Deck 8: Trial Courts: The Preliminary States of Criminal Cases

Question 1

In the Uniform Crime Reports, major crimes such as homicide or robbery are part of a category of crimes referred to as:

A)first degree crimes
B)index crimes
C)primary crimes
D)misdemeanors
E)felonies

Answer 1

B

Question 2

The office of prosecutor is characterized by:

A)centralization
B)checks and balances
C)legal professionalism
D)decentralization

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following helps to explain the amount of bail set by a judge?

A)seriousness of the crime
B)criminal record
C)victim's desires
D)a, b and c
E)only a and b

Answer 3

E

Question 4

In theory, the purpose of bail is to:

A)insure the appearance of the accused at trial
B)keep the accused in jail until trial
C)punish the accused for the crime
D)maintain control of persons arrested but not arraigned

Question 5

Which person is most influential in the charging decision?

A)prosecutor
B)judge
C)defense attorney
D)defendant
E)juror

Question 6

Explanations for case attrition include all but:

A)legal judgements
B)policy priorities
C)courtroom availability
D)substantive assessments

Question 7

The American bail system is based on the defendant's access to:

A)a defense attorney
B)friends in the community
C)money
D)treatment centers

Question 8

Of crimes known to the police, what percentage results in an arrest.

A)10 %
B)20%
C)30%
D)40%
E)50%

Question 9

When suspects are given formal notice of the charges by a judge the procedure is called:

A)indictment
B)information
C)initial appearance
D)booking

Question 10

Which of the following is NOT a major reason why cases are often dropped before a trial?

A)first offenders usually have charges dropped.
B)police fail to gather sufficient evidence.
C)victims and witnesses don't show up to testify.
D)prosecutors substantive assessments of the seriousness of the case.

Question 11

Which types of cases get the most attention:

A)misdemeanors
B)serious felonies
C)lessor felonies
D)"garbage" cases

Question 12

When comparing charging documents, the difference between a complaint and an information is:

A)an information is signed by the prosecutor
B)an information contains the age of the person charged
C)an information is handed up by a grand jury
D)a and b
E)there is no difference

Question 13

Suspects in what types of cases have no right to bail?

A)armed robbery
B)simple assault
C)arson
D)rape
E)capital offenses

Question 14

Critics argue that because of the exclusionary rule:

A)most cases get prosecuted
B)many cases get dropped by the prosecutor
C)grand juries fail to consider critical evidence
D)the use of DNA makes the exclusionary rule unnecessary

Question 15

The prosecuting attorney is:

A)usually a locally elected official.
B)appointed by the governor in most states.
C)responsible to the state bar association.
D)responsible to the state attorney general.

Question 16

A charging document includes the:

A)names of potential defense lawyers
B)description of the offense that was committed
C)sentencing guidelines for the alleged offense
D)the court fees associated with the crime.

Question 17

When a person is released based only on his or her promise to return for trial, it is called:

A)unsecured bail
B)conditional release
C)release on recognizance
D)third party custody
E)probation

Question 18

Less than one out of four arrests for Type I offenses involve a crime of personal violence.

Question 19

Prosecution in a misdemeanor case is usually initiated by:

A)indictment
B)information
C)complaint
D)arrest warrant

Question 20

Preventive detention is aimed at denying pretrial release to defendants who:

A)may not return for trial
B)are viewed as a threat to the community
C)have no links to the community
D)a and b

Question 21

What are the Miranda warnings and why are police required to give them?

Question 22

Arrests are made in 50 percent of property offense crimes.

Question 23

Celebrated cases involve Hollywood celebrities.

Question 24

The number of "Index Crimes" has declined since 1990?

Question 25

Describe three places where discretion plays a role in the preliminary stages of criminal cases.

Question 26

An arrested person must be brought before a judge within 12 hours of arrest.

Question 27

Grand juries must contain 12 members.

Question 28

In felony court most defendants are found guilty.

Question 29

How does the federal nature of our political system affect policing in the U.S.?

Question 30

Describe the two major functions of grand juries and provide information about the role, size, and responsibilities of a typical grand jury.

Question 31

The number of reported violent crimes in the U.S.during the past 20 years has stayed relatively constant, yet the U.S.has experienced a steady rise in the U.S.jail population during this same time.Explain these contradictory trends.