Exam 3: Criminal Law and the Criminal Justice Process

A defense based on the claim that the defendant was not sane at the time of the act is referred to as a ____________.

The term __________ refers to a legal protection included in the U.S.Constitution that guarantees all citizens the right to be adjudicated under established law and legal procedures.

In the 1990s Dr.Jack Kevorkian claimed to have provided deadly drugs to 130 terminally ill patients.His work has been alternately called "assisted suicide" and "murder." Many people believe that provision of these drugs allows for "death with dignity." Others believe Kevorkian is "playing God" and has no right to provide people with the means to hasten their death.What do you think? Should he have served time (as he did)for providing these drugs to terminally ill individuals? Why or why not?

The term __________ means that in order for a crime to occur,there must be a association between the act and the harm that results.

A(n)__________ is a formal accusation of a crime filed by a prosecutor based on the findings of a preliminary hearing.

A(n)__________ is a hearing where the defendant is informed of the charges and of his or her rights and enters a plea.

Pit bulls,a breed of dog,were involved in several attacks on humans in recent years.Although accurate statistics do not exist,this type of dog is said to be especially aggressive and has a particularly harmful bite.Some localities have proposed ordinances that single out pit bulls for special licensing,registration,or banning.Others have sought to label them as a "vicious breed," requiring that when on the street or in other public places pit bulls must be muzzled and kept on a 6-foot chain with a 300-pound tensile strength.Some regulations would require owners of these dogs to carry liability insurance in the amount of $100,000.Do you think that such ordinances violate the principles of due process set forth in the Constitution,or do they effectively balance the interests of all those involved-pit bull owners and those who might be bitten?

'Actual possession' refers to a condition in which a person has the opportunity to exercise control over and object.

A defense in which a person claims to have engaged in otherwise criminal behavior because of the forces of nature is called __________.

A(n)__________ is a formal accusation of a crime filed by a prosecutor based on the findings of a preliminary hearing.

The term __________ refer to previous court decisions that are followed in current cases to ensure consistency in the application of the law.

Laws that apply to a specific county,city,or town are called ___________.

A(n)__________ is a finding after trial of not guilty

___________ law is a very important part of the criminal justice process,because it specifies how people accused of crimes will be treated.

The 'consensus view' is the view that an act becomes a crime only when it serves the interests of those in positions of power.

How can mistake of fact serve as a defense if it neutralizes the "guilty mind" required for the commission of a crime.?

If the crime charged is within the jurisdiction of a municipal court,the arrestee may also be asked to make a(n)__________,a statement of innocence or guilt,at the initial appearance.

The term __________ refers to the 'guilty mind' or conscious decision to commit a criminal act.

'Due process' refers to a legal protection included in the U.S.Constitution that guarantees all citizens the right to be adjudicated under established law and legal procedures.