Criminal justice study guide test 1 PDF

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Chapter 1: Criminal Justice Perspectives The criminal justice system – the formal social institution designed to respond to deviance defined as crime Social control – the label given to the processes and structures that seek to limit rule-breaking behavior or deviance Formal social control – includes those sanctions applied by some authorized body after a public finding of fault Informal social control – mechanisms that influence behavior without the need for a public finding of fault or the use of group-authorized sanctions Theory- a logical explanation of something. A statement about how things work to produce outcomes Disciplinary analysis – a branch of study or learning (CJ, sociology, poly-si, psych) Comparison analysis – crime control (1st page of notes) packer, assembly line, obstacle course Herbert Packer’s models – crime control and due process Crime control model – an analytic device developed by Herbert Packer that described how the criminal justice process would operate if the control of crime were the only goal served by the system. (emphasis on speedy case processing) Due Process model- by Packer. Described the criminal justice system where the most important goal is the protection of individual liberty Process Analysis – process decided by the criminal justice system. You get a ticket or you don’t. case processing. Systems analysis – a set or collection of interrelated parts working together to achieve a common goal. Systems: open - sensitive to its environment (tax laws, wage rates, markets) closed – self-contained, isolated or insulted from their environment (astronaut in a space suit) Material Environment – Input-Throughout-Output. Criminal offense-criminal process-ex-cons Raw material – criminal offenses and offenders Means of production – personnel, facilities, equipment, jails, officers, courthouse, guns

Ideological Environment – the criminal justice system is rife with value conflicts, political, and social controversy and inefficient organizations. Federalism – the structure of government in the united states that distinguishes between federal, state, and local govt interests, duties, responsibilities, and power

Chapter 2: The Justice Process Decision Points in CJ Detection – someone informs the police of a crime or they see it happening themselves (most crime has to be reported first) Investigation – involves gathering sufficient evidence to identify a suspect and support an arrest Arrest – taking a person into custody. Requires sufficient evidence and probable cause. Deprivation of freedom Charging – prosecutor decides of enough evidence is shown Initial Appearance – decision is made regarding enough probable cause to hold trial Arraignment – defendant brough before court to enter initial plea (90% end in plea bargains) Trial – judge or jury hears case and decided defendant’s guilt Sentencing – court imposes sentence on following guilty verdict Discharge- most defendants freed with early-release mechanism such as parole or good-time Revocation – community correctional center; half-way houses

Chapter 3: Crime and Crime Control Crime – an act or omission in violation of a law punishable by the state Actus reus – guilty act Mala in se – offenses that encompass traditional or street crimes that seem wrong regardless of their legality. (wrong in themselves) Mala prohibita – acts that are wrong because they are defined as wrong. (prohibited) Felony – the most serious level of offense and generally is punishable by a term of more than one year in a state prison. Deviance – behavior that violates socially accepted standards of proper conduct Mens rea – guilty mind

Misdemeanor – a less serious offense, generally punishable by a term of no more than one year in a local jail. Criminological explanations of crime

Chapter 4: Counting Crimes and Criminals Dark figure of crime – crime that is not reported or known to the police and accounts for about ½ of crime. (unknown amount of crime that occurs) UCR – published annually by the FBI from reports received by the nation’s police departments. These dates describe volume of business handled by the law enforcement agencies of the country. “crimes known to the police” NCVS – interviews where police ask of anyone in the household has been a victim of certain crimes in the past year. They then ask if they reported it to the police. Cannot measure number of murders Self- report – attempt to measure the amount of crime committed and describe the characteristics of criminal offenders by asking people if they have committed offenses The need for numbers Crime estimates...