Chapter 1 Knowledge Check

Chapter 1

Quiz yourself using the following chapter review questions to check how well you can recall the material.

Review Questions

1. True or false: Society is in constant change, and it is essential for the criminal justice system to properly address these changing needs of society by implementing constructive reforms that effectively control crime and contribute to the maintaining of social order.
2. The ________  perspective in criminal justice assumes that society shares common values and agrees on what is considered criminal behavior, leading to laws that reflect collective interests and maintain social order.
3. Which of the following best describes the conflict perspective in criminal justice?
   1. Society’s laws reflect the shared values and interests of all members, ensuring social harmony.
   2. The criminal justice system works to protect the powerful and maintain social order through laws that benefit the elite.
   3. Laws are established by the government to ensure the equal treatment of all individuals, regardless of their background.
   4. Laws are created to benefit the collective good of society and promote equality.
4. What is the primary purpose of the U.S. criminal justice system?
   1. Ensures that society functions in an organized and predictable manner while safeguarding the well-being and security of the community.
   2. Upholds the principles of fairness, safety, and equality within society.
   3. Safeguards and maintains a careful balance between preserving individual rights and maintaining public order
   4. All of the above
5. The primary components or fields of the criminal justice system are law enforcement, courts, and ________.
6. True or false: The criminal justice system in the United States is one of the largest government institutions, encompassing federal, state, and local agencies responsible for law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
7. True or false: Indigenous legal systems are a branch of the state legal systems.
8. The federal government, state government, and ________  are the three tiers of government where the criminal justice agencies operate.
9. True or false: Certain perspectives of justice discussed in this section are superior to others.
10. What is the primary purpose of the arrest stage in the criminal justice process?
    1. To detain an individual for the purpose of investigating a crime.
    2. To sentence the individual for the crime they are accused of committing.
    3. To determine a criminal conviction of guilt or innocence.
    4. To immediately release the individual with no further legal action.
11. What is the main purpose of sentencing in the criminal justice process?
12. What is the primary goal of probation in the criminal justice system?
    1. To serve as an alternative to incarceration, allowing the offender to remain in the community under supervision.
    2. To immediately incarcerate offenders found guilty of serious crimes.
    3. To determine the defendant’s innocence or guilt.
    4. To offer offenders the opportunity for a trial.
13. True or false: Herbert Packer’s assembly line model of the criminal justice system (later known as the conveyor belt) emphasizes speed and efficiency over ensuring justice, with cases moving sequentially while some are filtered out at various stages.
14. Walker’s Wedding Cake Model highlights the significance of case differentiation within the criminal justice system. First, the extensive media coverage of high-profile cases exaggerates public perceptions of the frequency of more serious and violent crimes. Second, the model underscores the ________ treatment of cases, as processing and outcomes vary based on factors such as crime severity, public interest, the offender’s record, victim-offender relationship, and available resources.
15. True or false. The contemporary criminal justice system is a vast, complex, and interconnected institution that continuously evolves to adapt to societal changes, values, and challenges in order to effectively serve the community.

Answer Key

1. True. The criminal justice system must evolve to effectively manage crime and uphold social order as society changes.
2. Consensus. The consensus perspective suggests that society has shared values, and laws are created to reflect the common interests of the population, ensuring harmony and social stability.
3. The criminal justice system works to protect the powerful and maintain social order through laws that benefit the elite. The conflict perspective argues that laws are shaped by the powerful to protect their interests and control marginalized groups, often reinforcing inequality.
4. All of the above. The criminal justice system has a broad array of purposes. While the criminal justice system ensures that society functions in an organized and predictable manner while safeguarding the well-being and security of the community by enforcing laws, preventing crime, and maintaining order, it also upholds the principles of fairness, safety, and equality within society by ensuring due process, protecting rights, and promoting justice for all individuals. Additionally, the criminal justice system safeguards and maintains a careful balance between preserving individual rights and maintaining public order by enforcing laws while respecting constitutional freedoms and ensuring accountability.
5. Corrections. Corrections is one of the three main components of the criminal justice system. It oversees individuals who are incarcerated as well as those under community supervision, such as probation and parole.
6. True. The U.S. criminal justice system is vast, involving multiple levels of government (federal, state, and local) and a wide range of agencies that work together to enforce laws (law enforcement), adjudicate cases (courts), and manage offenders (corrections).
7. False. Indigenous legal systems operate independently of state legal systems and are rooted in traditional practices, cultural norms, and community-based justice approaches rather than state-imposed laws.
8. Local government. The federal government, state government, and local government are the three tiers of government where criminal justice agencies operate, each with distinct responsibilities in law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
9. False: Various perspectives of justice provide different frameworks for addressing crime, punishment, and fairness. Rather than one being superior, each perspective meaningfully contributes to the improvement in the administration of justice within the criminal justice system.
10. To detain an individual for the purpose of investigating a crime. The primary purpose of the arrest is to take a person into custody based on probable cause that they have committed a crime, allowing for further investigation and legal proceedings.
11. To decide the appropriate punishment for the defendant based on the crime committed. Sentencing is the stage where the judge imposes a penalty or punishment on the defendant after a conviction, considering factors such as the severity of the crime and any mitigating circumstances.
12. To serve as an alternative to incarceration, allowing the offender to remain in the community under supervision. Probation is a form of community supervision that allows offenders to avoid jail or prison time by complying with certain conditions while living in the community.
13. True. Packer’s assembly line model highlights the prioritization of efficiency in processing cases, sometimes at the expense of due process and individualized justice.
14. Unequal. The Wedding Cake Model demonstrates how cases are not treated equally within the criminal justice system. Factors such as crime severity, media attention, and available resources influence case processing and outcomes.
15. True. The criminal justice system is an intricate network of agencies, processes, and institutions that work together while adapting to societal shifts and evolving demands.