Deck 7: Victims and the Criminal Justice System

Question 1

_____ have pieced together scattered research findings to develop a picture of which victims are more likely to be given the best treatment.

A) Criminologists
B) District attorneys
C) Chiefs of police
D) Victimologists

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The first state to adopt a Child Victims' Bill of Rights was _____

A) Massachusetts
B) California
C) Vermont
D) Wisconsin

Answer 2

D

Question 3

When would-be complainants experience strong pressures from their own families and friends not to come forward and tell the police what has happened, they have experienced _____.

A) cultural intimidation
B) fear of reprisal
C) amnestic pressure
D) false memory syndrome

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Over _____ percent of all felony convictions are secured by the accused admitting guilt.

A) 13
B) 25
C) 52
D) 95

Question 5

Measuring victim intimidation in the NCVS is very difficult, in part because _____.

A) there is lack of agreement as to what constitutes intimidation vs. simple pressure
B) those who are intimidated regarding reporting may be unwilling to disclose to the interviewer
C) the small payment provided to NCVS participants may bias reporting
D) the rates of nonreporting vary so widely across crime and over time

Question 6

In the criminal justice system, pledges, entitlements, privileges, benefits, options, practices, and opportunities for redress are commonly referred to as _____.

A) just deserts
B) prosecutorial bargains
C) victims' rights
D) plea deals of the hour

Question 7

_____ means filing a criminal indictment for an offense that is more serious than the available evidence might support.

A) Bedsheeting
B) Overcharging
C) Misprisioning
D) Perjury

Question 8

Resolution of criminal matters through agreements made between Assistant District Attorneys and defense counsels are known as _____.

A) restitution
B) plea negotiations
C) reparations
D) community service agreements

Question 9

Intimidation can be directed against _____.

A) defendants
B) defense lawyers
C) reluctant defense witnesses
D) all of these

Question 10

The nation's first juvenile court was set up in the state of _____.

A) Illinois
B) Indiana
C) North Dakota
D) Florida

Question 11

When prosecutors _____, they may have difficulty balancing the interests of the government, their own bureaucracies, and their clients.

A) see the case as a stepping stone in their career
B) take a case where an employee of the state is the victim
C) were formerly defense attorneys
D) don't like the victim

Question 12

_____ are the chief legal representative within their jurisdictions.

A) Assistant District Attorneys
B) Judges
C) Defense attorneys
D) Prosecutors

Question 13

Most VWAP's help with all of the following BUT _____.

A) helping victims
B) aiding witnesses
C) assisting prosecutors with their case
D) furthering the goals of law enforcement

Question 14

A stalling strategy has succeeded when _____.

A) the judge dismisses the charges
B) a victim gives up and fails to appear in court
C) the Assistant District Attorney drops the case
D) the victim has to pay for a private prosecution

Question 15

_____ refers to the practice of charging a defendant with every applicable crime committed during a single criminal incident.

A) Bedsheeting
B) Overcharging
C) Misprisioning
D) Perjury

Question 16

To address the problems and needs of victims and witnesses, the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration funded the first _____ during the mid-1970s

A) district attorney's offices
B) bar associations
C) Victim-Witness Assistance Projects
D) public defender's offices

Question 17

In a plea bargain, the defendant agrees to confess in return for some _____ from the government.

A) consideration
B) furlough
C) pardon
D) amnesty

Question 18

The _____ guarantees accused persons the right to a speedy trial.

A) Sixth Amendment
B) Fourth Amendment
C) Fifth Amendment
D) Eighth Amendment

Question 19

Prosecutor's offices can and should serve victims by _____.

A) keeping them informed of court dates
B) conveying the victim's views to the judge
C) taking steps to protect their clients
D) all of these

Question 20

A national government committee first acknowledged the economic burdens for victims going to trial in _____.

A) 1931
B) 1946
C) 1953
D) 1962

Question 21

A federal truth-in-sentencing law, passed in 1987 and adopted in most states, requires offenders to serve at least _____ percent of their court-imposed sentence.

A) 65
B) 70
C) 85
D) 90

Question 22

_____ enables injured parties to directly convey to the judge (and the public) the extent of their suffering and their beliefs about what an appropriate sentence might be.

A) Going rate
B) Plea bargaining
C) Bedsheeting
D) Allocution

Question 23

The Eighth Amendment guarantees accused persons the right to a speedy trial.

Question 24

Often the exchange in a plea bargain is a promise or recommendation about a lesser punishment.

Question 25

Prosecutors are the chief legal representative within their jurisdictions.

Question 26

Intimidation can be directed against defendants, defense lawyers, and defense witnesses.

Question 27

According to the 1992 National Prosecutor Survey Program, 97 percent of all district attorney offices reported that they notified victims of felonies of the outcomes of their cases.

Question 28

According to advocates, some rights that victims gain should come at the expense of _____.

A) society in general
B) justice system officials and agencies
C) legislators and other law makers
D) individuals who fail to report crimes

Question 29

Victims see their situations as unique events that deserve careful consideration and not as routine occurrences to be handled according to a formula sometimes referred to as a jurisdiction's going rate.

Question 30

Often the lawyers who actually handle the prosecution of criminal cases and work with victims are the Assistant District Attorneys.

Question 31

The variation among judges in the severity of punishment they mete out in comparable cases is termed:

A) sentence variation
B) sentence disparity
C) sentence discrimination
D) sentence prejudice

Question 32

Cultural intimidation occurs when would-be complainants experience strong pressures from their own families and friends not to come forward and tell the police what has happened.

Question 33

Bedsheeting refers to the practice of charging a defendant with every applicable crime committed during a single criminal incident.

Question 34

In their prosecutorial role, Assistant District Attorneys can take steps to protect victims and witnesses from intimidation.

Question 35

Prosecutors always put the interests of the victim above those of the government and their bureaucracy.

Question 36

Overcharging means filing a criminal indictment for an offense that is more serious than the available evidence might support.

Question 37

The _____ guarantees equal protection under the law.

A) Sixth
B) Fourth
C) Fifth
D) Fourteenth Amendment

Question 38

Resolution of criminal matters through agreements made between Assistant District Attorneys and defense counsel is known as restitution.

Question 39

Police officials, other prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, community leaders, media, and interests groups can all affect a prosecutor's decision.

Question 40

Victims' rights gained at the expense of offenders might include reducing options for early release from confinement.

Question 41

The burden of proof in a criminal case falls on the prosecution.

Question 42

A stalling strategy has succeeded when the victim has to pay for private prosecution.

Question 43

Explain the federal government's progression in assisting victims and other witnesses in a state criminal case.

Question 44

Nationwide, almost 90% of victims of violent crimes faced the prospect that the person accused of harming them would be let out on bail in the 75 largest counties in 2004.

Question 45

Discuss what you believe are the three most important actions by prosecutors to assist and serve crime victims. Explain why you rank ordered these actions in the manner you did using materials in this chapter as justification.

Question 46

The Code of Professional Responsibility that guides legal strategies prohibits any line of questioning intended to solely harass or maliciously harm a witness.

Question 47

On rare occasions, a case involving a crime victim raises significant legal issues that have not yet been addressed and resolved by some earlier judicial ruling. Identify and discuss two recent Supreme Court decisions and their direct affect on crime victims.

Question 48

The United States Supreme Court only hears cases on appeal from federal and state courts that raise important principles of constitutional law.

Question 49

Corrections officials include jail and prison wardens and guards, parole boards, and probation and parole officers. Accordingly, crime victims seek the cooperation of these professionals but often find themselves in conflict with them. Identify and discuss two of the issues over which crime victims and corrections personnel are most likely to have conflict.

Question 50

What are the ethical and constitutional concerns underlying the activities of Victim/Witness Assistance Programs?