Question 1

Because they determine who comes into the system and who stays out, the police are often described as the ______ of the criminal justice system.

Accepted Answer

The police are often described as the "gatekeepers" of the criminal justice system because they are the first point of contact with the system for many people and decide who is brought into the system for further action.

Question 2

Another way of saying that the police enforce the law is saying that they ______ the law.

Accepted Answer

The police enforce the law by implementing it, which means they put the law into action or effect through their actions and procedures. Choices B, C, and D involve judging, explaining, or resolving disputes, which are not primarily the role of the police.

Question 3

Which of the following offenses is most likely to result in an officer enforcing the law?

Accepted Answer

Arson is a serious crime involving deliberately setting fire to property, which is more likely to result in law enforcement action compared to the other options listed, which are considered minor offenses.

Question 4

The ability of police officers to use their own judgment to determine the appropriate course of action to take in any given situation is called ______.

Accepted Answer

Discretion is the ability of police officers to use their own judgment to determine the appropriate course of action to take in any given situation.

Question 5

______ is an example of a crime control tactic employed by police.

Accepted Answer

Stopping, questioning, and frisking is a proactive crime control tactic used by police to prevent crime by identifying and deterring suspicious behavior before a crime occurs.

Question 6

The police have ______ control over the conditions that cause criminal behavior.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The police have ______ control over the...

Question 7

There are two approaches to crime control, incapacitation and ______.

Accepted Answer

Deterrence is the correct answer because it refers to measures taken to prevent future crimes, complementing the concept of incapacitation, which focuses on removing the ability of the offender to commit further offenses.

Question 8

______ means making it impossible for people to commit crime because the opportunity for criminal behavior has been taken away.

Accepted Answer

Incapacitation refers to the strategy of preventing crime by removing the ability or opportunity for offenders to commit criminal acts, often through imprisonment or other means that restrict their freedom and actions.

Question 9

Which of the following would be an example of incapacitation?

Accepted Answer

Incapacitation refers to the act of making someone unable to commit further crimes, typically by detaining them in a prison or similar facility. A 6-month incarceration directly removes the individual's ability to commit crimes by confining them, making it an example of incapacitation.

Question 10

For punishment to be an effective deterrent, it must be swift, certain, and ______.

Accepted Answer

Individually meaningful punishment is more likely to be an effective deterrent because it is tailored to the individual's specific circumstances and needs. This makes it more likely that the individual will understand the consequences of their actions and be less likely to repeat them in the future.

Question 11

Getting someone to choose one behavior over another, when both behaviors are an option, is called ______.

Accepted Answer

Deterrence is the strategy of preventing undesirable actions (such as criminal behavior) by instilling fear of the consequences, thereby influencing someone to choose one behavior over another when both options are available.

Question 12

The most important tool available to the police is the ability to ______.

Accepted Answer

The ability to use force is considered the most important tool as it allows police to enforce laws and maintain public order, which is fundamental to their role in society.

Question 13

The idea that the police must use only as much force as is necessary to overcome the resistance offered by a resisting subject is the basis for the ______.

Accepted Answer

The Continuum of Force is a concept in law enforcement that outlines a range of responses to a subject's resistance, starting from mere presence and verbal commands to, if necessary, lethal force. It emphasizes using the minimum amount of force necessary to control a situation.

Question 14

The initial steps of the continuum of force consist of ______.

Accepted Answer

The initial steps of the continuum of force involve non-physical methods to gain compliance, starting with officer presence to deter crime and instill a sense of order, followed by verbal commands to direct or influence behavior without physical force.

Question 15

The second stage of the continuum of force most often consists of ______.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The second stage of the continuum of...

Question 16

The third stage of the continuum of force most often consists of ______.

Accepted Answer

The third stage of the continuum of force typically involves the use of "less-likely-to-be-lethal" weapons, such as tasers or pepper spray, after non-physical methods have been attempted and before escalating to more severe measures.

Question 17

The last stage of the continuum of force most often consists of ______.

Accepted Answer

The last stage of the continuum of force typically consists of the use of deadly force, which is considered when all other less severe means have been exhausted or are deemed inappropriate for the situation.

Question 18

______ is a "less-likely-to-be-lethal" weapon, which utilizes an inflammatory agent naturally found in cayenne peppers.

Accepted Answer

OC spray, also known as pepper spray, is the correct answer because it contains oleoresin capsicum, an inflammatory agent derived from cayenne peppers. This makes it a less-lethal option for self-defense or law enforcement use, causing temporary blindness, pain, and difficulty breathing, but it is not intended to be lethal.

Question 19

______ is an electronic stun device utilized by police which resembles a gun and can discharge probes that send electrical current through the subject's body.

Accepted Answer

A Taser is an electronic device designed to incapacitate a person temporarily by delivering an electric shock, and it often resembles a gun in shape and operation.

Question 20

The three primary responsibilities of the police include _____.

Accepted Answer

The three primary responsibilities of the police are law enforcement (enforcing laws and apprehending offenders), order maintenance (keeping the peace and preventing behaviors that might disturb others), and service (providing assistance to the public, such as giving directions, helping lost children, or participating in community services).

Quiz 4: The Role of the Police