Deck 11: Criminal Justice

Question 1

The legal grounds law enforcement uses to make an arrest or conduct a search is referred to as

A) Sixth Amendment rights.
B) search and seizure.
C) probable cause.
D) a warrant.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

When law enforcement agents search an accused's property and collect any evidence relevant to the alleged crime, it is referred to as

A) Sixth Amendment rights.
B) search and seizure.
C) probable cause.
D) a warrant.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In addition to providing rights for the criminally accused, Texas law provides rights for those impacted by some crimes. This is referred to as

A) crime mitigation.
B) witness protections.
C) innocence protection.
D) victim's rights.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Suppose a criminal defendant cannot afford a lawyer and needs one appointed by the court. That defendant is said to be

A) indigent.
B) out of luck.
C) penniless.
D) disattorneyed.

Question 5

Which Texas demographic feels the most favorably toward law enforcement?

A) Anglo
B) African American
C) Hispanic
D) Asian

Question 6

Which Texan demographic feels the least favorably toward law enforcement?

A) Anglo
B) African American
C) Hispanic
D) Asian

Question 7

How long do those convicted of misdemeanors usually wait for sentencing?

A) About 7-10 business days
B) About six months
C) About a week
D) Usually sentenced immediately

Question 8

Crimes are classified into two primary categories:

A) misdemeanors and civil suits.
B) misdemeanors and felonies.
C) misdemeanors and class actions.
D) felonies and civil suits.

Question 9

The _______ is responsible for the supervision and rehabilitation of juveniles-aged ten to sixteen-in the criminal justice system.

A) Juvenile Center of Texas
B) Texas Delinquent Department
C) Minor Division of Texas
D) Texas Juvenile Justice Department

Question 10

An appointed person to represent the best interests of a child, if a parent will not or cannot fill the responsibility, is referred to as

A) minor support.
B) a guardian ad litem.
C) sponsorship.
D) an adolescent figure support.

Question 11

Which demographic of Texans has the highest percentage of incarcerated individuals?

A) White
B) African American
C) Hispanic
D) Asian

Question 12

_______ is where maintenance of a prison facility is outsourced to a private firm; this saves money, but also creates controversy.

A) Community-run prisons
B) Publicly assisted prisons
C) Privatization of prisons
D) Hierarchical prisons

Question 13

Sentencing a convicted individual to death is commonly referred to as

A) community service.
B) time left to serve.
C) the death penalty.
D) incarceration.

Question 14

Compared to the rest of the nation, Texans are _______ of the death penalty

A) much less supportive
B) about as supportive
C) more supportive
D) less supportive

Question 15

The majority of inmates on death row are

A) Anglo.
B) African American.
C) Hispanic.
D) Asian.

Question 16

The death penalty is

A) available only if the defendant has a prior conviction.
B) available if the jury wants it.
C) only available in some counties.
D) limited to a specific subset of crimes.

Question 17

When deciding whether to release someone convicted of a violent crime, the state must consider the safety of the victim. This is because of

A) Governor Abbott's promise to Texans.
B) the Texas Promise.
C) common sense.
D) victim's rights.

Question 18

Misdemeanors are

A) eligible for long terms in prison.
B) relatively minor offenses.
C) death-penalty eligible.
D) often why people lose the right to vote.

Question 19

An example of a misdemeanor is

A) murder.
B) truancy.
C) kidnapping.
D) aggravated robbery.

Question 20

Not paying child support is

A) handled by the Texas Rangers.
B) never enforced.
C) a felony.
D) a federal crime.

Question 21

Generally speaking, which group is more supportive of the death penalty in Texas?

A) Conservatives
B) Liberals
C) Young people
D) Socialists

Question 22

A plea where a defendant does not admit guilt, but is not contesting the underlying facts, is called

A) a no contest plea.
B) a guilty plea.
C) a not guilty plea.
D) plea bargaining.

Question 23

The initial appearance of the accused in court is

A) a bail hearing.
B) an arraignment.
C) a jury trial.
D) a grand jury indictment.

Question 24

Before a prosecutor can indict someone, (s)he must first secure an indictment from a

A) petit jury.
B) prosecutors' council.
C) city council
D) grand jury.

Question 25

_______ is where the defendant agrees to a lesser set of charges than initially charged by the prosecutors.

A) A plea bargain
B) An arraignment
C) A recognizance
D) Voir dire

Question 26

_______ is where jurors are questioned by attorneys and judges in court to determine if a potential juror is biased, cannot deal with the issues fairly, or knows a party to the case.

A) A plea bargain
B) An arraignment
C) Recognizance
D) Voir dire

Question 27

In the early days of Texas, those convicted of crimes were often sentenced to

A) solitary confinement.
B) whipping in the streets.
C) banishment.
D) hard labor.

Question 28

A contract where the accused is temporarily released from prison on the condition that he or she pay a sum of money to guarantee an appearance in court is

A) house arrest.
B) good faith release.
C) bail.
D) temporary respite.

Question 29

A prison that is not operated directly by the state is a _______ prison.

A) rogue
B) private
C) public
D) judicial

Question 30

Since the 1980s, Texas's prison population has grown. This is because of

A) the "tough on crime" legislation passed in the 1980s.
B) the massive crime wave in the 1990s.
C) people being more violent today.
D) an increasing number of death sentences.

Question 31

As prison population surged in the 1990s, Texas began to

A) develop alternative sentences.
B) release prisoners much earlier.
C) ignore low level crimes.
D) decriminalize recreational drugs.

Question 32

Someone pleads guilty to a crime, but the judge delays sentencing and tells the defendant that if (s)he completes a diversion program, the charges will be dismissed. This defendant is benefiting from

A) a soft-on-crime judge.
B) deferred adjudication.
C) an arraignment.
D) incarceration.

Question 33

Originally, prisons were largely expected to _______ through prison labor.

A) produce fine art
B) guard themselves
C) support themselves
D) provide community outreach

Question 34

Over the past 20 years, the number of death sentences given by Texas courts has

A) increased.
B) decreased.
C) stayed the same.
D) fallen to zero; Texas abolished the death penalty.

Question 35

Another term for community supervision is

A) probation.
B) bail.
C) sentencing.
D) indictment.

Question 36

A capital offense is one that

A) occurs in Austin.
B) makes the evening news.
C) is eligible for the death penalty.
D) is a misdemeanor.

Question 37

The state's lawyer, who is responsible for bringing charges against accused lawbreakers, is a

A) prosecutor.
B) district lawyer.
C) solicitor general.
D) judge advocate general.

Question 38

During voir dire, each attorney gets a certain number of _______, which can be used to strike a juror without having to provide a reason.

A) amicus curiae
B) no-question removals
C) juror excuses
D) peremptory challenges

Question 39

Someone is convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison. But, (s)he is released from prison after nine years. This person has been

A) acquitted.
B) pardoned.
C) paroled.
D) probationed.

Question 40

States in which region tend to have the harshest restrictions on felons after prison?

A) The Pacific Northwest
B) New England
C) The South
D) The Great Lakes Region

Question 41

After leaving prison, convicts are barred from certain jobs and are not eligible for certain government benefits. These are called

A) lingering effects.
B) just deserts.
C) probation terms.
D) collateral consequences.

Question 42

When do those convicted of felonies regain their right to vote in Texas?

A) Never
B) After leaving prison
C) When on probation
D) Only after completing all aspects of their sentence, including probation

Question 43

Which Texans have the most difficulty in posting bail?

A) High-income persons
B) Low-income persons
C) Older people
D) Younger people

Question 44

In part because of advances in DNA testing, Texas leads the nation in

A) racial diversity on death row.
B) death row exonerations.
C) death row pardons.
D) prison education.

Question 45

One issue that Texas prisons have faced in recent years is

A) suicides.
B) underfilled prisons.
C) prisoners refusing to go on parole.
D) an overwhelming number of violent offenders.

Question 46

In recent years, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice has begun training officers to

A) use technology to track inmates.
B) speak multiple languages.
C) efficiently tackle inmates.
D) spot mental health crises.

Question 47

Explain "probable cause."

Question 48

Define "search and seizure."

Question 49

Explain Texans' views on law enforcement.

Question 50

Define a "misdemeanor."

Question 51

Provide an example of a felony.

Question 52

Explain the rights of both the accused and victims in the state of Texas.

Question 53

Explain Texans' attitudes toward police, and how race plays a role in this.

Question 54

Describe the differences between the different types of misdemeanors and felonies in Texas.

Question 55

Explain the pretrial phase.

Question 56

Explain the trial phase.