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Criminal Justice Advanced

Entry Level Assessment Blueprint

Specific Competencies and Skills Tested in this Assessment:

 

Criminal Justice Systems   

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the organization, operation, and processes of the criminal justice system components
  • Identify problems that keep the system from functioning effectively and efficiently
  • Identify the procedures an offender undergoes in his or her progression through the system from arrest through trial
  • Identify courtroom procedures
  • Demonstrate knowledge of the philosophical, historical, and evolutionary background of the American criminal justice system
  • Summarize the major theoretical factors and forces assumed to cause adult and juvenile crime
  • Define relevant criminal justice models
  • Define relevant criminal justice terms
  • Demonstrate understanding of the criminal justice system through the processes of detection, apprehension, prosecution, and corrections
  • Define juvenile delinquency and status offenders
  • Describe career pathways in the criminal justice areas

 

Criminal Justice Procedures

  • Define the exclusionary rule and the different exceptions to the rule
  • Name and describe relevant court cases (e.g., Miranda v. Arizona, Mapp v. Ohio)
  • Describe searches with warrants
  • Describe searches without warrants (e.g., consent)
  • Demonstrate understanding of arrest without a warrant
  • Demonstrate understanding of arrest with a warrant
  • Display knowledge of the intent of the Fourth Amendment
  • Define the terms of arrest, stops, and non-stops

 

Crime Scene Investigation and Evidence Handling

  • Explain investigative techniques used in solving crimes
  • Explain the investigative process in relation to crime scene and evidence handling
  • Explain the necessity for and the methods for marking and preserving evidence
  • Identify the necessity for and importance of crime scene protection
  • Identify the purpose of evidence and describe types of evidence
  • Define sufficiency of evidence
  • Demonstrate understanding of the legal procedures for securing admissions and confessions
  • Display knowledge of the chain of custody of evidence and submission protocols

 

Interview and Interrogation

  • Demonstrate an understanding of the philosophy and purpose of the interview and the interrogation
  • Explain the investigative process in relation to interview and interrogation
  • Identify the definitions and commonly used terms related to interviews and interrogations
  • Describe the legal aspects of and restrictions in the handling of interviews and interrogations
  • Explain the  Miranda decision and the Miranda warning
  • Demonstrate understanding of the relevant Constitutional amendments
  • Describe the warnings and approaches used in special situations, including juveniles and persons under the influence

 

Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedures

  • Demonstrate understanding of the purpose of the Constitution
  • List the commonly used terms associated with the Constitution
  • Demonstrate understanding the Amendments as they relate to the criminal justice system
  • Identify the role and purpose of law in society, and the origin of modern criminal law in America
  • Explain how burden of proof relates to a criminal proceeding
  • Explain the differences between criminal law and civil law, and proceedings
  • Identify the difference between procedural and substantive due process
  • Identify the legal elements of crimes, legal defenses in criminal law, and related concepts
  • Discuss the implications of constitutional, case and statutory law, and their relationship to the criminal justice system
  • Describe writs of habeas corpus and subpoenas
  • Describe differences between federal, state, and local ordinances

 

Issues and Ethics in Criminal Justice

  • Describe important aspects of seeking employment in the criminal justice field (e.g., documents that may be required when applying, disqualifiers for jobs in the criminal justice field)
  • Describe importance of community relations programs
  • Display knowledge of the impact of internal and external controls on criminal justice professionals
  • Describe issues and ethics in law enforcement
  • Describe issues and ethics in corrections
  • Describe issues and ethics in courts
  • Identify various types of correctional institutions
  • Understand methods and history of capital punishment
  • Identify prison security levels and practices
  • Display knowledge of intake procedures

 

Written Assessment:

Administration Time: 3 hours
Number of Questions: 206

Areas Covered: 

Criminal Justice Systems: 24%

Criminal Justice Procedures: 14%

Crime Scene Investigation and Evidence Handling: 14%

Interview and Interrogation: 12%

Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedures: 23%

Issues and Ethics in Criminal Justice: 13%

Sample Questions:

When conducting a photo line-up, all suspects should have

  1. varied heights and weights
  2. different races or ethnicities
  3. similar physical features
  4. contrasting physical features

 

A crime punishable by death, or life in prison is a

  1. minor infraction
  2. misdemeanor offense
  3. capital offense
  4. mala prohibita

 

The Fourth Amendment guarantees an individual protection against

  1. self-incrimination
  2. double jeopardy
  3. unreasonable search and seizure
  4. excessive bail

 

A process used to maintain and document the chronological history of evidence is known as

  1. chain of custody
  2. case identifiers
  3. evidence control
  4. inventory control

 

Changes or additions to the United States constitution are called

  1. alterations
  2. motions
  3. bills
  4. amendments

 

Criminal Justice practitioners should demonstrate

  1. communications skills and writing ability
  2. banking skills and analytical deduction
  3. quantitative reasoning and drawing ability
  4. customer service and quality assurance skills

 

The right of the accused “to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation” is in which U.S. Constitutional Amendment?

  1. Fifth Amendment
  2. Sixth Amendment
  3. Seventh Amendment
  4. Eight Amendment

 

Courts that have the authority to review decisions of a lower court are known as _____ courts.  

  1. appellate
  2. magistrate
  3. district
  4. federal

 

Searches with warrants have to particularly describe the place or items to be searched.  Which item shows particularity?

  1. electronic device
  2. cosmetic accessories
  3. toys
  4. crack cocaine

 

The most common ethical charge lodged against prosecutors is

  1. failure to disclose evidence
  2. failure to prosecute friends
  3. failure to plea bargain
  4. ineffective prosecution