“Caught Red-Handed”…But Not So Fast
After a police report is filed, this process is conducted to gather more evidence and interview witnesses to see if a crime has occurred and whether an arrest is warranted.
What is an investigation?
This is the most serious type of crime someone can commit and results in a severe sentence of a year or more of imprisonment.
What is a felony?
When an offender is sentenced to death after a disposition of a court of law for a criminal offense.
What is Capital Punishment?
When it is not clear if a crime was committed, no one is arrested and taken into custody.
What is unsolved or not arrested?
This is when a crime is reported by someone who is not a police officer which instigates an investigation to analyze the complaint and gather evidence on the crime.
What is a non-police referral?
The act of the defendant admitting to committing the crime of which they were convicted to try to lessen the severity of their sentence.
What is a guilty plea?
When a prisoner who was convicted of a felony is released early from prison before the sentence is fully served, but with required supervision as a condition of the sentence.
What is parole?
When the prosecutors decide to drop the charges and terminate the case.
What is released without prosecution?
At this court proceeding, the suspect has his or her first opportunity to be heard by the judge who will determine if there is sufficient evidence to prosecute and begin a trial.
What is a preliminary hearing?
This is when a punishment is decided after the defendant is deemed guilty by the judge or the defendant pleads guilty.
What is sentencing?
When a Judge wants to allow someone who committed a misdemeanor back into society, but subject to certain restrictions.
What is probation?
When a trial is conducted and the judge or jury decides that a defendant is not guilty of the crime with which the person has been charged.
What is acquitted?
When a defendant appears before a judge within a short period of time of his or her arrest to hear the charges, bail options, the right to an attorney and to decide if there was probable cause for the arrest.
What is the initial appearance?
A person can request a retrial from a higher court for their case to be reconsidered or potentially overruled if they feel that the judge’s disposition is unfair or immoral.
What is an appeal?
This is the part of the criminal justice system that deals with the punishment/treatment of people who are convicted of a crime and have been given a disposition.
What are corrections?
When the grand jury refuses to name a suspect guilty due to a lack of plausible evidence.
What is a refusal to indict?
Before the adjudication process starts, this formal document, which is supported by sufficient evidence after a preliminary hearing, clearly states an offender’s charges and why those charges are confirmed.
What is an information?
The final verdict of a case where the defendant is typically either convicted or acquitted.
What is a disposition?
When a judge believes the punishment given was too severe for the crime committed and, as a result, lessens the sentence through this process.
What is pardon and clemency?
This is a constitutional right that allows a suspect or defendant to object that imprisonment or a conviction is unlawful.
What is habeas corpus?