What are the two primary roles played by the courts in the criminal justice system? Which of the two roles do you believe is the most important?
What will be an ideal response?
The primary role played by the courts is to adjudicate criminal offenses--to process defendants who have been arrested by the police and formally charged with criminal offenses. Prosecutors decide who should be charged and then, provided a plea agreement does not circumvent trial, the defendant is brought to court. Courts, particularly the appellate courts, provide oversight, not just over the lower courts but over the criminal justice system in general. First, when cases are appealed to a higher level, the appellate court decides whether proper procedure was followed at the lower level. The appellate court may be asked to decide whether the procedures used to select the jury were appropriate, whether the defendant was denied effective assistance of counsel, or whether the trial court judge should have moved the case to another jurisdiction because of prejudicial pretrial publicity. The appellate decision may come months or even years after the trial that led to the appeal, but the very ability of the appellate court to influence what can happen or should have happened at the lower level is the essence of oversight.
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The majority in U.S. v. Wade v. U.S. (1967) believed that requiring lawyers at lineups was compatible with the intent of the Framers of the Bill of Rights
Indicate whether this statement is true or false.
Which of the following characteristics would be more common in offenders who are sanctioned with correctional responses in the community?
A. individuals who live in communities with ample resources for probation officers and monitoring technology B. individuals who are unemployed C. individuals who violated jail regulations when incarcerated during their trial D. individuals who are repeat offenders
At a defendant's appearance before a magistrate after arrest for an offense involving "Family Violence" or an offense under Section 42.072, Penal Code, the magistrate may issue a an "____________________" on the magistrate's own motion or on request of the victim of the offense, the guardian of the victim, a peace officer, or the attorney representing the state.
A. Order For Family Protection B. Order for Protection Against Family Violence C. Order for Emergency Protection D. None of the above
____________ are a set of standards that defines parameters for trial judges to follow in their sentencing decisions
Fill in the blank(s) with correct word