police to obtain a search warrant, there must be ______________ .

A) Reasonable doubt
B) A presumption of innocence
C) Fruit of the poisonous tree
D) Probable cause

Question 32

Probable cause means that there is a likelihood of a _______ ______________ between a suspect and a crime.

A) Direct link
B) Circumstantial link
C) Indirect link
D) Far-fetched link

Question 33

Some important exceptions to the need for a search warrant include a search incident to a lawful arrest, a plain-view search, a consent to search and ______________.

A) The rule of thumb
B) The exclusionary rule
C) Exigent circumstances
D) Police officer zeal

Question 34

In the exigent circumstance exception to obtaining a search warrant, the need for a search warrant is waived if the police officer must act swiftly and if the officer determines that ______________.

A) He doesn't want to take the time to get a search warrant
B) He doesn't want to bother a judge to sign a search warrant
C) He forgot to get a search warrant
D) He does not have time to go to a court to seek a warrant

Question 35

The good faith exemption to the search warrant rule is when a search that has been authorized by the court has an error that renders it ______________.

A) Invalid
B) Totally wrong
C) Bizarre
D) Devoid of any meaning

Question 36

The U.S. Supreme Court, in the landmark 1966 case of Miranda v. Arizona, established that the Fifth Amendment pertained to police _______.

A) Excessive use of force
B) Use of the third degree
C) Interrogations and confessions
D) Lying to suspects

Question 37

After overturning the conviction of Ernesto Miranda, the Supreme Court stated that his confession was inadmissible as evidence and the Court provided a five-point warning, which is now well known as the ______________ _______.

A) Stop and frisk
B) Miranda warning
C) Monroe Doctrine
D) Plain view doctrine

Question 38

The first line of the Miranda warning is:

A) You have the right to bail
B) You have the right to be fingerprinted
C) You have the right to remain silent
D) You have the right to free speech

Question 39

In general, the interpretation by the courts is that any words or questions by the police that are reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response by a suspect qualify as an ______________.

A) Interrogation
B) Search and seizure
C) Stop and frisk
D) Harassment tactic

Question 40

Modus operandi, loosely translated, means "a method of operation;" but in a criminal investigation Modus operandi (or MO) refers to the way:

A) A suspect answers questions
B) A criminal asks for an attorney
C) A criminal prefers to commit his or her crimes
D) A suspect gives their alibi

Question 41

The detection & investigation of crime requires reliable ______________.

A) Clues
B) Plans
C) Snitches
D) Intelligence

Question 42

The key to a successful investigation is ______________.

A) Information
B) Many detectives being involved
C) One super sleuth
D) Paid informants