Question 1

The "republican code movement" had an impact on the early American criminal justice system by:

Accepted Answer

The "republican code movement" influenced the early American criminal justice system by emphasizing the role of legislatures in creating laws, reflecting the movement's commitment to democratic principles and the idea that laws should be made by representatives of the people rather than inherited from past traditions or dictated by monarchs.

Question 2

A focus on process rather than outcome is characteristic of what has been called:

Accepted Answer

Bureaucratic justice emphasizes the importance of following established procedures and rules, often prioritizing the process over the final outcome. This approach contrasts with perspectives that focus primarily on achieving a desired result, regardless of the means.

Question 3

According to the text, The United States' founding fathers did everything they could to make the justice system as speedy and efficient as possible.

Accepted Answer

The U.S. founding fathers aimed to create a fair and balanced justice system, emphasizing due process and the protection of individual rights, rather than solely focusing on speed and efficiency.

Question 4

According to the text, the system of checks and balances upon which our government is based:

Accepted Answer

The system of checks and balances is designed to prevent any one branch of government from becoming too powerful, which inherently makes the process of governance less speedy and efficient by requiring consensus and oversight among the branches.

Question 5

At what stage in the criminal justice process does a defendant stand before a judge and is told of the charges against him/her, and asked to enter a plea?

Accepted Answer

Arraignment is the stage in the criminal justice process where the defendant stands before a judge, is informed of the charges, and asked to enter a plea.

Question 6

Jury nullification is when:

Accepted Answer

Jury nullification occurs when a jury refuses to convict a defendant despite evidence of guilt, often because the jurors believe the law is unjust or should not be applied in that particular case.

Question 7

Formal profiling of criminals began in the:

Accepted Answer

The answer of Formal profiling of criminals began in the:
...

Question 8

According to the text, which of the following profiling efforts has been proven to be successful?

Accepted Answer

The text suggests that none of the profiling efforts listed have been proven to be successful.

Question 9

A number of studies of highway profiling suggest that:

Accepted Answer

Studies on highway profiling have consistently shown that minorities are more likely to be stopped and searched than whites, but when it comes to finding evidence during those searches, the likelihood is about equal between blacks and whites.

Question 10

According to the text, police who stop people walking on the street are more likely to stop blacks, and are more likely to find weapons on:

Accepted Answer

The text indicates that while police are more likely to stop blacks, they are more likely to find weapons on whites when they do stop people. This suggests a discrepancy between the likelihood of being stopped based on race and the actual findings of contraband or weapons.

Question 11

According to information presented in the text, having experienced racial profiling themselves, how did blacks generally respond to the idea of profiling Arab Americans after 911?

Accepted Answer

Blacks, having experienced racial profiling themselves, were paradoxically more likely than whites to support the profiling of Arab Americans after 9/11, possibly due to the heightened concerns for national security and the complex nature of racial dynamics and perceptions of threat in the United States.

Question 12

Though no one knows for certain, according to the text, the best estimate is that about _____ wrongful convictions occur each year in the United States.

Accepted Answer

The best estimate for the number of wrongful convictions each year in the United States, according to the text, is about 10,000.

Question 13

According to the text, Governor George Ryan of Illinois declared a moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois and then commuted the sentences of death row inmates because he thought the death penalty was morally wrong.

Accepted Answer

Governor George Ryan declared a moratorium on the death penalty in Illinois and later commuted the sentences of death row inmates primarily due to concerns about the fairness and accuracy of the death penalty system, not solely because he thought the death penalty was morally wrong.

Question 14

Eyewitness error is one of the most common reasons why wrongful convictions occur.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Eyewitness error is one of the most...

Question 15

There are cases in which individuals confess to killing someone but in reality no crime has occurred.

Accepted Answer

False confessions can occur due to various reasons such as psychological pressure, coercion, mental incapacity, or misunderstanding during interrogation, leading individuals to confess to crimes, including murder, that never actually happened.

Quiz 8: Justice American Style