Chapter 14: Crime, Corrections, and Public Safety

Definition-based flashcards covering the concepts of policing, the judicial process, corrections, and gun policy in Texas as per the Chapter 14 lecture notes.

Recidivism

The act of recommitting crimes after one has been punished.

Restorative justice

A framework intended to help crime victims and their families heal, protect them from future harm, and provide a sense that justice has been served.

New judicial federalism

The idea that state constitutional rights provisions can provide more rights than the U.S. Constitution, which sets the floor for individual rights.

Uniform Crime Report (UCR)

One of the most comprehensive datasets on crime in the United States, based on police arrest and reporting data.

Index crimes

The eight crime categories under the UCR: murder, aggravated assault, rape and sexual assault, robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft, larceny-theft, and arson.

SB 4

A $2023$ Texas law that makes it a state crime to enter Texas illegally and allows law enforcement to arrest and order undocumented migrants to leave the United States.

Operation Lone Star

Governor Abbott's program aimed at stopping the flow of drugs and undocumented immigrants into the United States.

Texas Commission on Law Enforcement

The agency that develops and enforces law enforcement standards, including licensing, certifying peace officers and jailers, and monitoring police training.

Qualified immunity

A legal doctrine that often makes civil lawsuits over police misconduct unsuccessful.

Felony

A serious criminal offense that subjects a person to fines or imprisonment; examples include capital murder and aggravated kidnapping.

Misdemeanor

A minor criminal offense usually punishable by a small fine or short jail sentence, such as public intoxication or small amounts of marijuana.

Probation

A suspension of a prison sentence where the defendant must meet court-imposed requirements and usually report to an officer regularly.

Parole

Release from prison after serving some time, under specified rules and supervision by the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

Three strikes provision

A law that allows persons convicted of three felonies to be sentenced to life imprisonment.

Arraignment

A procedural step after arrest where charges are explained, due process rights are reviewed, and bail is generally set.

Grand jury

A group of $12$ people who determine if there is sufficient evidence (probable cause) to hold a trial by voting "true bill" or "no bill."

Plea bargain

An agreement between the prosecutor and defendant where the defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced charge or lighter sentence.

County attorney

An elected official in some counties who prosecutes misdemeanor cases.

District attorney

A public official who prosecutes the more serious criminal cases in district court.

Assigned counsel

Private lawyers, paid by the county, who are appointed by judges to provide legal representation for poor people.

Public defender

A salaried lawyer, funded by the government or grants, who represents poor people.

Ruiz v. Estelle

A $1980$ federal court case that concluded Texas inmates' constitutional rights were violated due to crowding, security, and health care issues.

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

The agency that operates the Texas prison system, governed by a nine-member board appointed by the governor.

Red flag laws

Also known as Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO), these allow a civil legal process to temporarily prevent a person at risk of harm from purchasing or possessing firearms.