SCCJA – Unit 2 Ethics, Criminal Procedures & Search Law | 2025/2026 Exam Guide with 100+ Verified Q&As | Continuum of Compromise, Court Process, Warrant Exceptions | South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy

This SCCJA Unit 2 Exam Guide for the 2025/2026 academic year features over 100 verified, exam-accurate questions and answers designed to equip cadets at the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy (SCCJA) with critical knowledge for success in law enforcement training and practice. Focused on real-world legal application, officer ethics, courtroom procedures, and Fourth Amendment protections, this guide is an essential resource for both new and current officers. Key subjects covered include: Ethics and Professional Conduct: Definitions, phases of the continuum of compromise (omission, administrative, criminal), justifications for unethical behavior, impacts on officer safety, the code of silence, and consequences such as certification revocation. Criminal Classifications and Court Structure: Misdemeanors and felonies, crimes of moral turpitude, statutory vs. common law, summary and circuit courts, appeals process, and case law precedents (State v. Messervy, Easly v. Cartee, State v. Sossamon). Criminal Procedure and Trial Process: Preliminaries, arraignments, grand juries, jury selection, burdens of proof, plea types, bond hearings, and defendant rights under state and federal law. Search and Seizure Law: Detailed Fourth Amendment guidelines including consent searches, warrants, plain view doctrine, knock-and-announce rule, curtilage, open fields, Katz vs. U.S. (privacy-based approach), and significant case law such as Arizona v. Gant, Riley v. California, US v. Ross, and Maryland v. Buie. Warrant Exceptions & Police Powers: Search incident to arrest, protective sweeps, emergency searches, school and workplace searches, automobile searches under Carroll Doctrine, and proper use of inventory and consent-to-search forms. This guide is indispensable for: SCCJA BLE cadets preparing for Unit 2 exams Criminal justice students focused on constitutional law and ethics Law enforcement trainers and instructors in South Carolina Police applicants and recruits needing a comprehensive understanding of legal standards, police ethics, and courtroom dynamics Backed by real-life court decisions, this document ensures that officers are not only exam-ready but also field-ready to uphold constitutional standards, maintain integrity, and act within the scope of lawful policing. Keywords: SCCJA, police ethics, continuum of compromise, Fourth Amendment, search warrant exceptions, court process, criminal procedure, misdemeanor classification, felony classification, warrantless searches, grand jury, preliminary hearing, South Carolina courts, law enforcement ethics, officer misconduct, search and seizure law, consent search, vehicle search, Riley v California, Arizona v Gant, State v Messervy