Criminal Justice 101 A-C

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Acquittal

Back 1

A declaration following a trial that the individual accused of the crime is innocent in the eyes of the law and thus is absolved from the charges.

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Actus reus

Back 2

A guilty (prohibited) act.

The commission of a prohibited act is one of the two essential elements required for criminal liability, the other element being the intent to commit a crime.

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Adjudicatory hearing

Back 3

The process through which a juvenile court determines whether there is sufficent evidence to support the initial petition.

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Administrative Law

Back 4

the body of law created by administrative agencies (in the form of rules, regulations, orders, and decisions) in order to carry out thier duties and responsilities.

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Adverary system

Back 5

A legal system in which the prosecution nd defense are opponents, or adversaries, and present their cases in the light most favorable to themselves. The courts arrives at a just solution based on the evidence presented by the contestants and determines who wins and who loses.

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Affidavit

Back 6

A written statement of facts, confirmed by the oath or affirmation of the other party making it and made before a person having the authority to administer the oath or affirmation.

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Affirmative action

Back 7

A hiring or promotion policy favoring those groups, such as women, African Americans, or Hispanics, who have suffered from discrimination in the past or continue to suffer from discrimination.

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Aftercare

Back 8

The variety of therapeutic, educational, and counseling programs made available to juvenile delinquents (and some adults) after they have been released from a correctional facility.

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Age of onset

Back 9

The age at which a juvenile first exhibits delinquent behavior.

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Aggravating circumstances

Back 10

Any circumstances accompanying the commission of a crime that may justify a harsher sentence.

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Aging out

Back 11

A term used to explain the fact that criminal activity declines with age.

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Alien

Back 12

A person who is not a citizen of the country in while he or she is found and therefore may not enjoy the same rights as the citizens of that country.

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Allen Charge

Back 13

An instruction by the judge to a deadlocked jury with only a few dissenters that asks the jurors in the minority to reconsider the majority opinion.

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Anomie

Back 14

A condition in which the individual suffers from the breakdown or absence of social norms. According to this theory, this conditition occurs when a person is disconnected from these norms or rejects them as inconsistent with his or her personal goals.

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Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act
(AEDPA)

Back 15

Legislation giving law enforcement officers the power to arrest and prosecute any individual who provides "material support or resources" to a "foreign terrorist organization."

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Appeal

Back 16

The process of seeking a higher court's review of a lower court's decision for the purpose of correcting or charging this descision.

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Appellate Courts

Back 17

Courts that review decisions made by a lower courts, such as trial courts; also known as courts of appeals.

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Arraignment

Back 18

A court proceeding in which the suspect is formally charged with the criminal offense stated in the indictment. The suspect enters a plea (guilty, not guilty, nolo contendere) in response.

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Arrest

Back 19

To take into custody a person suspected of criminal activity.

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Arrest warrant

Back 20

A written order, based on probable cause and issued by a judge or magistarte, commanding that the person named on the warrant be arrested by the police.

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Assult

Back 21

A threat or and attempt to do violence to another person that causes that person to fear immediate physical harm.

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Attempt

Back 22

The act of taking substantial steps towards committing a crime while having the ability and the intent to commit the crime, even if the crime never takes place

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Attendant circumstances

Back 23

The facts surrounding a criminal event. With some crimes, these facts must be proved to convict the defendant of the underlying crimes, With other crimies, proving these facts can increase the penalty associated with the underlying crime.

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Attorney-client privilege

Back 24

A rule of evidence requiring that communications between a client and his or her attorney be kept confidential, unless the client consents to disclosure.

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Attorney Genereal

Back 25

The cheif law officer of the state; also, the cheif law officer of the nation.

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Authority

Back 26

The power designated to an agent of the law over a person who has broken the law.

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Automatic transfer

Back 27

The process by which a juvenile is transferred to adult court as a matter of state law. In some states, for example, a juvenile who is suspected of murder is atuomatically transferred to adult court.

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Bail

Back 28

The dollar amount or conditions set by the court to ensure than an individaul accused of a crime will appear for further criminal proceedings.

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Bail bond agent

Back 29

A businessperson who agrees, for a fee, to pay the bail amount if the accused fails to appear in court as ordered.

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Ballistics

Back 30

The study of firearms, including th firing of the weapon and the flight of the bullet.

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Ballot initiative

Back 31

A procedure in which the citizens of a state, by collecting enough signatures, can force a public vote on a proposed changed to state law.

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Battery

Back 32

The act of physically contacting another person with the intent to do harm, even if the resulting injury is insubstantial.

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Bench trial

Back 33

A trial conducted without a jury, in which a judge makes the determination of the defendant's guilt or innocents.

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Beyond a reasonable doubt

Back 34

The degree of proof required to find the defendant in a criminal trial guilty of committing the crime. The defendant's guilt must be the only reasonable explaination for the criminal act before the court.

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Bill of Rights

Back 35

The first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

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Biological weapon

Back 36

Any living organisims, such as a bacterium or virus, used to intentionally harm or kill adveraries in war or targets of terrorist attacks.

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Biology

Back 37

The science of living organisims, including their structure, function, growth and origin.

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Blue curtain

Back 38

A metaphorical term used to refer to the value placed on secrecy and the general mistrust of the outside world shared by many police officers.

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Body armor

Back 39

Protective covering that is worn under a police officer's clothing and designed to minimize injury from being hit by a bullet.

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Booking

Back 40

The process of entering a suspect's name, offense abd arrival time into the police log following his or her arrest.

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Boot camp

Back 41

A variation on traditional shock incarceration in which juveniles (and some adults) are sent to secure confinement facilites modeled on military basic training camps instead of prison or jail.

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Botnet

Back 42

A network of computers that have been appropriated without the knowledge of thier owners and used to spread harmful programs via the Internet ; short for rebot network.

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Boykin form

Back 43

A form that must be completed by a defendant who pleads guilty. The defendant states that he or she has done so voluntarily and with full comprehension of the consequences.

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Broken window theory

Back 44

Wilson and Kelling's theory that a neighborhood in disrepair signals that criminal activity is tolerated in the area. Thus, by cracking down on quality-of-life crimes, police can reclaim the neighorhood and encourage law-abiding citizens to live and work there.

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Bullying

Back 45

Overt acts taken by students with the goal of intimidating , harrassing or humiliating other students.

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Bureaucracy

Back 46

A hierarchically structured administrative organization that carries out specific functions.

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Burglary

Back 47

The act of breaking into or entering a structure (such as home or office) without permission for t he purpose of committing a felony.

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Burnout

Back 48

A mental state that occurs when a person suffers from exhaustion and has difficulty functioning normally as a result of overwork and stress.

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Capital punishment

Back 49

The use of the death penalty to punish wrongdoers for certain crimes.

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Case attrition

Back 50

The process through which prosecutors, by deciding whether to prosecute each person arrested, effect an overall reduction in the number of persons prosecuted.

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Case Law

Back 51

The rules of law announced in court decisions. Case law includes the aggregate of reported case that interpret judicial precedents, statutes, regulations, and constitutional provisions.

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Caseload

Back 52

the number of individual probationers or parolees under the supervision of probation or parole officer.

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Causation

Back 53

The relationship in which a change in one measurement or behavior creates a recognizable change in another measurement or behavior.

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Cenral Intelligence Agency
(CIA)

Back 54

The U.S. government agency that is responsible for collecting and coordinating foreign intelligence operations.

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Challenge for cause

Back 55

A vooir dire challenge for which an attorney states the reason why a prospective juror should not be included on the jury.

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Charge

Back 56

The judge's instructions to the jury following the attorney's closing arguments. The charge sets forth the rules of law that the jury must apply in reaching its decision, or verdict.

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Chemical weapon

Back 57

Any weapon that uses a manufactured chemical to hram or kill adversaries in war or targets of terrorist attacks.

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Child abuse

Back 58

Mistreatment of children by causing physical, emotional, or sexual damage without any plausible explianation, such as an accident.

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Child neglect

Back 59

A form of child abuse in which the child is denied certain neccessities such as shelter, food, care, and love.

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Choice Theory

Back 60

A school of criminology that holds that wrongdoers act as if they weigh the possible benefits of criminal or delinquent activity against the expected costs od being apprenended. When the benefits are greater than the expected costs, the offender will make the rational choice to commit a crime or delinquent act.

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Chronic offender

Back 61

A delinquent or criminal who commits multiple offenses and is considered part of a small group of wrongdoers who are responsible for a majority of the antisocial activity in any given community.

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Circumstantial evidence

Back 62

Indirect evidence that is offered to estabish, by interfernce, the likelihood of a fact that is in question.

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Citizen oversight

Back 63

The process by which citizens review complaints brought against individual police officers or police departments.

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Civil confinement

Back 64

The practice of confining individuals against their will if they present a danger to the community.

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Civil Law

Back 65

The branch of law dealing with the definition and enforcement of all private or public rights, as opposed to criminal matters.

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Civil rights

Back 66

The personal rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution, particularly the Bill of Rights.

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Classical criminology

Back 67

A school of criminology based on the belief that individuals have free will to engage in any behavior, including criminal behavior. To deter criminal behavior, society must hold wrongdoers responsible for thier actions by punishing them.

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Clearance of an arrest

Back 68

For crime-reporting purposes, occurs when the arrested suspect is charged with a crime and handed over to a court for prosecution.

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Clearance rate

Back 69

A comparison of the number of crimes cleared by arrest and prosecution with the number of crimes reported during any given time period.

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Closing arguments

Back 70

Arguments made by each side's attorney after the cases for the plaintiff and defendant have been presented.

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Coercion

Back 71

The use of physical force or mental intimidation to compel a person to do something- such as confess to a committing a crime - against his or her will.

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Cold case

Back 72

A crminal investigation that has not been solved after a certain amount of time.

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Cold hit

Back 73

The establishment of a connection between a suspect and a crime, often though the use of DNA evidence, in the absence of an ongoing criminal investigation.

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Common Law

Back 74

The body of law developed from custom or judicial decisions in English and U.S. courts and not attributable to a legislature.

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Community policing

Back 75

A policing philosophy that emphasizes community support for and cooperation with the police in preventing crime. Community policing stresses a police role that is less centralized and more proactive than reform-era policing strategies.

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Competency hearing

Back 76

A court proceeding to determine whether the defendant is mentally well enough to understand the charges filed against him or her and cooperate with a lawyer in presenting a defense. If a judge believes the defendant to be incompetent, the trial cannot take place.

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Compliance

Back 77

The state of operating in accordance with governmental standards.

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Computer crime

Back 78

Any wrongful act that is directed against computers and computer parts or that involves wrongful use or abuse of computers or software.

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Concurrent jurisdiction

Back 79

the sitituation that occurs when two or more courts have autority to preside over the same criminal case.

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Concurring opinions

Back 80

Separate opinions prepared by judges who support the decision of the majority of the court but who want to make or clarify a particular point or to voice disapproval of the grounds on which the decision was made.

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Conducted Energy Devices
(CED)

Back 81

A less lethal weapon designed to disrupt a target's central nervous system by means of a charge of electrucal enegry.

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Confidential informant
(CI)

Back 82

A human source for police who provides information concerning illegal activity in which he or she is involved.

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Conflict model

Back 83

A criminal justice model in which the content of criminal law is determined but the groups that hold economic, political, and soical power in the community.

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Confrontation clause

Back 84

The part of the Sixth Amendment that guarntees all defendants the right to confront witnesses testifying against then during the crimina trail.

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Congregate system

Back 85

A nineteenth-century penitentiary system developed in New York in which inmates were kept in separate cells during the night but worked together in the daytime under a code of enforced silence.

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Consensus model

Back 86

A criminal justice model in which the majority of citizens in a society share the same values and beliefs. Criminal acts are acts that conflict with these values and beliefs and that are deemed harmful to society.

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Consent searches

Back 87

Searches by police that are made after the subject of the search has agreed to the action. In these situations, consent, if given of free will, validates a warrantless search.

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Consitutional Law

Back 88

Law based on the U.S. Constitution and the constitutions of the various states.

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Control Theory

Back 89

A series of theories that assume that all individuals have the potential for criminal behavior, but are restrained by the damage that such actions would do to their relationships with family, friends and memebers of the community. Criminality occurs when these bonds are broken or nonexistent.

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Coroner

Back 90

The medical examiner of a county, usually elected by popluar vote.

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Corporate violence

Back 91

Physical harm to individuals or the environment that occurs as the result of corporate policies or decision making.

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Corpus Delicti

Back 92

The body of circumstances that must exist for a criminal act to have occurred.

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Correlation

Back 93

the relationship between two measurements or behaviors that tend to move in the same direction.

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Courtroom work group

Back 94

The social organization consisting of the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, and other court workers. the relationships amoung these persons have a far-reaching impact on the day-to-day operations of any court.

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Crime

Back 95

An act that violates criminal law and is punishable by crminal sanctions.

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Crime control model

Back 96

A criminal justice model that places primary emphasis on the right of society to be protected from crime and violent criminals.

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Crime mapping

Back 97

Technology that allows cfrime analysts to identify trends and patternsof criminal behavior within a given area.

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Criminal Justice System

Back 98

The interlocking network of law enforcment agencies, courts and corrections institutions designed to enforce criminal laws and protect society from criminal behavior.

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Criminal model of addiction

Back 99

An approach to drug abuse that holds that drug offenders harms society by thier actions to the same extent as other criminals and should face the same punitive sanctions.

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Criminologist

Back 100

A specialist in the field of crime and the causes of criminal behavior.

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Criminology

Back 101

The scientfic study of crime and the causes of criminal behavior.

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Cross-examination

Back 102

The questioning of an opposing witness during trial.

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Culture deviance theory

Back 103

A branch of soical sturucture theory based on the assumption that members of certain subcultures reject the values of the dominant culture through deviant behavior patterns.

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Custodial interrogration

Back 104

The questioning of a suspect after that person has been taken into custody. In this situation, the suspect must be read his or her Miranda rights before interrogation can begin.

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Custody

Back 105

The forceful detention of a person, or the perception that a person is not free to leave the immediate vicinity.

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Cyber crime

Back 106

A crime that occurs online, in the virtual comminty of the internet, as opposed to in the pyhsical world.

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Cyber forensics

Back 107

The application of computer technology to finding and utilizing evidence of cyber crimes.

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Cyber fraud

Back 108

Any misrepresentation knowingly made over the Internet with the intentions of deceiving another and on whicha reasonable person would and does rely on his or her detriment.

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Cyberstalking

Back 109

The crime of stalking, committed in cyberspace through the use of e-mail, text message, ir another form of electronic communication.