Comprehensive Criminology Exam Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key legal, criminological, and correctional terms and definitions from the Comprehensive Criminologist Licensure Review notes.

Prescription of crime

The forfeiture or loss of the right of the state to prosecute the offender or file criminal action after the lapse of a certain period of time.

Prescription of penalty

The loss or forfeiture of the right of the state to execute the sentence following his conviction after the lapse of a certain period of time.

Complex crime

Occurs when a single act constitutes two or more grave felonies (compound crime) or when an offense is a necessary means of committing another (complex crime proper).

Reprieve

A kind of executive clemency whereby the execution of a penalty is suspended.

Commutation of sentence

Occurs when the penalty imposed by the court upon an offender is reduced to a lighter one.

Civil interdiction

An accessory penalty provided by law when the principal penalty imposed upon the offender for the commission of a crime is more than twelve years imprisonment.

Impossible crime

A crime committed by a person who performs an act which would be an offense against person or property but for the inherent impossibility of its accomplishment or the employment of inadequate or ineffectual means.

Probation

A disposition under which a defendant after conviction and sentence is released subject to the conditions imposed by the court and the supervision of a probation officer.

Treachery

An aggravating circumstance present when a person commits any of the crimes against person, employing means, methods, or forms in the execution without risk to himself arising from the defense which the offended party might make.

Special time allowance for loyalty

A deduction of one-fifth ($1/5$) of the period of the sentence of a prisoner if he gives himself up to the authorities within $48$ hours following the passing away of a calamity after evading service.

Amnesty

A sovereign act of oblivion for past acts, granted by the government to a certain class of person charged or guilty of crime, usually political offenses.

Ex post facto law

A law which makes criminal an act done before the passage of the law or which aggravates a crime or makes it greater than it was when committed.

Bill of attainder

A legislative act which inflicts punishment without trial.

Destierro

A principal, divisible and correctional penalty where the convict shall not be permitted to enter the place designated in the sentence nor within a radius of not more than $250$ and not less than $25$ kilometers.

Treason

A felony that is a breach of allegiance, which is the obligation of fidelity and obedience a citizen owes to the government in return for protection.

Espionage

Committed by any person who, without authority, enters a warship, fort, or military establishment to obtain information, plans, or data of a confidential nature relative to the defense of the Philippines.

Arbitrary detention

Committed when a public officer deprives a person of his liberty without any legal ground.

Perjury

The willful and corrupt assertion of falsehood under oath or affirmation administered by authority of law on a material matter.

Direct bribery

Committed when a public officer agrees to perform an act constituting a crime in connection with his official duties in consideration of any offer, promise, gift, or present.

Infanticide

The crime committed by any person who shall kill any child less than three ($3$) days of age.

Bigamy

The act of marrying for the second time before the former marriage has been legally dissolved or before the absent spouse has been judicially declared presumptively dead.

Libel

A public and malicious imputation of a crime, vice, or defect tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or judicial person.

Coup d’état

A swift attack directed against duly constituted authorities or military installations for the purpose of seizing state power, carried out by persons in the military, police, or public office.

Vagrant

Any person who, having no apparent means of subsistence, has the physical ability to work and neglects to apply himself to some lawful calling.

Search Warrant

An order in writing issued in the name of the People of the Philippines, signed by a judge and directed to a peace officer, commanding him to search for personal property and bring it before the court.

Probable cause

The existence of such facts and circumstances which would lead a reasonable, discreet, and prudent man to believe that an offense has been committed and that the objects sought are in the place to be searched.

Factum probans

The evidentiary fact by which the ultimate fact is established.

Factum probandum

The ultimate fact or proposition to be established in a legal proceeding.

Chain of custody

A procedure used in establishing the guaranty of the integrity of physical evidence and preventing the introduction of evidence which is not authentic.

Dactyloscopy

The science of fingerprint identification.

Rigor mortis

The stiffening of the muscles and tissues of a cadaver that occurs several hours after death.

Hacking

The unauthorized access to another computer network site to steal data or sensitive information.

Flash-over

A transition in the development of fire when most or all combustible surfaces within a room are heated above their ignition temperature at the same time.

Mittimus

A warrant issued by the court bearing its seal and the signature of the judge directing jail or prison authorities to receive a convicted offender for the service of sentence.

Carpeta

The national record of a prisoner, typically found in institutions like the New Bilibid Prison.

Arraignment

The stage in dynamic criminal prosecution where the information is read to the accused in open court and he is asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.