CJ Today CH1 Key Terms

biometrics

Technology that measures and analyzes human physical and behavioral characteristics for identification.

capital crime

A crime punishable by death or life imprisonment.

civil liberties

Basic rights and freedoms guaranteed to individuals, often protected by law and the Constitution.

conflict model

A perspective that assumes the system’s components function primarily to serve their own interests.

consensus model

A criminal justice perspective that assumes the system's components work together harmoniously.

crime

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

crime control model

A model emphasizing the efficient arrest and conviction of criminal offenders.

criminal justice system

The collective institutions through which an accused offender passes until charges are disposed of or the assessed punishment is concluded.

deviance

Behavior that violates social norms.

discretion

The ability of individuals in the criminal justice system to make operational decisions based on personal judgment.

diversion

A strategy that redirects offenders from traditional criminal justice processing into a program of supervision and services.

domestic terrorism

Terrorist acts committed by a group or individual based and operating entirely within the U.S.

drug

A substance that alters the body's normal functioning, often illegal when abused or used recreationally.

due process model

A criminal justice model that places primacy on individual rights and fair procedures.

ethics

A system of moral principles guiding human behavior.

evidence-based practices

Policies and practices based on research that has proven to be effective.

federalism

A system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units.

formal criminal justice process

The structured process by which criminal laws are enforced through established stages and procedures.

gun control

Laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, or use of firearms.

homeland security

National effort to prevent terrorist attacks and respond to natural and man-made disasters.

informal criminal justice process

A model that relies on discretion and informal decision-making, often without strict adherence to formal procedures.

justice

The principle of fairness; moral rightness.

justice reinvestment

A strategy to redirect funds from prisons to community-based services to reduce recidivism.

morals

Principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong.

psychoactive drugs

Substances that affect the brain and change perception, mood, or behavior.

recidivism

The tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend.

system

A set of connected parts forming a complex whole, especially in a criminal justice context.

terrorism

The use of violence or intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.

victim

A person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime or accident.