SOCI 411 EXAM 1 VERIFIED ACCURATE STUDY
GUIDE
causation - Answers - The assumption of a relationship between two phenomena in
which the occurrence of the former brings about changes in the latter. In criminal law,
causation is the element of a crime that requires the existence of a causal relationship
between the offender's conduct and the particular harmful consequences
crime - Answers - An intentional act or omission of an act that violates criminal statutory
or case law and for which the government provides punishment
intent or mens rea - Answers - criminal intent; the guilty or wrongful state of mind of the
defendant at the time her or she commits a criminal act
culpable - Answers - Blameworthy or at fault. In criminal law, unless there is a case of
strict liability, to be legally culpable of a crime, one must act purposely, knowingly,
recklessly, or negligently. Different crimes may require different kinds of culpability to
establish guilt.
lesser included offense - Answers - A crime less serious than the one with which a
defendant was charged. A lesser included offense has some but not all of the elements
of the greater offense and no elements not included in that crime.
criminal law - Answers - State and federal penal statues, the violation of which may
subject the accused person to government prosecution and result in the imposition of
fine, incarceration, community service, and other penalties. In general, criminal laws
encompass those wrongs considered serious enough to threaten the welfare of society
statutory law - Answers - The law created or defined in a written enactment by the
legislative body, in contrast to case law, which is decided by courts
case law - Answers - The aggregate of reported judicial decisions, which are legally
binding interpretations of statues, constitutions, previous court decisions, and rules
administrative law - Answers - Rules, regulations, and enforcements made by a
agencies to which power has been delegated by state legislature or the U.S. Congress.
Administrative agencies investigate and decide cases concerning potential violations of
these rules; their decisions can, in some cases, be appealed to courts
civil law - Answers - that part of the law concerned with the ruled and enforcement of
private or civil rights as distinguished from criminal law. In a civil suit, an individual who
has been harmed seeks personal compensation in court rather than criminal
, punishment through prosecution; the standard of proof and the rules of evidence differ
from those of the criminal court
jurisdiction - Answers - The lawful right to exercise official authority, whether executive,
judicial, or legislative; the territory of authority within which such power may be
exercised. For the police, it refers to the geographical boundaries of power; for the
courts it refers to the power to hear and decide cases
defense - Answers - a legal response by the defendant. It may consist of presenting
evidence or only of a denial of the factual allegations of the prosecution (or in a civil
case, the plaintiff). A defense that offers new factual allegations in an effort to negate
the charges is an affirmative defense
felony - Answers - a serious type of offense, such as murder, armed robbery, or rape
punishable for a year or longer in prison or a more serious penalty, such as capital
punishment
misdemeanor - Answers - An offense less serious than a felony and generally having a
penalty of short-term incarceration in a local facility, a fine, probation, community
service, and so on.
forfeit - Answers - in law, the relinquishment of property or rights as a result of legal
actions; may apply to civil as well to criminal law
jury nullification - Answers - The power of juries to ignore the evidence in a trial and
acquit even in the face of strong evidence of guilt.
status quo - Answers - literally "the state in which". The existing or concurrent state of
affairs. In law, following precedent legal decisions
social control - Answers - Mechanisms through which conformity or compliance may be
achieved in society. Informal social control may be achieved through socialization while
formal social control relies upon sanctions provided by law
custom - Answers - the usual way f behaving or acting in situations; habit. This may
relate to the individual, groups, community, state, or nation
sanctions - Answers - a penalty or punishment imposed to gain compliance or
obedience to the law. In terms of social control, informal sections may include a parental
stare, a frown, or the extreme of social ostracism. Formal sanctions are those specified
in substantive law.
stare decisis - Answers - literally, "let the decision stand". The doctrine that courts will
abide by or adhere to their previous rulings when deciding cases with substantially the
same facts
GUIDE
causation - Answers - The assumption of a relationship between two phenomena in
which the occurrence of the former brings about changes in the latter. In criminal law,
causation is the element of a crime that requires the existence of a causal relationship
between the offender's conduct and the particular harmful consequences
crime - Answers - An intentional act or omission of an act that violates criminal statutory
or case law and for which the government provides punishment
intent or mens rea - Answers - criminal intent; the guilty or wrongful state of mind of the
defendant at the time her or she commits a criminal act
culpable - Answers - Blameworthy or at fault. In criminal law, unless there is a case of
strict liability, to be legally culpable of a crime, one must act purposely, knowingly,
recklessly, or negligently. Different crimes may require different kinds of culpability to
establish guilt.
lesser included offense - Answers - A crime less serious than the one with which a
defendant was charged. A lesser included offense has some but not all of the elements
of the greater offense and no elements not included in that crime.
criminal law - Answers - State and federal penal statues, the violation of which may
subject the accused person to government prosecution and result in the imposition of
fine, incarceration, community service, and other penalties. In general, criminal laws
encompass those wrongs considered serious enough to threaten the welfare of society
statutory law - Answers - The law created or defined in a written enactment by the
legislative body, in contrast to case law, which is decided by courts
case law - Answers - The aggregate of reported judicial decisions, which are legally
binding interpretations of statues, constitutions, previous court decisions, and rules
administrative law - Answers - Rules, regulations, and enforcements made by a
agencies to which power has been delegated by state legislature or the U.S. Congress.
Administrative agencies investigate and decide cases concerning potential violations of
these rules; their decisions can, in some cases, be appealed to courts
civil law - Answers - that part of the law concerned with the ruled and enforcement of
private or civil rights as distinguished from criminal law. In a civil suit, an individual who
has been harmed seeks personal compensation in court rather than criminal
, punishment through prosecution; the standard of proof and the rules of evidence differ
from those of the criminal court
jurisdiction - Answers - The lawful right to exercise official authority, whether executive,
judicial, or legislative; the territory of authority within which such power may be
exercised. For the police, it refers to the geographical boundaries of power; for the
courts it refers to the power to hear and decide cases
defense - Answers - a legal response by the defendant. It may consist of presenting
evidence or only of a denial of the factual allegations of the prosecution (or in a civil
case, the plaintiff). A defense that offers new factual allegations in an effort to negate
the charges is an affirmative defense
felony - Answers - a serious type of offense, such as murder, armed robbery, or rape
punishable for a year or longer in prison or a more serious penalty, such as capital
punishment
misdemeanor - Answers - An offense less serious than a felony and generally having a
penalty of short-term incarceration in a local facility, a fine, probation, community
service, and so on.
forfeit - Answers - in law, the relinquishment of property or rights as a result of legal
actions; may apply to civil as well to criminal law
jury nullification - Answers - The power of juries to ignore the evidence in a trial and
acquit even in the face of strong evidence of guilt.
status quo - Answers - literally "the state in which". The existing or concurrent state of
affairs. In law, following precedent legal decisions
social control - Answers - Mechanisms through which conformity or compliance may be
achieved in society. Informal social control may be achieved through socialization while
formal social control relies upon sanctions provided by law
custom - Answers - the usual way f behaving or acting in situations; habit. This may
relate to the individual, groups, community, state, or nation
sanctions - Answers - a penalty or punishment imposed to gain compliance or
obedience to the law. In terms of social control, informal sections may include a parental
stare, a frown, or the extreme of social ostracism. Formal sanctions are those specified
in substantive law.
stare decisis - Answers - literally, "let the decision stand". The doctrine that courts will
abide by or adhere to their previous rulings when deciding cases with substantially the
same facts
