Chapter 1—Criminal Justice in the United States
TRUE/FALSE
1. The criminal justice system, which is both a system and a process, is designed to achieve the two-
fold mission of criminal justice: due process and crime control.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 3 OBJ: 1
2. The structure of the criminal justice system consists of a series of decision points in the major
crime control agencies.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 4 OBJ: 2
3. Criminal justice is the framework for decision making.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 4 OBJ: 3
4. Decision making among criminal justice agencies is independent.
ANS: F
Decision making among criminal justice agencies is interdependent.
PTS: 1 REF: 5 OBJ: 3
5. Formal decision making is discretionary decision making according to professional judgment
ANS: F
Informal decision making is discretionary decision making according to professional judgment.
, PTS: 1 REF: 8 OBJ: 4
6. The vast majority of cases in the “wedding cake” model are first tier crimes.
ANS: F
The vast majority of cases in the “wedding cake” model are fourth tier crimes
PTS: 1 REF: 11 OBJ: 5
7. Most decision making in the criminal justice process is based on legitimate criteria.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 10 OBJ: 5
8. The crime control model focuses on the need to protect people and their property, partly for the
victims’ sake, but also for the good of the whole society.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 12 OBJ: 6
9. According to the crime control model, informal decision making is the best way to ensure speed
and accuracy.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 12 OBJ: 6
10. One way to look at the history of criminal justice is as a pendulum swinging between due process
and crime control.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 14-15 OBJ: 7
MULTIPLE CHOICE
,1. _____ is defined as a series of decision points and the decision-making criminal justice process,
which takes place in the government crime control agencies.
a. The criminal justice process c. The adversary process
b. The procedural process d. The criminal justice machine
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 3 OBJ: 1
2. Which of the following is not a key component agency in the formal criminal justice system?
a. Police c. Courts
b. Community d. Corrections
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 4 OBJ: 2
3. Which of the following decides whether to investigate crime and apprehend suspects?
a. Prosecutors c. Law enforcement officers
b. Defense attorneys d. Corrections
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 5 OBJ: 3
4. Which of the following decides whether to charge suspects?
a. Prosecutors c. Law enforcement officers
b. Defense attorneys d. Corrections
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 5 OBJ: 3
5. The shifting of discretionary decision making from one agency to another is called the .
a. Compression effect c. Popping effect
, b. Gearing effect d. Hydraulic effect
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 7 OBJ: 3
6. _____ is decision making according to written rules.
a. Formal decision making c. Informal decision making
b. Official decision making d. Strict decision making
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 7 OBJ: 4
7. The rules for formal decision making come from which of the following sources?
a. U.S. and state constitutions c. Manuals
b. Statutes d. All of these choices
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 7 OBJ: 4
8. _____ operates according to the judgments of criminal justice professionals guided by their
education, training, and experience in the field.
a. Formal decision making c. Subjective decision making
b. Discretionary decision making d. Official decision making
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 8 OBJ: 4
9. _____ decision-making criteria consist of criteria that produce legal, fair, and smart decisions.
a. Discriminatory c. Substantive
b. Procedural d. Legitimate
TRUE/FALSE
1. The criminal justice system, which is both a system and a process, is designed to achieve the two-
fold mission of criminal justice: due process and crime control.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 3 OBJ: 1
2. The structure of the criminal justice system consists of a series of decision points in the major
crime control agencies.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 4 OBJ: 2
3. Criminal justice is the framework for decision making.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 4 OBJ: 3
4. Decision making among criminal justice agencies is independent.
ANS: F
Decision making among criminal justice agencies is interdependent.
PTS: 1 REF: 5 OBJ: 3
5. Formal decision making is discretionary decision making according to professional judgment
ANS: F
Informal decision making is discretionary decision making according to professional judgment.
, PTS: 1 REF: 8 OBJ: 4
6. The vast majority of cases in the “wedding cake” model are first tier crimes.
ANS: F
The vast majority of cases in the “wedding cake” model are fourth tier crimes
PTS: 1 REF: 11 OBJ: 5
7. Most decision making in the criminal justice process is based on legitimate criteria.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 10 OBJ: 5
8. The crime control model focuses on the need to protect people and their property, partly for the
victims’ sake, but also for the good of the whole society.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 12 OBJ: 6
9. According to the crime control model, informal decision making is the best way to ensure speed
and accuracy.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 12 OBJ: 6
10. One way to look at the history of criminal justice is as a pendulum swinging between due process
and crime control.
ANS: T PTS: 1 REF: 14-15 OBJ: 7
MULTIPLE CHOICE
,1. _____ is defined as a series of decision points and the decision-making criminal justice process,
which takes place in the government crime control agencies.
a. The criminal justice process c. The adversary process
b. The procedural process d. The criminal justice machine
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 3 OBJ: 1
2. Which of the following is not a key component agency in the formal criminal justice system?
a. Police c. Courts
b. Community d. Corrections
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 4 OBJ: 2
3. Which of the following decides whether to investigate crime and apprehend suspects?
a. Prosecutors c. Law enforcement officers
b. Defense attorneys d. Corrections
ANS: C PTS: 1 REF: 5 OBJ: 3
4. Which of the following decides whether to charge suspects?
a. Prosecutors c. Law enforcement officers
b. Defense attorneys d. Corrections
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 5 OBJ: 3
5. The shifting of discretionary decision making from one agency to another is called the .
a. Compression effect c. Popping effect
, b. Gearing effect d. Hydraulic effect
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 7 OBJ: 3
6. _____ is decision making according to written rules.
a. Formal decision making c. Informal decision making
b. Official decision making d. Strict decision making
ANS: A PTS: 1 REF: 7 OBJ: 4
7. The rules for formal decision making come from which of the following sources?
a. U.S. and state constitutions c. Manuals
b. Statutes d. All of these choices
ANS: D PTS: 1 REF: 7 OBJ: 4
8. _____ operates according to the judgments of criminal justice professionals guided by their
education, training, and experience in the field.
a. Formal decision making c. Subjective decision making
b. Discretionary decision making d. Official decision making
ANS: B PTS: 1 REF: 8 OBJ: 4
9. _____ decision-making criteria consist of criteria that produce legal, fair, and smart decisions.
a. Discriminatory c. Substantive
b. Procedural d. Legitimate
