Finals CJ

Courtroom Work Group

A collective of individuals working together in a courtroom, including the prosecutor, defense attorney, judge, law enforcement, court support staff, corrections, the public, and defendants, victims, and witnesses.

Prosecutor

Functions as a major gatekeeper in the criminal justice system, making crucial decisions regarding which cases to pursue and how to handle them.

Defense Attorney

Protects the interests of the accused in court, serving as a advocate for the defendant's rights.

Judge

A powerful official who has the authority to make legal decisions, preside over trials, and determine sentences.

Indigent Defense

Legal representation provided to individuals who cannot afford an attorney, often through public defenders or assigned counsel.

Plea Bargaining

Negotiation process where the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a lighter sentence.

Court Support Staff

Administrative personnel who manage non-judicial functions of the court, including record keeping and jury management.

Victim-Witness Programs

Initiatives aimed at supporting victims and witnesses throughout the legal process, providing advocacy and emotional support.

U.S. Attorney General

The head of the Department of Justice, appointed by the president, responsible for overseeing law enforcement.

State Attorney General

The chief legal officer of a state, representing the state in legal actions, primarily in civil cases.

Plea Bargaining

A compromise reached by the defendant, their attorney, and the prosecutor, in which the defendant agrees to plead guilty or no contest in return for a reduction of the charges’ severity or other concessions.

Pre-trial release

Being released before the trial takes place, balancing the presumption of innocence and preventative detention, often involving bail or bond alternatives.

Vertical Plea

A type of plea bargain where the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge to reduce potential for a harsher sentence.

Horizontal Plea

A plea bargain where the defendant pleads guilty to one charge in exchange for other charges being dropped.

Reduced-sentence Plea

A plea where all parties decide on a reduced sentence for the defendant.

Avoidance-of-stigma Plea

A strategy in plea bargaining where the defendant pleads guilty to a lesser charge to avoid the stigma of a more serious charge.

Motion for discovery

A pre-trial request wherein the defense seeks to obtain documents or a list of witnesses that the prosecution plans to call.

Grand jury

A group that hears the prosecutor’s evidence and decides if charges should be brought to trial.

Hung jury

A jury that cannot reach a unanimous verdict, leading to a mistrial.

Indeterminate sentencing

Sentencing that allows the parole board discretion to determine an offender's readiness for release.

Determinate sentencing

A fixed length of time that a defendant must serve for a crime, restricting the discretion of judges.

Mandatory minimum sentences

Laws that establish the minimum length of prison time offenders must serve for particular crimes.

Presumptive sentencing

A sentence that may be adjusted by the judge based on aggravating or mitigating factors.

Defendant's plea

The formal response made by a defendant to the charges against them, which can be accepted or rejected by the judge.

Prisons

Institutions designed for the confinement of individuals convicted of crimes.

Pennsylvania System

A system of penal control characterized by solitary confinement and the separate-and-silent treatment.

Auburn System

A style of penal control that allowed inmates to congregate during the day but required silence and solitude at night.

Rehabilitation

The process of helping individuals reintegrate into society through treatment and educational programs.

Reformatory Goals

Objectives of prisons aimed at reforming individuals rather than just punishing them.

Marks-of-commendation

A system where inmates could earn privileges and conditional releases based on good behavior.

Ticket-of-leave

A system of conditional release supervised by local authorities for good behavior.

Convict lease system

A practice where convicted individuals' labor was leased out to private companies, often resembling slavery.

Deterrence

A philosophy of punishment aimed at discouraging criminal behavior by imposing penalties.

Disparate Sentencing

A situation where different individuals receive varying sentences for the same crime based on demographic factors.

Jails

Secure facilities that typically hold arrestees, criminal suspects, and individuals serving sentences less than a year.

Pretrial Detention

The period during which individuals are held in jail while awaiting trial.

Security Housing Unit (SHU)

A type of supermax facility designed for inmates requiring high security and isolation.

Deprivation of Liberty

Loss of freedom experienced by incarcerated individuals.

Collective Behavior

Actions of individuals in a group that can lead to group dynamics, such as riots and mass abuse.

Pseudofamilies

Social structures formed by female inmates in prison, resembling family relationships.

Solitary Confinement

A form of imprisonment in which an inmate is isolated from the general population.

Correctional Officer

A guard responsible for maintaining security and order within a prison.

Private Prisons

Prisons operated by private companies instead of government entities.

14th Amendment

An amendment that addresses discrimination, ensuring rights for individuals, including those incarcerated.

Community Corrections

A form of corrections in which criminal offenders are managed in the community instead of in correctional facilities.

Diversion Programs

Programs that divert offenders to alternative options within the criminal justice system, limiting their entry into the system.

Recidivism

The tendency of a previously convicted person to reoffend, which can be influenced by negative societal labels.

Probation

A sentencing alternative that allows offenders to serve their sentence in the community under specific conditions instead of incarceration.

Intensive-Supervision Probation (ISP)

A form of probation involving closer monitoring and more frequent contact with probation officers for high-risk offenders.

Net-Widening

A phenomenon where criminal justice programs pull more clients into the system than would otherwise be involved without the program.

Costs of Incarceration

The financial expenses associated with imprisoning offenders, which can be significantly higher than alternatives like probation.

Parole

The conditional release of a person from incarceration, under supervision, after serving part of their sentence.

Prisonization

The process by which inmates adapt to the norms and behaviors of prison life, which may hinder their reintegration into society.

Stigmatization

The labeling and negative perception of individuals, particularly ex-convicts, making it difficult for them to reintegrate into society.

Juvenile Justice System

A legal framework designed to address the behavior of youths who violate laws, focusing on rehabilitation rather than punishment.

Parens Patriae

A legal doctrine allowing the state to take responsibility for the welfare of children.

Delinquent Youths

Young individuals who engage in illegal activities or behavior that violates societal norms.

Status Offenders

Youth who commit acts that are not considered crimes if committed by adults, such as truancy or underage drinking.

Diversion

A strategy to redirect youth away from the juvenile justice system and toward alternative support services.

Informal Hearing

A legal proceeding in juvenile court that does not involve a jury and focuses on the best interests of the child.

Individualized Justice

An approach in juvenile courts that considers the unique circumstances of each case, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution.

Juvenile Waiver

A legal process that allows a juvenile case to be transferred to adult court based on the seriousness of the offense.

Chronically Offending

A term used to describe youths who consistently engage in illegal behavior over a long period.

Juvenile Court Rights

Legal entitlements of juveniles, including the right to a fair hearing and the right to legal representation.

Mass Incarceration

The phenomenon where the US has the largest penal population in the world, with over 2.2 million incarcerated adults.

Consequences of Mass Incarceration

Impacts include damage to families, mental and physical health issues, employment challenges, and effects on communities.

Prison-Industrial Complex

The increased reliance on incarceration and law enforcement linked to private profit motives in the prison system.

War on Drugs

A campaign against illegal drug use and trade, often criticized for treating users and dealers as enemies rather than addressing the root issues.

Restorative Justice Programs

Programs designed to facilitate dialogue between victims and offenders to address crime impact and develop resolutions together.

Crimmigration

The intersection of criminal and immigration law, where immigration violations are treated as criminal offenses, affecting an individual's immigration status.

Mandatory Detention

A policy requiring non-citizens convicted of certain crimes to be held in detention while awaiting removal proceedings.

Double Punishment

The phenomenon where non-citizens face both criminal penalties and additional immigration consequences for the same act.

Tech in Policing

The use of technology, such as smart policing and data analysis, to enhance law enforcement effectiveness.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Prisons

Disproportionate rates of imprisonment among different racial and ethnic groups, particularly identified in recent statistics.