CRJ 101 – Midterm Exam Study Guide

Definition of the Criminal Justice System: Components include law enforcement, courts, and corrections.
Purpose of the Criminal Justice System: Protect society, uphold justice, and ensure public safety.
What is Criminology?: The scientific study of crime, criminal behavior, and law enforcement.

Sociological Imagination: Understanding crime as influenced by social, economic, and historical factors.
Émile Durkheim’s View on Crime: Posits that crime strengthens social bonds and clarifies moral boundaries.
Institutions That Shape Criminal Behavior: Key influencers include family, peers, schools, and religious groups.
Moral Panic & Media Influence: Explores how media shapes public perception of crime and amplifies societal fears.

Definition of Crime: Varies across legal, social, and moral perspectives.
Mala in Se vs. Malum Prohibitum Crimes: Differentiates between inherently wrong crimes and those deemed wrong by statute.
Felonies vs. Misdemeanors: Understanding differences in severity, punishment, and legal classification.
Elements of a Crime: Includes actus reus (the act), mens rea (the mental state), and causation.
Defenses in Criminal Law: Common defenses include insanity, duress, consent, and self-defense.

Discretion in Policing: Discusses how law enforcement officers make decisions on the ground.
Broken Windows Theory: Impact on policing strategy and accompanying criticisms regarding its efficacy.
Stop-and-Frisk and Overpolicing: Focus on the effects of aggressive policing tactics on marginalized communities.
Constitutional Amendments Related to Policing: Key amendments include the 4th (search and seizure), 5th (due process), 6th (right to a fair trial), 8th (cruel and unusual punishment), and 14th (equal protection).

Cesare Lombroso: Known as the father of modern criminology, introduced the concept of atavism.
Classical Criminology: Views crime as a rational choice derived from cost-benefit analysis.
Biological Theories: Includes concepts like atavism, phrenology, and eugenics; these theories have largely been discredited as overly simplistic or false.
Anomie Theory: Suggests that a breakdown of social norms leads to increased crime rates.

Critical Race Theory in Criminal Justice: Analyzes systemic racism embedded in laws, policies, and practices of the justice system.
Structural Racism in Policing and Sentencing: Explores how racial disparities manifest in enforcement and judicial outcomes.
The 13th Amendment & Mass Incarceration: Discusses prison labor issues and its implications as modern-day slavery.
Overpolicing and Its Broader Impact on Society: Discusses the erosion of trust, economic repercussions, and implications for the legitimacy of the justice system.
Heather McGhee’s TED Talk on Racism’s Cost to Everyone: Highlights the economic and social costs of systemic racism.

Importance of Crime Data Collection: Essential for tracking trends, prevention efforts, and resource allocation for law enforcement.
Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) System: Collects nationwide crime statistics, providing a broad overview of crime trends.
National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS): Offers more detailed data collection on crimes than UCR.
Dark Figure of Crime: Refers to unreported crimes, including sexual assault and domestic violence, which significantly obscure the true crime rate.
NYPD CompStat System: A crime tracking and accountability mechanism used by the New York Police Department.

Review class notes, textbook chapters, presentations, and quick tip sheets.
Be able to define and apply key terms.
Think critically about how theories and policies influence modern criminal justice practices.
Good luck with your studies!