SCCJA Legals 1: Questions / Answers
Ethics ✔️Ans -study of what is morally right and what is not
Motivations for unethical conduct ✔️Ans -Anger lust greed peer pressure
Common crimes officer commit ✔️Ans -False statements, larceny, sex
offenses, battery
Average experience level of officers who get in ethical dilemmas ✔️Ans -7
years
1st phase of continuum of compromise ✔️Ans -Omission
Examples of omission ✔️Ans -Ignoring traffic violations, failing to conduct
follow ups, complete paperwork
2nd phase of continuum of compromise ✔️Ans -administrative
Examples of administrative unethical conduct ✔️Ans -drinking on duty, not
reporting accidents
3rd phase of continuum of compromise ✔️Ans -criminal
Examples of criminal unethical conduct ✔️Ans -evidence tampering, thefts
4 justifications for unethical conduct ✔️Ans -denial of victim, victim of
circumstance, higher cause, victim blaming
Denial of victim ✔️Ans -officer believes there's no victim, so no harm done.
example- stealing money from drug dealer
Victim of circumstance ✔️Ans -Officer believes no choice but to act in a
certain way
Higher cause ✔️Ans -Officer believes he must break rules to accomplish
goal. example- unlawful search of sexual predator
,Consequences of unethical conduct ✔️Ans -Criminal charges, civil litigation,
negative impact on community relations, disciplinary action, loss of
certification, domestic problems
Greatest consequence of unethical conduct ✔️Ans -officer safety
2 groups that officers feel pressured by to keep quiet about unethical conduct
✔️Ans -Individuals who commit the act, someone not involved in it
4 consequences officers believe will happen if they don't uphold code of
silence ✔️Ans -Officer involved will be disciplined, officer who ratted will
be disciplined, officer who ratted will be shunned, administration won't do
anything
Ways agencies can control code of silence ✔️Ans -ethics training,
accountability, open communication, anon reporting, protect officers who
come forward
2 ways social media affects law enforcement ✔️Ans -agency's image and
officer's credibility
8 reasons academy can deny certification ✔️Ans -conviction of a felony or
crime with sentence of more than 1 year, illegal use of controlled substance,
excessive force, unsafe firearm or vehicle usage, abuse of public, falsification
of employment info, lying to employer, untruthfulness to employer
4 reasons certification can be revoked ✔️Ans -Falsification of certification
application, officer found ineligible for service due to failure to meet prereqs,
officer convicted of criminal offense, misconduct
Moral turpitude ✔️Ans -Anything done contrary to justice, honesty,
modesty or good morals.
Crimes of moral turpitude ✔️Ans -fraud larceny intent to harm persons or
things
Statutory law ✔️Ans -enacted by legislature
, Common law ✔️Ans -developed in England from customs and court
decisions, adopted by SC in 1712
How many felony categories? ✔️Ans -6
How many felonies exempt from classification system? And what kind?
✔️Ans -40- Murder, Homicide by Child Abuse, Burglary 1st, drug trafficking
How many misdemeanor categories? ✔️Ans -3
What misdemeanors are exempt from classification? ✔️Ans -Those that
carry term of less than 1 year or more than 3
Class A Misdemeanor ✔️Ans -3 yrs
Class B Misdemeanor ✔️Ans -2 yrs
Class C Misdemeanor ✔️Ans -1 yr
2 types of defendants ✔️Ans -principal, accessory
Types of courts ✔️Ans -summary, family, circuit, SC court of appeals, SC
supreme court
Summary court divisions ✔️Ans -magistrate (crimes with $500 fine, 30
days) municipal (city ordinance violations, civil cases)
Circuit Court ✔️Ans -Court of General Sessions (criminal), Common Pleas
(civil). Bond hearings for death penalty
SC Court of Appeals ✔️Ans -Court reviews cases, except death penalty
SC Supreme Court ✔️Ans -Hears Direct Appeals and Writ of Cert
Types of Direct Appeals ✔️Ans -death penalty murder, public utility, public
bond, elections, constitutional questions
Order of trying a case ✔️Ans -Crime occurs, arrest/bond hearing, prelims,
grand jury, arraignment
Ethics ✔️Ans -study of what is morally right and what is not
Motivations for unethical conduct ✔️Ans -Anger lust greed peer pressure
Common crimes officer commit ✔️Ans -False statements, larceny, sex
offenses, battery
Average experience level of officers who get in ethical dilemmas ✔️Ans -7
years
1st phase of continuum of compromise ✔️Ans -Omission
Examples of omission ✔️Ans -Ignoring traffic violations, failing to conduct
follow ups, complete paperwork
2nd phase of continuum of compromise ✔️Ans -administrative
Examples of administrative unethical conduct ✔️Ans -drinking on duty, not
reporting accidents
3rd phase of continuum of compromise ✔️Ans -criminal
Examples of criminal unethical conduct ✔️Ans -evidence tampering, thefts
4 justifications for unethical conduct ✔️Ans -denial of victim, victim of
circumstance, higher cause, victim blaming
Denial of victim ✔️Ans -officer believes there's no victim, so no harm done.
example- stealing money from drug dealer
Victim of circumstance ✔️Ans -Officer believes no choice but to act in a
certain way
Higher cause ✔️Ans -Officer believes he must break rules to accomplish
goal. example- unlawful search of sexual predator
,Consequences of unethical conduct ✔️Ans -Criminal charges, civil litigation,
negative impact on community relations, disciplinary action, loss of
certification, domestic problems
Greatest consequence of unethical conduct ✔️Ans -officer safety
2 groups that officers feel pressured by to keep quiet about unethical conduct
✔️Ans -Individuals who commit the act, someone not involved in it
4 consequences officers believe will happen if they don't uphold code of
silence ✔️Ans -Officer involved will be disciplined, officer who ratted will
be disciplined, officer who ratted will be shunned, administration won't do
anything
Ways agencies can control code of silence ✔️Ans -ethics training,
accountability, open communication, anon reporting, protect officers who
come forward
2 ways social media affects law enforcement ✔️Ans -agency's image and
officer's credibility
8 reasons academy can deny certification ✔️Ans -conviction of a felony or
crime with sentence of more than 1 year, illegal use of controlled substance,
excessive force, unsafe firearm or vehicle usage, abuse of public, falsification
of employment info, lying to employer, untruthfulness to employer
4 reasons certification can be revoked ✔️Ans -Falsification of certification
application, officer found ineligible for service due to failure to meet prereqs,
officer convicted of criminal offense, misconduct
Moral turpitude ✔️Ans -Anything done contrary to justice, honesty,
modesty or good morals.
Crimes of moral turpitude ✔️Ans -fraud larceny intent to harm persons or
things
Statutory law ✔️Ans -enacted by legislature
, Common law ✔️Ans -developed in England from customs and court
decisions, adopted by SC in 1712
How many felony categories? ✔️Ans -6
How many felonies exempt from classification system? And what kind?
✔️Ans -40- Murder, Homicide by Child Abuse, Burglary 1st, drug trafficking
How many misdemeanor categories? ✔️Ans -3
What misdemeanors are exempt from classification? ✔️Ans -Those that
carry term of less than 1 year or more than 3
Class A Misdemeanor ✔️Ans -3 yrs
Class B Misdemeanor ✔️Ans -2 yrs
Class C Misdemeanor ✔️Ans -1 yr
2 types of defendants ✔️Ans -principal, accessory
Types of courts ✔️Ans -summary, family, circuit, SC court of appeals, SC
supreme court
Summary court divisions ✔️Ans -magistrate (crimes with $500 fine, 30
days) municipal (city ordinance violations, civil cases)
Circuit Court ✔️Ans -Court of General Sessions (criminal), Common Pleas
(civil). Bond hearings for death penalty
SC Court of Appeals ✔️Ans -Court reviews cases, except death penalty
SC Supreme Court ✔️Ans -Hears Direct Appeals and Writ of Cert
Types of Direct Appeals ✔️Ans -death penalty murder, public utility, public
bond, elections, constitutional questions
Order of trying a case ✔️Ans -Crime occurs, arrest/bond hearing, prelims,
grand jury, arraignment
