Chapter 1 Quiz

Describe the two most common models of how society determines which acts are criminal

Réponse: The consensus model argues that the majority of citizens will agree on which activities should be outlawed and punished as crimes. It rests on the assumption that a diverse group of people can have similar morals. In contrast, the conflict model argues that in a diverse society, the dominant groups exercise power by codifying their value systems into criminal laws.

Explain two main purposes of the criminal justice system

Réponse: The first purpose of the criminal justice system is to provide justice to society by ensuring that all individuals are treated equally under criminal justice law. The second purpose is to protect society, a far-reaching objective that involves the fair treatment of crime victims and those who may or may not have committed criminal acts.

Outline three levels of law enforcement

Réponse: Because we have a federal system of government, law enforcement occurs at the (a) national, or federal, level and the (b) state level and within the states at (c) local levels. Because crime is mostly a local concern, most employees in the criminal justice system work for local governments. Agencies at eh federal level include the FBI, the DEA, and the U.S. Secret Service, among others.

List the essential elements of the corrections system.

Réponse: Criminal offenders are placed on probation, incarcerated ina jail or prison, transferred to community-based corrections facilities, or released on parole.