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
- varied heights and weights
- different races or ethnicities
- similar physical features
- contrasting physical features
A crime punishable by death, or life in prison is a
- minor infraction
- misdemeanor offense
- capital offense
- mala prohibita
The Fourth Amendment guarantees an individual protection against
- self-incrimination
- double jeopardy
- unreasonable search and seizure
- excessive bail
A process used to maintain and document the chronological history of evidence is known as
- chain of custody
- case identifiers
- evidence control
- inventory control
Changes or additions to the United States constitution are called
- alterations
- motions
- bills
- amendments
Criminal Justice practitioners should demonstrate
- communications skills and writing ability
- banking skills and analytical deduction
- quantitative reasoning and drawing ability
- 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?
- Fifth Amendment
- Sixth Amendment
- Seventh Amendment
- Eight Amendment
Courts that have the authority to review decisions of a lower court are known as _____ courts.
- appellate
- magistrate
- district
- federal
Searches with warrants have to particularly describe the place or items to be searched. Which item shows particularity?
- electronic device
- cosmetic accessories
- toys
- crack cocaine
The most common ethical charge lodged against prosecutors is
- failure to disclose evidence
- failure to prosecute friends
- failure to plea bargain
- ineffective prosecution