Criminal Justice In Action Week 1 Key Terms

Confirmation Bias

occurs when people seek out information or remember information that is closely aligned with their personal beliefs

Corrections

this system carries out punishment

Courts

This system is responsible for determining whether an individual should be charged with a crime and also manage the process to determine if they should be held criminally responsible

Crime

an act that is against the law and causes punishment

crime and control model

model of criminal justice that advocates for the suppression and control of criminal behavior as a function of public order in society

Defendant

Someone who has criminal charges against them

Discretion

the power of criminal justice officials to make decisions

Due process model

model of criminal justice that believes in the protection of freedoms is the most important function to the system

Ethics

The understanding of what constitutes good or bad behavior

Fake news

information that is verifiably inaccurate

Felony

serious crime that can be punished by more than one year

misdemeanors

lower-level crime that can be punished by less than one year or probation

Police

tasked with investigating crime and apprehending alleged offenders

Wedding cake model

demonstrates how cases are treated differently by the criminal justice process