SCCJA SPECIAL BASIC STUDY GUIDE EXAM
WITH CORRECT ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECTLY WELL DEFINED ANSWERS
LATEST ALREADY GRADED A+ 2025 - 2026
True or False: A person can only give consent if they are in lawful
possession - ANSWERS-TRUE
consent search - ANSWERS-Search conducted with consent that is
voluntary and obtained from a person with the authority to give
that consent. Can withdraw consent at anytime and the officer
must stop the search
What are the purposes of the search incident to arrest - ANSWERS-
protect the arresting officer, prevent escape, preserve any evidence
Protective Sweep - ANSWERS-A search of the premises if they have
reasonable suspicion that others are present. For officer safety.
,New York v. Class - ANSWERS-A motorist has no reasonable
expectation of privacy in the VIN located on the dashboard of a car.
A police officer's act of reaching in a car, which he has stopped
legally, in order to remove papers to view the VIN was reasonable
due to minimal intrusiveness.
14th Amendment - ANSWERS-All persons born or naturalized in the
United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of
the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State
shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or
immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State
deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process
of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws. This is the Due Process amendment
What is the separation of powers concept - ANSWERS-concept that
the division of government responsibilities among the various
branches- Legislative (writes-makes the laws), Executive (Enforces
the law), Judicial (Interprets the law)
What branch of government does law enforcement belong to -
ANSWERS-Executive Branch (Enforce the law)
What are Peels Principles of Modern Law Enforcement - ANSWERS-
Principles that are relevant for law enforcement to follow today.
The big one- The ability of the police to perform their duties is
dependent on public approval. Otherwise some others include
,remaining impartial, only use physical force to the extent necessary,
prevent crime is the basic mission
Recognize the importance of the South Carolina State constitution -
ANSWERS-Identical concepts to the US Constitution however two
differences: In addition to the protections in the 4th amendment,
and individual is also protected against unreasonable invasions of
privacy and in regards to the particularity requirement, the
information sought pursuant to a warrant be stated significantly
Function and organization of the US Supreme Court - ANSWERS-The
SCOTUS is the court of last resort. There are 9 members of the court
with a Chief Justice.
What is "case law" - ANSWERS-Written decision of appellate courts
deciding actual cases-- also known as precedent or common law
What are elements of an offense - ANSWERS-elements, or key
points that the state must prove for every offense in order to obtain
a conviction.
Structure of the US Court System - ANSWERS-From Bottom to Top:
U.S. District Courts, US Court of Appeals, SCOTUS
Structure of the South Carolina Court system - ANSWERS-Bottom to
Top: Summary Courts (Magistrate, Municipal, Probate Courts),
, Circuit Court (Common pleas- CIVIL and General Sessions-
CRIMINAL), Court of Appeals.
Also within are Family Court and Master-in-Equity court
Historical Events occurring between 1776 and 1791 that lead to
decisions that lead to the ratification of the Constitution and the Bill
of Rights - ANSWERS-Colonists declared independence from
England, in order to create a central government without the ability
to become a tyranny. Strong versus Decentralized form of
government battle where the Bill of Rights came in.
First Amendment - ANSWERS-Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the government for a redress of grievances.
4th Amendment - ANSWERS-The right of people to be secure in
their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable
searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall
issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation,
and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the
persons or things to be searched.
6th Amendment - ANSWERS-In all criminal prosecutions, the
accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an
WITH CORRECT ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND
CORRECTLY WELL DEFINED ANSWERS
LATEST ALREADY GRADED A+ 2025 - 2026
True or False: A person can only give consent if they are in lawful
possession - ANSWERS-TRUE
consent search - ANSWERS-Search conducted with consent that is
voluntary and obtained from a person with the authority to give
that consent. Can withdraw consent at anytime and the officer
must stop the search
What are the purposes of the search incident to arrest - ANSWERS-
protect the arresting officer, prevent escape, preserve any evidence
Protective Sweep - ANSWERS-A search of the premises if they have
reasonable suspicion that others are present. For officer safety.
,New York v. Class - ANSWERS-A motorist has no reasonable
expectation of privacy in the VIN located on the dashboard of a car.
A police officer's act of reaching in a car, which he has stopped
legally, in order to remove papers to view the VIN was reasonable
due to minimal intrusiveness.
14th Amendment - ANSWERS-All persons born or naturalized in the
United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of
the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State
shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or
immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State
deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process
of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws. This is the Due Process amendment
What is the separation of powers concept - ANSWERS-concept that
the division of government responsibilities among the various
branches- Legislative (writes-makes the laws), Executive (Enforces
the law), Judicial (Interprets the law)
What branch of government does law enforcement belong to -
ANSWERS-Executive Branch (Enforce the law)
What are Peels Principles of Modern Law Enforcement - ANSWERS-
Principles that are relevant for law enforcement to follow today.
The big one- The ability of the police to perform their duties is
dependent on public approval. Otherwise some others include
,remaining impartial, only use physical force to the extent necessary,
prevent crime is the basic mission
Recognize the importance of the South Carolina State constitution -
ANSWERS-Identical concepts to the US Constitution however two
differences: In addition to the protections in the 4th amendment,
and individual is also protected against unreasonable invasions of
privacy and in regards to the particularity requirement, the
information sought pursuant to a warrant be stated significantly
Function and organization of the US Supreme Court - ANSWERS-The
SCOTUS is the court of last resort. There are 9 members of the court
with a Chief Justice.
What is "case law" - ANSWERS-Written decision of appellate courts
deciding actual cases-- also known as precedent or common law
What are elements of an offense - ANSWERS-elements, or key
points that the state must prove for every offense in order to obtain
a conviction.
Structure of the US Court System - ANSWERS-From Bottom to Top:
U.S. District Courts, US Court of Appeals, SCOTUS
Structure of the South Carolina Court system - ANSWERS-Bottom to
Top: Summary Courts (Magistrate, Municipal, Probate Courts),
, Circuit Court (Common pleas- CIVIL and General Sessions-
CRIMINAL), Court of Appeals.
Also within are Family Court and Master-in-Equity court
Historical Events occurring between 1776 and 1791 that lead to
decisions that lead to the ratification of the Constitution and the Bill
of Rights - ANSWERS-Colonists declared independence from
England, in order to create a central government without the ability
to become a tyranny. Strong versus Decentralized form of
government battle where the Bill of Rights came in.
First Amendment - ANSWERS-Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to
petition the government for a redress of grievances.
4th Amendment - ANSWERS-The right of people to be secure in
their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable
searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall
issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation,
and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the
persons or things to be searched.
6th Amendment - ANSWERS-In all criminal prosecutions, the
accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an
