final study guide

Question 1

rules and regulations made and enforced by the government that regulate the conduct of people within a society

Answer 1

law

Question 2

hidden lawmakers, making rules for vague laws, making them more strict

Answer 2

administrative agencies

Question 3

What are the steps to pass an international treaty?

Answer 3

signed by the president and ratified by a two-thirds majority of the U.S. Senate

Question 4

the raised and recessed areas that create a spiral pattern

Answer 4

lands and grooves

Question 5

A shotgun barrel’s interior is generally a _____, _____ tube, unlike rifled barrels found in rifles

Answer 5

smooth; straight

Question 6

the process where lawyers and judges question potential jurors to assess their suitability and impartiality for a trial

Answer 6

voir dire

Question 7

a request to remove a juror due to demonstrated bias or inability to be impartial

Answer 7

removal for cause

Question 8

the right to remove a limited number of jurors without stating a reason

Answer 8

peremptory challenges

Question 9

The Supreme Court has defined the Second Amendment to mean what?

Answer 9

The Supreme Court has defined the Second Amendment as protecting an individual’s right to possess firearms, primarily for self-defense in the home.

Question 10

An _____ intentionally assists or encourages the principal in the commission of a crime.

Answer 10

accomplice

Question 11

the person who committed and carried out the criminal act

Answer 11

principal

Question 12

An _____ is someone who helps, encourages, and aids another person in committing a crime but is not present at the crime scene.

Answer 12

accessory before the fact

Question 13

Which two cases established the exclusionary rule?

Answer 13

Weeks v. United States & Mapp v. Ohio

Question 14

Provide an example of an intentional criminal homicide, done in the heat of the moment (involving passion), that is not a murder as per the elements of the law.

Answer 14

A “crime of passion,” or voluntary manslaughter, is an intentional killing done in the heat of the moment, provoked by a sudden, serious action that causes the perpetrator to lose control and act impulsively.

Question 15

What is the crime clock, and what does it illustrate?

Answer 15

The crime clock is a tool developed to illustrate how frequently crimes are committed in the United States. (frquency of crime)

Question 16

What is the sum of violent and property crime called?

Answer 16

The sum of violent and property crime is called the Crime Index.

Question 17

What the elements of the crime?

Answer 17

guilty act, guilty state of mind, the harm caused

Question 18

Killing an enemy soldier in war is what kind of homicide?

Answer 18

Justifiable homicide

Question 19

Killing that is premeditated and done with malice?

Answer 19

First-degree murder

Question 20

an unintentional killing that results from reckless or criminally negligent behavior, such as a drunk driving accident. (NO INTENT)

Answer 20

involuntary manslaughter

Question 21

the act of passing or using a forged document, such as a check, with the intent to defraud

Answer 21

uttering

Question 22

In New Jersey v. T.L.O. (1985), what standard did the Supreme Court say school officials must meet to conduct a search, and what was the outcome?

Answer 22

The Court ruled in favor of New Jersey. School officials only need reasonable suspicion, not probable cause, to search students. The search of T.L.O.’s purse was deemed reasonable due to suspected rule violations.

Question 23

True or False: In Terry v. Ohio (1968), the Supreme Court ruled that police can stop and frisk someone only if they have specific, reasonable suspicion the person is armed and dangerous.

Answer 23

True. Police can quickly stop someone and check for weapons if they have a good reason to think the person is dangerous. They can’t do a full search—only a quick pat-down for weapons unless they feel something obviously illegal.

Question 24

using threats to get money or something valuable from someone

Answer 24

extortion

Question 25

How does a judge apply legislative intent?

Answer 25

A judge looks at the law and tries to figure out what the lawmakers meant when they wrote it. Then the judge uses that meaning to decide cases.

Question 26

What is the Supremacy Clause?

Answer 26

The Supremacy Clause says that the U.S. Constitution and federal laws are more powerful than state laws.

Question 27

What does the system of checks and balances do?

Answer 27

Checks and balances ensure that no part of the government becomes too powerful. Each branch can limit the actions of the others.

Question 28

What document guarantees the fundamental rights of all Americans?

Answer 28

The U.S. Constitution, especially the Bill of Rights.

Question 29

Who can pass statutes binding on the people of every state?

Answer 29

The United States Congress.

Question 30

Along with the U.S. Constitution, this is the supreme law of the land.

Answer 30

Federal laws and ratified treaties.

Question 31

Court-made law?

Answer 31

Precedent

Question 32

when someone is killed, but no crime was committed. An example is killing in self-defense, war, etc

Answer 32

non-criminal homicide

Question 33

when someone is killed during or fleeing from a serious crime, like a robbery, even if the person who caused the death did not mean to kill

Answer 33

felony murder

Question 34

the theft or misappropriation of funds or property entrusted to someone’s care, often by an employee or official

Answer 34

embezzlement

Question 35

the division of government responsibilities into distinct branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power

Answer 35

separations of powers

Question 36

written laws passed by legislative bodies, such as Congress or state legislatures

Answer 36

statutes

Question 37

What is another term for a lawsuit?

Answer 37

Case, Suit, Legal Action

Question 38

a higher court that reviews decisions made by lower courts to determine if legal errors occurred

Answer 38

appeals court

Question 39

What are the two types of courts in the United States?

Answer 39

Federal and State

Question 40

What is an implied consent law?

Answer 40

by driving a vehicle, a person automatically agrees to submit to chemical tests (like breathalyzers) if suspected of DUI. Refusal to comply can result in penalties such as license suspension

Question 41

What does a drug court do?

Answer 41

provides supervised treatment and rehabilitation instead of jail time for people charged with drug-related offenses. Its goal is to reduce drug abuse and repeat offenses

Question 42

What is breaking and entering, and what is the charge? What if there is no break?

Answer 42

Breaking and entering is unlawfully entering a building, often with the intent to commit a crime, and is typically charged as burglary. Even if there is no physical break (like an unlocked door), entering without permission can still be considered burglary.

Question 43

What are the elements of arson?

Answer 43

The elements of arson are willfully and maliciously setting fire to or burning property, usually with the intent to cause damage or harm.

Question 44

a special vote that allows citizens to remove an elected official from office before their term ends, usually due to dissatisfaction with their performance

Answer 44

recall election