Question 1

One of the principles of "doing justice" involves protecting the rights of the accused.

Accepted Answer

Protecting the rights of the accused is a fundamental principle of doing justice as it ensures that the accused is treated fairly and given proper legal representation, regardless of the crime they are accused of.

Question 2

Jurisdiction typically goes to the FBI where stolen property has been moved across state lines.

Accepted Answer

This is true as federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI have jurisdiction over crimes that involve crossing state lines due to their authority under the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution.

Question 3

Criminal justice agencies are self-sufficient; that is, they generate their own funding and are not dependent upon outside financial sources.

Accepted Answer

Criminal justice agencies often rely on funding from government sources, such as budget allocations from city, county, state, and federal levels. They may also receive grants or donations from private foundations or individuals.

Question 4

Most criminal laws are written by state legislatures but enforced by federal agencies.

Accepted Answer

Criminal laws are primarily written and enforced by state governments, although there are federal criminal laws and federal agencies responsible for enforcing them.

Question 5

The subsystems of the criminal justice system act independently of each other.

Accepted Answer

The subsystems of the criminal justice system are interdependent and work together to ensure justice is served. The law enforcement, court, and corrections systems are all dependent on each other to function effectively.

Question 6

Because police usually observe crimes as they occur, they are at an advantage in quickly arresting offenders.

Accepted Answer

Police often rely on reports from victims or witnesses and may not be present when crimes occur, which can delay the arrest of offenders.

Question 7

The concept of citizen's arrest grants citizens the same authority to enforce the law as police officers.

Accepted Answer

Citizen's arrest allows private individuals to detain someone they suspect of committing a crime, but it does not grant them the same authority or powers as police officers, who have formal training and legal authority.

Question 8

Judges are the only actors in the criminal justice system who have discretion.

Accepted Answer

While judges do have some discretion, other actors in the criminal justice system such as prosecutors and parole officers also have discretion in certain decision-making processes.

Question 9

Crime prevention depends on the actions of police and citizens.

Accepted Answer

Police play a crucial role in preventing and reducing crime, but citizens also have a role to play in maintaining safe neighborhoods and reporting suspicious activity. Both groups working together can lead to more effective crime prevention.

Question 10

Over 80 percent of criminal defendants who reach the trial stage will be convicted.

Accepted Answer

This statistic varies by jurisdiction and type of crime, but generally speaking, the conviction rate for criminal defendants who go to trial is higher than 80 percent.

Question 11

Police departments are most often run by local government.

Accepted Answer

Police departments are typically run by the city or county government where they are located.

Question 12

A police officer who is providing emergency first aid after an automobile accident is engaging in the duty of "keeping the peace."

Accepted Answer

Providing emergency first aid after an automobile accident falls under the duty of "protecting and serving," not necessarily "keeping the peace."

Question 13

Congress has consistently refused to expand the powers of the FBI since the agency's creation.

Accepted Answer

Congress has indeed expanded the powers of the FBI several times since its creation, most notably with the USA PATRIOT Act after the 9/11 attacks.

Question 14

Criminal justice is a system whose components-police, courts, corrections-are compartmentalized and therefore exert little or no influence on each other.

Accepted Answer

The components of the criminal justice system are interconnected and work together to achieve justice. For example, police make arrests that lead to court cases, and correctional facilities also play a role in the rehabilitation of offenders.

Question 15

The filtering process refers to the authority to make decisions based on one's own judgment.

Accepted Answer

The filtering process typically refers to the method of removing or separating unwanted elements from a substance or information, not to decision-making authority.

Question 16

Federal authorities handle fewer cases annually than state and local authorities.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Federal authorities have a more limited jurisdiction and only handle cases that fall under their specific areas of responsibility, such as interstate crime, terrorism, and other federal offenses. State and local authorities, on the other hand, handle a much broader range of cases, including most crimes committed within their respective jurisdictions.

Question 17

The concept of federalism involves the division of power between a central (national) government and regional (state) governments.

Accepted Answer

This is the definition of federalism, with power being distributed between different levels of government.

Question 18

Charging typically takes place between initial appearance and arraignment.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Charging typically takes place between initial appearance...

Question 19

Plea bargaining is an example of an exchange relationship in the criminal justice system.

Accepted Answer

Plea bargaining involves a negotiation between the prosecution and the defendant, in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty in exchange for a reduction in charges or sentence. This is an example of an exchange relationship, as both parties are giving up something (the defendant giving up the possibility of a more lenient sentence or trial, and the prosecution giving up the potential of a conviction on all charges) in order to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.

Question 20

More than half of convicted offenders are supervised in the community.

Accepted Answer

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, as of 2017, 56% of convicted offenders were supervised in the community through probation or parole.

Quiz 1: The Criminal Justice System