Deck 13: The Criminal Justice System

Question 1

Which of the following statements regarding prisons run by the TDCJ is true?

A) A lack of air conditioning has led to prisoner deaths.
B) Comfortable facilities and good food lead to many repeat offenders who want a place to stay.
C) Corrections officers are always qualified,properly screened,and trained.
D) Gang activity in the prison system has been largely eliminated.
E) The annual turnover rate for corrections officers in state prisons is under 5 percent.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following has oversight responsibility for county jails?

A) Texas Department of Public Safety
B) Texas Commission on Jail Standards
C) County Commissioners Court
D) Texas Rangers
E) Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements regarding race and ethnicity in the Texas criminal justice system is true?

A) Statistics prove that racial profiling is not a major problem in the state of Texas.
B) African Americans and Latinos are overrepresented in elected and appointed judicial positions.
C) Only a tiny fraction of inmates in the prison population are African American and Latino.
D) Racial and ethnic bias in criminal justice ended with the successes of the civil rights movement.
E) There is a strong perception among Texas minority groups that racial bias in the criminal justice system exists.

Answer 3

E

Question 4

When someone has been found guilty of a capital offense,how many jurors must agree to the death sentence for it to be carried out?

A) One-third of them
B) Half of them
C) Two-thirds of them
D) Three-quarters of them
E) All of them

Question 5

What is another term for administrative segregation?

A) Temporary leave
B) Race-based confinement
C) Life without parole
D) Solitary confinement
E) Commutation of sentence

Question 6

Which first offender faces no possibility of jail time for his or her offense?

A) Midori stole a brand-new car right off the dealer's lot.
B) Stephon hit a man over the head with a pool cue during a bar fight.
C) Juanita was pulled over for drunken driving and resisted arrest.
D) Raymond threatened to set fire to a mosque.
E) Miriam stole a radio worth $50 from a department store.

Question 7

What is the minimum sentence for a capital felony in the state of Texas?

A) Death by lethal injection
B) Life with the possibility of parole
C) 50 years of hard labor
D) A fine of $100,000
E) Life without parole

Question 8

Over the past three decades,which state has executed the most capital felons?

A) Georgia
B) New York
C) California
D) Texas
E) Ohio

Question 9

Which agency investigates negligence and misconduct regarding DNA evidence in a criminal case?

A) Criminal Justice Committee
B) Texas Forensic Science Commission
C) Texas criminal justice system
D) Committee to Stop the Death Penalty
E) The Texas attorney general's office

Question 10

Juvenile courts are considered to be which kind of courts?

A) Felony courts
B) Punitive courts
C) Probate courts
D) Civil courts
E) Criminal courts

Question 11

What is the best definition of the Texas Penal Code?

A) It is a code of conduct for attorneys.
B) It consists of requirements for prison officials.
C) It is a body of law relating to crime and punishment.
D) It consists of the tax laws of Texas.
E) It is a list of rules and regulations inmates are expected to follow.

Question 12

Which two agencies are responsible for convicts who serve all or part of their sentence in the community rather than in prison?

A) Community Justice Assistance Division and Parole Division
B) Department of Public Safety and Probation Office
C) Department of Criminal Justice and Department of Jail Standards
D) Health and Human Services and Prisoners' Reentry Office
E) Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Parole Division

Question 13

Derek was found guilty of possessing six ounces of marijuana.It is his first offense.What is the classification of his crime?

A) Second-degree felony
B) Class B misdemeanor
C) First-degree felony
D) Class A misdemeanor
E) State-jail felony

Question 14

What is it called when a prisoner re-offends after being released from confinement for a prior offense?

A) Chronic offender
B) The re-incarceration effect
C) Recidivism
D) A criminal re-offense
E) Reprieve

Question 15

Which of the following statements regarding county jails in Texas is true?

A) All have been privatized,leaving no public county jails.
B) They are designed to house felons serving long sentences.
C) They are all of exceptionally high quality.
D) Most of them do not offer rehabilitation programs.
E) They are mainly financed by the state government.

Question 16

When Texas ran out of pentobarbital for lethal injections in 2013,what did it turn to instead?

A) Compounding pharmacies for custom-made pentobarbital
B) Loans from other states that had stockpiled pentobarbital
C) Other forms of lethal injection drugs,like the ones used in Oklahoma
D) European drug companies looking to profit from killing prisoners
E) Firing squads and the electric chair

Question 17

Texas counties with populations over which figure are required by law to establish a drug court?

A) 25,000
B) 75,000
C) 250,000
D) 550,000
E) 900,000

Question 18

In Texas,what factors determine the punishment a convicted individual receives?

A) The severity and category of the crime
B) The district attorney's opinion of the case
C) The city in which the crime took place
D) The age of the crime victim
E) Whether there is adequate room in prison to house the convicted individual

Question 19

Which of these is one of the four stated purposes of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice?

A) To enact justice
B) To provide restitution to society
C) To punish lawbreakers
D) To establish social equality
E) To assist crime victims

Question 20

How has the current focus of legislators on rehabilitation and reentry impacted the criminal justice system in Texas?

A) It has had no effect on imprisonment rates.
B) It has succeeded at reducing the rising imprisonment rates of the twentieth century.
C) It has resulted in even higher imprisonment rates.
D) It has reduced the recidivism rate to almost zero.
E) It has allowed the state to close all but one state prison.

Question 21

Approximately what percentage of convicted adult criminals end up being resentenced to prison after their release?

A) 10 percent
B) 25 percent
C) 30 percent
D) 50 percent
E) 60 percent

Question 22

Which of the following statements regarding juvenile offenders in Texas is true?

A) Juveniles can never be transferred to adult prisons,even after they become adults.
B) Twenty-five percent of juveniles charged with serious crimes stand trial and are punished as adults.
C) Texas automatically directs 17-year-olds into the adult criminal justice system.
D) Over 1 million Texas youths enter the state's juvenile justice system every year.
E) Juveniles can only be designated as "status offenders," not "delinquent children."

Question 23

What is it called when a prosecutor agrees to make a deal if the defendant pleads guilty to specific charges,in return for specific concessions from the prosecutor?

A) A bargaining plan
B) A special concession
C) A plea bargain
D) A special arrangement
E) A no-contest arrangement

Question 24

Which of these would be classified as a status offense?

A) Selling drugs
B) Drunk driving
C) Shoplifting
D) Assault and battery
E) Skipping school

Question 25

Both the TDCJ and the TJJD collect DNA samples of all inmates convicted of which type of crime?

A) Misdemeanor
B) Civil offense
C) Class A offense
D) Felony offense
E) Status offense

Question 26

A low-level drug offender is most likely also to be dealing with which complicating issue(s)?

A) Homelessness and poverty
B) An overly busy work and home life
C) A high level of education and socioeconomic status
D) A history of violence
E) Gender confusion

Question 27

Which of the following statements regarding individuals in Texas with serious mental illnesses is true?

A) They are entitled to a wide array of treatment benefits free of charge.
B) They are 5 times as likely to be violent criminals as the typical Texas citizen.
C) They are 10 times as likely to be incarcerated as to receive treatment.
D) They are 10 times as likely to be the victim of a violent crime as the typical Texas citizen.
E) They are just as likely to commit crimes as any other individual who lives in Texas.

Question 28

In which case did the Supreme Court rule that the death penalty may not be used for punishment on anyone under 18 years of age (when the crime was committed)?

A) Atkins v.Virginia
B) Ford v.Wainwright
C) Roper v.Simmons
D) Furman v.Georgia
E) Roe v.Wade

Question 29

Why was the death penalty found unconstitutional in the 1972 Furman v.Georgia case?

A) The justices disagreed generally with the practice of executions.
B) The use of the death penalty was found to be arbitrary and racially biased.
C) The Court found that it violated the Eighth Amendment ban on "cruel and unusual punishment."
D) Different methods of execution were being used in different states,making it unfair.
E) The Court found that it placed an undue and unfair burden on taxpayers.

Question 30

Which scientific development has shown that some persons sentenced to death actually did not commit the crime?

A) DNA testing
B) Fingerprint analysis
C) Hair-strand analysis
D) Electro-encephalography
E) Retinal display

Question 31

Which of the following statements regarding the death penalty is true?

A) Its use has declined across the United States and Texas in recent years.
B) It has been definitively proven to deter crime.
C) Anyone convicted of murder is eligible for the death penalty.
D) It is carried out in most states using the electric chair.
E) Texas has placed a moratorium on the death penalty.

Question 32

According to statistics compiled by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice,which two characteristics are often shared by inmates in state prisons?

A) Illiteracy and mental retardation
B) Poor education levels and substance abuse
C) Mental retardation and having been abused as a child
D) Having been abused as a child and illiteracy
E) Lack of religious faith and poverty

Question 33

Which of the following would be subject to enhancement under the Texas Penal Code?

A) A crime committed by a street gang
B) A crime committed by an intoxicated person
C) A crime committed by a first-time offender
D) A charge of two offenses in the same criminal episode
E) A charge against someone under the age of 17

Question 34

Who has the job of representing the state of Texas in criminal cases?

A) A district attorney
B) A defense attorney
C) The attorney general
D) A pro bono attorney
E) The justice of the peace

Question 35

Who appoints the board members of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department?

A) The speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
B) The attorney general
C) The secretary of state
D) The governor
E) The chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court

Question 36

Adam committed capital murder when he was 16 years old.Under Texas state law,when can he legally be transferred to an adult prison?

A) Immediately upon conviction
B) When he reaches age 19
C) After he has served 10 years in a juvenile facility
D) If he commits another crime while an inmate in a juvenile facility
E) Never,because the offense occurred when he was a juvenile

Question 37

What are the primary motivations for hate crimes?

A) Religion and socioeconomic status
B) Race and sexual orientation
C) Gender and occupation
D) Education level and homelessness
E) Religion and gender

Question 38

In juvenile law,to what does the term adjudication hearing refer?

A) A trial
B) A grand jury indictment
C) An appellate review
D) A parole procedure
E) A status offense

Question 39

Why have so many people been convicted of crimes they didn't commit based on eyewitness identification?

A) No one has ever been convicted of a crime based on faulty eyewitness identification.
B) Eyewitnesses are often paid off by the prosecution or threatened by police to help gain a conviction.
C) Eyewitnesses can overlook facial features of people of different races,transfer memories of people from different settings,or have poor recall due to stress.
D) Judges allow prosecutors to find people who have a grudge against a defendant to serve as eyewitnesses.
E) Eyewitnesses almost always give very emotional testimony in the courtroom,which sways juries.

Question 40

For what reason(s)does Texas imprisons lawbreakers?

A) To achieve vengeance and pay restitution to crime victims
B) To punish,rehabilitate,isolate offenders,and deter crime
C) To make the prisons self-supporting and isolate offenders from society
D) To eliminate the drug problem and deter other persons from committing crimes
E) To discourage illegal immigrants from settling in Texas

Question 41

In 2016,the TDCJ announced a rule that prohibited Texas inmates from using which means of communication?

A) Social media websites
B) Cell phones
C) Prison-based public access television channels
D) Paying guards to deliver personal messages
E) Walkie-talkies and citizens band radios

Question 42

What is the system of classifying felonies as first,second,or third degree depending on the nature of the crime called?

A) Enhanced punishment
B) Graded penalties
C) Capital felony cases
D) Enhanced penalties
E) Common law

Question 43

Part of the mission of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is to reintegrate offenders into the general society after their release.Assess its efforts to achieve this mission and suggest improvements that may help it better fulfill that mission in the future.Are there things that other levels or branches of government can do to help?

Question 44

Explain how Texas handles juveniles who break the law.What changes to the juvenile justice system might you suggest? If you would recommend no change,explain why you think the Texas juvenile justice system is the best it could possibly be.

Question 45

Briefly describe the history of capital punishment in Texas.There are two sides to the capital punishment debate: those in favor and those against capital punishment.What are the arguments put forth by each side in support of their position?

Question 46

Summarize the process that faces a juvenile accused of committing a crime in Texas.

Question 47

Part of the mission of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is to assist crime victims.Assess its efforts to achieve this mission and suggest improvements that may help it better fulfill that mission in the future.Are there things that other levels or branches of government can do to help?

Question 48

Outline the difficulties that the TDCJ and its prisons face regarding their workforce or staff.How might these problems be alleviated?

Question 49

How does the state decide on the proper punishment for an individual's criminal offenses? Should incarceration continue to be used as aggressively as it is today? Why or why not?

Question 50

Which is a common barrier to successfully reintegrating prisoners back into society after their release?

A) Their reluctance to leave prison
B) The difficulty they have in finding employment
C) Legal bans on ex-convicts obtaining a higher education
D) Their unfamiliarity with modern technology
E) Their typical rejection of organized religion

Question 51

Under what circumstances may Texas not impose the death penalty on a person convicted of a capital felony? Are these restrictions justified,or should there be more restrictions?

Question 52

Discuss capital felony law in Texas.Include in your discussion a definition of capital felony,what the jury must consider,and its sentencing options.

Question 53

Part of the mission of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is to provide public safety.Assess its efforts to achieve this mission and suggest improvements that may help it better fulfill that mission in the future.Are there things that other levels or branches of government can do to help?

Question 54

For the past 10 years or more,the Texas Juvenile Justice Department has been plagued by allegations involving which of the following?

A) Staff prohibiting teens access to religious material
B) Meals that lack nutrition and taste
C) Staff members selling drugs to juvenile inmates
D) Inadequate health care for young inmates
E) Physical and sexual abuse involving staff

Question 55

Trace the history of incarceration as a method of dealing with nonviolent drug offenders.What alternatives to incarceration exist and are being used? Explain why you either support or oppose continued use of imprisonment as a punishment for such offenses.

Question 56

How would you solve the scandal regarding physical and sexual abuse allegations involving staff and other offenders at Texas juvenile facilities? Has the state's response been adequate? Why or why not?

Question 57

Part of the mission of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is to promote positive behavioral changes.Assess its efforts to achieve this mission and suggest improvements that may help it better fulfill that mission in the future.Are there things that other levels or branches of government can do to help?

Question 58

Explain how DNA testing has changed criminal justice in Texas.What are the limitations of DNA as evidence?

Question 59

Describe the scientific testing process that may exonerate or confirm a capital felony conviction.Explain how those exonerated are compensated by the state of Texas.

Question 60

What is a hate crime,and why do those who commit hate crimes receive enhanced punishments? Do you think enhanced punishments are justified for hate crimes?