Criminal Justice Final

Law

Code of Laws

A type of legislation that purports to exhaustively cover a complete system of laws or a particular area of a law as it existed at the time the code was enacted.

Victimless Crime

A crime that does not directly violate or harm another person, often involving consensual activities.

Victimology

The study of the victims of crime and the psychological effects on them. It includes the study of why some indivudals are more prone to being victime than others

Occupational Crime

Workplace crime or white-collar crime; Committed in context of legal business and profession

Criminal Law

Body of law dealing with crimes and their punishment

Code of Hammurabi

An ancient Mesopotamian legal code established by King Hammurabi, consisting of laws that outline justice and punishments based on a system of retribution. It is one of the oldest deciphered writings of significant length in the world, featuring the famous principle of "an eye for an eye."

Burglary

Unlawful entry into a building with the intent to commit a crime, usually theft

Biological Theory

Genetic, biochemical, or neurological defects cause some people to commit crime

Criminal Negligence

Civil Law

Body of law directly concerning the rights and duties between parties

Ingredients of a Crime

1. Prohibited Act

2. Criminal Intent

3-4. Concurrence and Causation

2nd Degree

Murder of another human being down in the “heat of the moment” with malice

Life Course Theory

Offenders have criminal careers that often begin with pathways into youth crime but can change and end through turning points in life

Young Black Males

Highest rate of targeted victims

Criminal Justice System

A complex whole consisting of interdependent parts whose actions are directed toward goals and are influenced by the enviorment within which they function

Specific Intent

Criminal Defenses

For conviction to occur in a criminal case, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant committed the act in question

Felony

Most serious offense; Punishments greater than a year in prison and fines that exceed $1,000

Substantive Law

general principles and detailed rules defining legal rights and duties

Crime

Visible Crime

“Street Crime”; Violent, Property, and Public Order

Race

Misdemeanor

An offense that is more serious that a petty offense but less serious than a felony; Typical punishment is usually a larger gine than a petty offense or a short jail sentence

Procedural Law

General principles and detailed rules that define methods of administering the substantive law

Deadly Force

Fourth Amendment

Terry Stops

Terry v Ohio (1968); Requires reasonable suspicion based on experience; The stop must be temporary and no longer than necessary under circumstances

Consents

Plain View

Must be immediately apparent; Harris v US (1968) “Objects falling in the plain view of an officer who has the right to be in a position to have that view are subject to seizure”

Good Faith Exception

Evidence obtained by the police acting in good faith is admissible

Drug Roadblocks

Illegal under the fourth amendment; Recognizes limited exceptions to the rule that a stop and search requires individualized suspicion in order to be reasonable, but there are is a specific purposem not detection of ordinary criminal activity, attached to the law enforcments practice that makes the search and seizure reasonable

Traffic Stop

Seizure occurs whenever a vehicle is stopped; Must have at least reasonable suspicion

Public Safety

Miranda Warnings

You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law, you have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford an attorney one will be provided to you.

Custody

Hot Pursuit

Vehicles

Warrant

Probable Cause

Abandoned

Not protected under the fourth amendment; Depends on where the property is abandoned and on intent of the disposer

Open Fields

Do not fall under the protection of the fourth amendment; May be achieved while trespassing

Retention

Grand Jury

Premptory

Prosecutors

Bail

Indictment

Circumstantial

Defense

Prosecutorial Discrestion

Arraignment

Hearsay

Only items that are not hearsay or are an exception are admissible

Public Defender

Plea Bargain

Gag Order

Opinion

Only expert witnesses are allowed to give their opinion on matters

Alford Plea

Voir Dire

Cross Examination

Reintegration

Probation

Furman v Georgia

Day Reporting Center

Resititution

Recidivism

The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend or relapse into criminal behavior after serving a sentence or undergoing rehabilitation.

McCleskey v Kemp

House Arrest

Corrections

Deterrent

Ford v Wainwright

Jail

Incarceration

Thompson v Oklahoma

Prison

Parole

Mass Incarceration