Test Bank for America's Courts and the Criminal Justice System, 12th Edition

Chapter 1
COURTS, CRIME, AND CONTROVERSY

TEST BANK

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1. The most influential actor in the courthouse is the:
a. judge c. clerk of court
b. defense attorney d. prosecutor

ANS: D REF: Identifying the Actors in the Courthouse OBJ: 3
Bloom’s: Remember


2. A trial by a judge without a jury is called a:
a. summary trial c. bench trial
b. bar trial d. trial de novo

ANS: C REF: Following the Steps of the Process OBJ: 4 Bloom’s: Remember


3. The operation of two separate and distinct court systems in the United States is referred to as:
a. a dual court system c. separate but equal
b. checks and balances d. judicial federalism

ANS: A REF: An Overview of the U.S. Courts OBJ: 1 Bloom’s: Remember


4. Coercive police practices are a violation of this essential element of due process.
a. equal protection c. self-incrimination
b. the third degree d. fundamental fairness

ANS: D REF: Law in Action OBJ: 5 Bloom’s: Remember


5. The key goal of the crime control model is:
a. repression of criminal conduct c. the rights of victims
b. the rights of defendants d. the integrity of the courts

ANS: A REF: Courts and Controversy OBJ: 6 Bloom’s: Remember

6. The three main components of the American Criminal Justice system are:
a. federal, state and local
b. judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys
c. police, courts, and corrections
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,d. probation, prison, and parole

ANS: C REF: Courts and the Criminal Justice System OBJ: 1 Bloom’s:
Remember

7. Which of the following is not true of “law in action”?
a. Focus on human factors governing application of law
b. Stresses the importance of discretion
c. Strict enforcement of laws and adherence to procedures
d. Prosecutors use discovery to encourage guilty pleas

ANS: C REF: Law in Action OBJ: 5 Bloom’s: Remember

8. According to the text, a good deal of the political rhetoric about crime focuses on…
a. prosecutors
b. police
c. the criminal courts
d. judges

ANS: C REF: Courts and Crime OBJ: 1 Bloom’s: Remember


9. Jurors expectations of forensic evidence in even the most mundane of cases has been
called…
a. the DNA effect
b. the CSI effect
c. the science effect
d. the BSU effect

ANS: B REF: Media Depictions and Distortions of Criminal Courts OBJ: 1
Bloom’s: Remember


10. The numerous public agencies involved in implementing public policy concerning crime are
referred to as:
a. the court system
b. the corrections system
c. the law enforcement system
d. the criminal justice system

ANS: D REF: Courts and the Criminal Justice System OBJ: 1 Bloom’s:
Remember


11. Criminal justice is best viewed as a system and a…
a. conglomerate c. nonsystem

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,b. business d. victim’s agency

ANS: C REF: Courts and the Criminal Justice System OBJ: 2 Bloom’s:
Remember


12. Which of the following is not one of the justice professionals in the courthouse?
a. social services personnel
b. prosecutors
c. judges
d. police

ANS: A REF: Identifying Actors in the Courthouse OBJ: 3 Bloom’s: Remember


13. What is the name of a request for a judge to make a decision?
a. an affidavit c. a motion
b. a warrant d. a judgment

ANS: C REF: Following the Steps of the Process OBJ: 1 Bloom’s: Remember


14. If the grand jury finds probable cause to hold the defendant for trial it returns a…
a. warrant c. true bill
b. no true bill d. Alford bill

ANS: C REF: Following the Steps of the Process OBJ: 4 Bloom’s: Remember


15. Which of the following is the federal court of last resort in the United States?
a. U.S. District Court c. U.S. Supreme Court
b. U.S. Court of Criminal Appeals d. U.S. Magistrate Court

ANS: C REF: An Overview of the U.S. Courts OBJ: 2 Bloom’s: Remember


16. Courts can be classified according to their function (rather than jurisdiction) into:
a. local, state, and federal courts c. national and multinational courts
b. substantive and procedural d. trial and appeals courts

ANS: D REF: An Overview of the U.S. Courts OBJ: 2 Bloom’s: Remember


17. In contrast to federal judges, most state judges are:
a. appointed by the governor c. appointed by the state supreme court
b. appointed by the state legislature d. elected

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, ANS: D REF: Identifying the Actors in the Courthouse OBJ: 3 Bloom’s:
Remember


18. After arrest, arrestees are brought before a judge and advised of their rights, the charges
against them, and given a chance to make bail at the:
a. pretrial hearing c. arraignment
b. initial appearance d. preliminary hearing

ANS: B REF: Following the Steps of the Process OBJ: 4 Bloom’s: Remember


19. Which of the following is true of grand juries?
a. They are used by all states c. They issue an indictment in most cases
b. They deliberate in open hearings d. They are utilized only in misdemeanor
cases

ANS: C REF: Following the Steps of the Process OBJ: 4 Bloom’s: Remember


20. Around ninety percent of felony convictions result from:
a. a plea bargain c. a bench trial
b. a trial by jury d. a preliminary hearing

ANS: A REF: Law in Action OBJ: 5 Bloom’s: Remember


21. Which of the following is a characteristic of the due process model of criminal justice?
a. Concern for the rights of defendants c. Eliminating loopholes for defendants
b. Efficiency is the main goal d. Stress on informal fact-finding

ANS: A REF: Courts and Controversy OBJ: 6 Bloom’s: Remember


22. Which of the following is a characteristic of the crime control model of criminal justice?
a. The process resembles an obstacle course for the prosecution and police
b. Stresses formal and court fact-finding
c. Concern for speed and protecting society
d. Focus on the rights of defendants

ANS: C REF: Courts and Controversy OBJ: 6 Bloom’s: Remember

23. The overall conviction rate at trial for felonies is upward of:
a. 60 percent c. 80 percent
b. 70 percent d. 90 percent

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