Criminal Justice

anticipatory warrant

a search warrant issued on the basis of probable cause to believe that evidence of a crime, although not currently at the place described, will likely be there when the warrant is executed

civil justice

the civil law, the law of civil procedure, and the array of procedures and activities having to do with private rights and remedies sought by civil action

crime-control model

a criminal justice perspective that emphasized the efficient arrest and conviction of criminal offenders

criminal justice

the criminal law, the law of criminal procedure, and the array of procedures and activities having to do with the enforcement of this body of law

due process

a right guaranteed by the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 14th Amendments of the US Constitution and generally understood, in legal contexts, to mean the due course of legal proceedings according to the rules and forms established for the protection of individual rights

due-process model

a criminal justice perspective that emphasizes individual rights at all stages of justice-system processing

emergency search

a search conducted by the police without a warrant, which is justified on the basis of come immediate and overriding need

exclusionary rule

the understanding that incriminating information must be seized according to constitutional specifications of due process or it will not be allowed as evidence in a criminal trial

fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine

a legal principle that excludes from introduction at trial any evidence later developed as a result of an illegal search or seizure

good-faith exception

an exception to the exclusionary rule; law enforcement officers who conduct a search or who seize evidence on the basis of good faith and who later discover that a mistake was made may still use the seized evidence in court

investigative detention

a temporary seizure of an individual by a police officer for investigative purpose; police custody, short of arrest, that is based on reasonable suspicion

plain view

a legal term describing the ready visibility of objects that might be seized as evidence during a search by police in the absence of a search warrant specifying the seizure of those objects; officers must have legal right to be in the viewing area and must have cause to believe that the evidence is somehow associated with criminal activity

probable cause

a set of facts and circumstances that would induce a reasonably intelligent and prudent person to believe that a particular other person has committed a specific crime

reasonable suspicion

the level of suspicion that would justified an officer in making further inquiry or in conducting further investigation; belief, based on a consideration of the facts at hand and on reasonable inferences drawn from those facts, that would induce. an ordinarily prudent and cautious person under the same circumstances to conclude that criminal activity is taking place or that criminal activity has recently occured

search incident to an arrest

a warrantless search of an arrested individual conducted to ensure the safety of the arresting officer

suspicionless search

a search conducted by law enforcement personnel without a warrant and without suspicion; permissible only if based on an overriding concern for public safety

Fifth Amendment

The amendment to the US Constitution that protects against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, and guarantees the right to due process.

Sixth Amendment

The amendment to the US Constitution that guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, the right to confront witnesses, and the right to legal counsel.

Fourteenth Amendment

The amendment to the US Constitution that extends due process protections to the states and guarantees equal protection under the law.

Fourth Amendment

The amendment to the US Constitution that protects against unreasonable searches and seizures and requires any search warrant to be judicially sanctioned and supported by probable cause.

administration of justice

detection, apprehension, detention, pretrial release, post-trial release, prosecution, adjudication, correctional supervision, or rehabilitation of accused persons or criminal offenders

conflict model

a criminal justice perspective that assumes that the system’s components function primarily to serve their own interests

consensus model

a criminal justice perspective that assumes that the system’s components work together harmoniously to achieve the social product we call justice

crime prevention

the anticipation, recognition, and appraisal of a crime risk and the initiation of action to eliminate or reduce it

criminal justice system

the aggregate of all operating and administrative or technical support agencies that perform criminal justice functions; law enforcement, courts, and corrections

criminology

the scientific study of the causes and prevention of crime and the rehabilitation and punishment of offenders

cultural competence

the ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures

evidence-based corrections

the application of social scientific techniques to the study of everyday corrections procedures for the purpose of increasing effectiveness and enhancing the efficient use of available resources

evidence-based policing

the use of the best available research on the outcomes of police work to implement guidelines and evaluate agencies, units, and officers

evidence-based practice

crime-fighting strategies that have been scientifically tested and are based on social science research

justice reinvestmest

a data-driven approach to criminal justice reform that examines and addresses justice system expenditures and population drivers in order to generate cost-saving that are then reinvested in high-performing public safety measures