The American System of Criminal Justice Quiz

Answer: "malum in se"

An example of a "malum in se" offense would be the murder of another human being. Not only is this act illegal, but it is also inherently wrong to perform. In comparison, the term "malum prohibita" describes an act that is only wrong according to the law, such as illicit drug use or gambling in prohibited areas.

Answer: Hawaii

Most law enforcement officers in the United States can be found working in local police agencies. But in many states the state police force fills the void for enforcement in rural areas, and they might also administer the state crime lab available to all local law enforcement agencies.

Answer: Plain view doctrine

The "plain view doctrine" states that an officer can seize evidence or goods believed to be stolen if they are accidentally found in "plain view" during a lawful operation.

Answer: Florida v. J.L.

An officer is permitted to briefly question and pat down search a stopped person based on reasonable judgment that a crime has occurred or is about to occur, and that the stopped person may have a weapon. This ruling was set forth by the U.S. Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio. Florida v. J.L. simply says that a tip from an unknown person does not justify doing this.

Answer: False

Traditional beliefs about policing being "men's work" have kept women off the force. This has changed, with more women serving than ever before. Many officials now recognize that many women are just as, if not more, effective than male police officers. Just a fun fact, Lola Baldwin was the first female police officer.

Answer: Danger and authority

The police officers' "working personality" shapes the way they interpret events. The two elements that define this are danger and authority. "Danger" refers to the fact that police are especially attentive to signs of potential violence because they work in dangerous situations. "Authority" refers to the fact that police officers are a symbol of authority and must often be assertive in establishing their authority with citizens.

Answer: False

Vice officer's work proactively to enforce laws against prostitution, gambling, and drug offenses. Some areas in the U.S. don't have a problem with these particular crimes, which means that their police agencies don't require a vice squad.

Answer: "Grass eaters"

Officers who are "Grass Eaters" are the most common form of police corruption. In contrast, officers who are termed "Meat Eaters" aggressively misuse their power for personal gain, such as getting actively involved in crimes related to illegal drug trafficking, working with or for drug dealers, or even stealing from drug dealers.

Answer: Shots fired

Police have difficulty in measuring the quantity and quality of their work, and tend to focus on crime rates and clearance rates. Police often use "activity" as a measure (i.e., tickets issued, arrests made, suspects stopped for questioning), although this does not necessarily reflect the complete range of order maintenance functions.

Answer: Reactive policing

Police in a democracy are organized mainly to be reactive (citizen-invoked calls for service) rather than proactive (police-invoked). Police arrive after the fact, thus reports by victims and witnesses define the boundaries of policing.