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CMRJ101 – LESSON 12 QUIZ: CURRENT ISSUES IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE – PRACTICE EXAM 2026/2027
COMPLETE CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
CMRJ
Prepare for the CMRJ101 Lesson 12 Quiz – Current Issues in Criminal Justice with this
focused practice resource designed to reinforce contemporary criminal justice
concepts. Use it to review current issues, emerging challenges, policy considerations,
and important developments within the criminal justice system. This resource can
help strengthen your understanding, identify areas that may require additional study,
and improve your quiz readiness. It provides a structured supplement to your
coursework and supports a more confident approach to the CMRJ101 assessment.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Criminal Justice Reform & Decentralization (Q1–Q20)
1. Which of the following best describes the current trend in criminal
justice reform in the United States?
A. Complete federal takeover of all local criminal justice systems
B. Decentralization of reform efforts to state and local levels
C. Elimination of all criminal justice reform initiatives
D. Centralization of all reform efforts in the federal government
Answer: B
Rationale: Criminal justice reform has not ended—it has decentralized.
While federal reform efforts have faced retrenchment, states and
localities continue to pursue their own reform agendas, including
decarceration, sentencing reform, and youth justice initiatives.
2. According to recent analyses, which of the following has occurred at
the federal level regarding criminal justice reform?
A. Increased federal civil rights oversight of local police
B. Gutting of federal civil rights oversight of local police
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C. Expansion of evidence-based crime prevention funding
D. Elimination of the death penalty
Answer: B
Rationale: Federal civil rights oversight of local police has been gutted,
the death penalty has been reinvigorated, and funding for evidence-based
crime prevention initiatives has been withdrawn.
3. Which of the following states adopted criminal legal reforms in 2025
that may contribute to decarceration?
A. At least 10 states
B. Only 2 states
C. No states
D. All 50 states
Answer: A
Rationale: At least 10 states adopted criminal legal reforms in 2025 that
may contribute to decarceration, guarantee voting rights for legal system-
impacted citizens, and advance youth justice reforms.
4. What is the primary goal of the Diversion And Rehabilitation
Transformation (DART) Act of 2025?
A. To increase incarceration rates
B. To address drug addiction, mental health disorders, and systemic poverty
as contributing factors to crime
C. To eliminate all diversion programs
D. To expand the use of mandatory minimum sentences
Answer: B
Rationale: The DART Act of 2025 finds that drug addiction, mental health
disorders, and systemic poverty are significant contributing factors to
crime rates, and traditional criminal justice approaches are insufficient.
5. Which of the following best describes the current state of criminal case
backlogs in England and Wales?
A. Backlogs have been eliminated
B. Backlogs have decreased significantly
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C. Backlogs stand at approximately 78,000 cases in the Crown Court
D. Backlogs are no longer measured
Answer: C
Rationale: In December 2025, the backlog of criminal cases waiting to be
heard in the Crown Court stood at approximately 78,000 cases, an
increase of 11% on the previous year.
6. What has been the impact of federal budget shortfalls on the federal
defender program in 2025?
A. No impact
B. Significant funding instability affecting courts and indigent defendants
C. Increased funding
D. Elimination of the program
Answer: B
Rationale: In 2025, the federal defender program experienced significant
funding instability affecting courts, appointed counsel, and indigent
defendants in criminal and post-conviction proceedings.
7. Which of the following is a key recommendation from the Independent
Review of the Criminal Courts?
A. Reducing the use of technology
B. Making 135 recommendations to improve efficiency
C. Eliminating all criminal courts
D. Increasing case backlogs
Answer: B
Rationale: The Independent Review of the Criminal Courts made 135
recommendations to improve the efficiency of the criminal courts,
including recommendations about new technologies such as AI.
8. What is the primary purpose of the Safer Detention Act of 2025?
A. To increase pretrial detention
B. To reauthorize and reform the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program
C. To eliminate all detention programs
D. To expand mandatory minimum sentences
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Answer: B
Rationale: The bipartisan Safer Detention Act of 2025 would reauthorize
and reform the now-expired Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program.
9. Which of the following best describes the current trend in state-level
criminal justice reform?
A. States are eliminating all reform efforts
B. States are continuing to pursue reform even as federal efforts stall
C. States are waiting for federal direction
D. States have no role in criminal justice reform
Answer: B
Rationale: Criminal justice reform has decentralized, with states and
localities continuing to pursue their own reform agendas even as federal
reform efforts have faced retrenchment.
10. What is the primary focus of the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted
Conduct Act?
A. To allow punishment for acquitted conduct
B. To prohibit punishment for conduct for which a defendant was acquitted
C. To expand the use of acquitted conduct in sentencing
D. To eliminate all sentencing guidelines
Answer: B
Rationale: The Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act would
prohibit punishing defendants for conduct for which they were acquitted.
11. Which of the following countries has NOT widely adopted the PEACE
model of interviewing?
A. England and Wales
B. Norway
C. United States
D. New Zealand
Answer: C
Rationale: The PEACE model has been adopted in various countries,
including England and Wales, Norway, and New Zealand, but is not widely
used in the United States, which primarily uses the Reid Technique.
CMRJ101 – LESSON 12 QUIZ: CURRENT ISSUES IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE – PRACTICE EXAM 2026/2027
COMPLETE CURRENT TESTING QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES.
CMRJ
Prepare for the CMRJ101 Lesson 12 Quiz – Current Issues in Criminal Justice with this
focused practice resource designed to reinforce contemporary criminal justice
concepts. Use it to review current issues, emerging challenges, policy considerations,
and important developments within the criminal justice system. This resource can
help strengthen your understanding, identify areas that may require additional study,
and improve your quiz readiness. It provides a structured supplement to your
coursework and supports a more confident approach to the CMRJ101 assessment.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
Section 1: Criminal Justice Reform & Decentralization (Q1–Q20)
1. Which of the following best describes the current trend in criminal
justice reform in the United States?
A. Complete federal takeover of all local criminal justice systems
B. Decentralization of reform efforts to state and local levels
C. Elimination of all criminal justice reform initiatives
D. Centralization of all reform efforts in the federal government
Answer: B
Rationale: Criminal justice reform has not ended—it has decentralized.
While federal reform efforts have faced retrenchment, states and
localities continue to pursue their own reform agendas, including
decarceration, sentencing reform, and youth justice initiatives.
2. According to recent analyses, which of the following has occurred at
the federal level regarding criminal justice reform?
A. Increased federal civil rights oversight of local police
B. Gutting of federal civil rights oversight of local police
, Page 2 of 37
C. Expansion of evidence-based crime prevention funding
D. Elimination of the death penalty
Answer: B
Rationale: Federal civil rights oversight of local police has been gutted,
the death penalty has been reinvigorated, and funding for evidence-based
crime prevention initiatives has been withdrawn.
3. Which of the following states adopted criminal legal reforms in 2025
that may contribute to decarceration?
A. At least 10 states
B. Only 2 states
C. No states
D. All 50 states
Answer: A
Rationale: At least 10 states adopted criminal legal reforms in 2025 that
may contribute to decarceration, guarantee voting rights for legal system-
impacted citizens, and advance youth justice reforms.
4. What is the primary goal of the Diversion And Rehabilitation
Transformation (DART) Act of 2025?
A. To increase incarceration rates
B. To address drug addiction, mental health disorders, and systemic poverty
as contributing factors to crime
C. To eliminate all diversion programs
D. To expand the use of mandatory minimum sentences
Answer: B
Rationale: The DART Act of 2025 finds that drug addiction, mental health
disorders, and systemic poverty are significant contributing factors to
crime rates, and traditional criminal justice approaches are insufficient.
5. Which of the following best describes the current state of criminal case
backlogs in England and Wales?
A. Backlogs have been eliminated
B. Backlogs have decreased significantly
, Page 3 of 37
C. Backlogs stand at approximately 78,000 cases in the Crown Court
D. Backlogs are no longer measured
Answer: C
Rationale: In December 2025, the backlog of criminal cases waiting to be
heard in the Crown Court stood at approximately 78,000 cases, an
increase of 11% on the previous year.
6. What has been the impact of federal budget shortfalls on the federal
defender program in 2025?
A. No impact
B. Significant funding instability affecting courts and indigent defendants
C. Increased funding
D. Elimination of the program
Answer: B
Rationale: In 2025, the federal defender program experienced significant
funding instability affecting courts, appointed counsel, and indigent
defendants in criminal and post-conviction proceedings.
7. Which of the following is a key recommendation from the Independent
Review of the Criminal Courts?
A. Reducing the use of technology
B. Making 135 recommendations to improve efficiency
C. Eliminating all criminal courts
D. Increasing case backlogs
Answer: B
Rationale: The Independent Review of the Criminal Courts made 135
recommendations to improve the efficiency of the criminal courts,
including recommendations about new technologies such as AI.
8. What is the primary purpose of the Safer Detention Act of 2025?
A. To increase pretrial detention
B. To reauthorize and reform the Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program
C. To eliminate all detention programs
D. To expand mandatory minimum sentences
, Page 4 of 37
Answer: B
Rationale: The bipartisan Safer Detention Act of 2025 would reauthorize
and reform the now-expired Elderly Home Detention Pilot Program.
9. Which of the following best describes the current trend in state-level
criminal justice reform?
A. States are eliminating all reform efforts
B. States are continuing to pursue reform even as federal efforts stall
C. States are waiting for federal direction
D. States have no role in criminal justice reform
Answer: B
Rationale: Criminal justice reform has decentralized, with states and
localities continuing to pursue their own reform agendas even as federal
reform efforts have faced retrenchment.
10. What is the primary focus of the Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted
Conduct Act?
A. To allow punishment for acquitted conduct
B. To prohibit punishment for conduct for which a defendant was acquitted
C. To expand the use of acquitted conduct in sentencing
D. To eliminate all sentencing guidelines
Answer: B
Rationale: The Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act would
prohibit punishing defendants for conduct for which they were acquitted.
11. Which of the following countries has NOT widely adopted the PEACE
model of interviewing?
A. England and Wales
B. Norway
C. United States
D. New Zealand
Answer: C
Rationale: The PEACE model has been adopted in various countries,
including England and Wales, Norway, and New Zealand, but is not widely
used in the United States, which primarily uses the Reid Technique.
