Criminal Justice NOCTI Certification Questions with
Correct Answers 2025
Subpoena - Correct Answer a legal document ordering a person to testify in a court of
law as a witness
Actus Reus - Correct Answer The actual criminal act
Mens Rea - Correct Answer legal phrase used to describe the mental state a person
must have been in while committing a crime for it to be intentional
Loops - Correct Answer the most common fingerprint
Chain of Custody - Correct Answer a process used to maintain and document the
chronological history of evidence
Nolo Contedere - Correct Answer a plea of "no contest" that one could use in court. It
means that you are not admitting guilt but you're not denying it either.
Use of Force Continuum - Correct Answer 1. Officer Presence, Verbalization, Empty-
Hand Control, Less-Lethal, Lethal force
Verbalization - Correct Answer Not physical. Officers issue calm, nonthreatening
commands.
,Empty Hand Control - Correct Answer Officers use bodily force. Soft/Hard techniques
Less-Lethal - Correct Answer Officers use different technologies to gain control
pepper spray, baton, taser
Lethal - Correct Answer Officers use gun/weapons to gain control of a situation.
1st Amendment - Correct Answer Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly
(peaceful), and Petition
2nd Amendment - Correct Answer Keep and bear arms
4th Amendment - Correct Answer Illegal search and seizure
5th Admendment - Correct Answer Due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination,
and just compensation (eminent domain)
6th Amendment - Correct Answer Speedy and public trial by impartial jury, informed of
nature and cause of accusation, confront the witnesses against him, right to an attorney,
impartial jury
7th Amendment - Correct Answer Civil Jury Trial
,8th Amendment - Correct Answer Cruel and unusual punishment
Plain View Doctrine - Correct Answer Officer can visually see contraband, therefore no
warrant is needed.
Terry v. Ohio - Correct Answer Terry Frisk- weapons only
Mapp v. Ohio - Correct Answer Plain view- fruits of the poisonous tree
Carroll v. US - Correct Answer Mobility Doctrine
Katz v. US - Correct Answer wiretap
Miranda v. Arizona - Correct Answer Miranda Rights- 5th amendment
Gideon v. Wainwright - Correct Answer 6th amendment- right to counsel
How should liquid blood stains be collected and stored? - Correct Answer Blood that is
in liquid pools should be picked up on a gauze pad or other clean sterile cotton cloth
and allowed to air dry thoroughly, at room temperature. It should be refrigerated or
frozen as soon as possible and brought to the Laboratory as quickly as possible. Delays
beyond 48 hours may make the samples useless.
, How should dried blood stains be collected and stored? - Correct Answer • On clothing,
if possible, wrap the item in clean paper, place the article in a brown paper bag or box
and seal and label container. Do not attempt to remove stains from the cloth.
• On small solid objects, send the whole stained object to the Laboratory, after labeling
and packaging.
• On large solid objects, cover the stained area with clean paper and seal the edges
down with tape to prevent loss or contamination. If impractical to deliver the whole
object to the Laboratory, scrape the stain onto a clean piece of paper, which can be
folded and placed in an envelope. Do not scrape directly into evidence envelope.
Scrape blood from objects using a freshly washed and dried knife or similar tool. Wash
and dry the tool before each stain is scraped off. Seal and mark the envelope.
• Do not mix dried stains. Place each stain in a separate envelope.
• Never attempt to wipe dried stains from an object using a moistened cloth or paper.
How are autopsy blood samples collected? - Correct Answer Request that pathologist
obtain the sample directly from the heart into a yellow (ACD) or purple stoppered
vacutainer (some labs request both). In rare cases when no liquid blood is available,
ask pathologist to collect a section of liver, bone, and/or deep muscle tissue and freeze
for typing. In such cases, proceed also with collection of a secondary standard as
described below.
Correct Answers 2025
Subpoena - Correct Answer a legal document ordering a person to testify in a court of
law as a witness
Actus Reus - Correct Answer The actual criminal act
Mens Rea - Correct Answer legal phrase used to describe the mental state a person
must have been in while committing a crime for it to be intentional
Loops - Correct Answer the most common fingerprint
Chain of Custody - Correct Answer a process used to maintain and document the
chronological history of evidence
Nolo Contedere - Correct Answer a plea of "no contest" that one could use in court. It
means that you are not admitting guilt but you're not denying it either.
Use of Force Continuum - Correct Answer 1. Officer Presence, Verbalization, Empty-
Hand Control, Less-Lethal, Lethal force
Verbalization - Correct Answer Not physical. Officers issue calm, nonthreatening
commands.
,Empty Hand Control - Correct Answer Officers use bodily force. Soft/Hard techniques
Less-Lethal - Correct Answer Officers use different technologies to gain control
pepper spray, baton, taser
Lethal - Correct Answer Officers use gun/weapons to gain control of a situation.
1st Amendment - Correct Answer Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly
(peaceful), and Petition
2nd Amendment - Correct Answer Keep and bear arms
4th Amendment - Correct Answer Illegal search and seizure
5th Admendment - Correct Answer Due process, double jeopardy, self-incrimination,
and just compensation (eminent domain)
6th Amendment - Correct Answer Speedy and public trial by impartial jury, informed of
nature and cause of accusation, confront the witnesses against him, right to an attorney,
impartial jury
7th Amendment - Correct Answer Civil Jury Trial
,8th Amendment - Correct Answer Cruel and unusual punishment
Plain View Doctrine - Correct Answer Officer can visually see contraband, therefore no
warrant is needed.
Terry v. Ohio - Correct Answer Terry Frisk- weapons only
Mapp v. Ohio - Correct Answer Plain view- fruits of the poisonous tree
Carroll v. US - Correct Answer Mobility Doctrine
Katz v. US - Correct Answer wiretap
Miranda v. Arizona - Correct Answer Miranda Rights- 5th amendment
Gideon v. Wainwright - Correct Answer 6th amendment- right to counsel
How should liquid blood stains be collected and stored? - Correct Answer Blood that is
in liquid pools should be picked up on a gauze pad or other clean sterile cotton cloth
and allowed to air dry thoroughly, at room temperature. It should be refrigerated or
frozen as soon as possible and brought to the Laboratory as quickly as possible. Delays
beyond 48 hours may make the samples useless.
, How should dried blood stains be collected and stored? - Correct Answer • On clothing,
if possible, wrap the item in clean paper, place the article in a brown paper bag or box
and seal and label container. Do not attempt to remove stains from the cloth.
• On small solid objects, send the whole stained object to the Laboratory, after labeling
and packaging.
• On large solid objects, cover the stained area with clean paper and seal the edges
down with tape to prevent loss or contamination. If impractical to deliver the whole
object to the Laboratory, scrape the stain onto a clean piece of paper, which can be
folded and placed in an envelope. Do not scrape directly into evidence envelope.
Scrape blood from objects using a freshly washed and dried knife or similar tool. Wash
and dry the tool before each stain is scraped off. Seal and mark the envelope.
• Do not mix dried stains. Place each stain in a separate envelope.
• Never attempt to wipe dried stains from an object using a moistened cloth or paper.
How are autopsy blood samples collected? - Correct Answer Request that pathologist
obtain the sample directly from the heart into a yellow (ACD) or purple stoppered
vacutainer (some labs request both). In rare cases when no liquid blood is available,
ask pathologist to collect a section of liver, bone, and/or deep muscle tissue and freeze
for typing. In such cases, proceed also with collection of a secondary standard as
described below.
