Law and Public Safety I Unit 3 Vocabulary

Actus Reus - ________

• A Latin term (“guilty act”) for the guilty action of a person

• A legal term for the mental state of a person

• A Latin phrase meaning 'innocent until proven guilty'

• A term for the punishment given to a guilty person

Aggravated - ________

• A state of mind that intensifies or worsens a situation

• A feeling of extreme happiness and joy

• A process of making something less severe

• A type of legal document

Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) - ________

• Laws that have been written in and are to be enforced in Arizona

• Federal laws applicable to all states

• International treaties recognized by Arizona

• Guidelines for private organizations in Arizona

Circumstantial evidence - ________

• Evidence that is based on the probability that an event happened based on the circumstances

• Evidence that is directly observed by a witness

• Evidence that is obtained through scientific analysis only

• Evidence that is always conclusive and leaves no doubt

Continuum - ________

• A scale to show progression of values/elements by varying degrees

• A fixed point in time

• A random collection of unrelated items

• A sudden change without transition

Contraband - ________

• Items that are illegal or prohibited

• Items that are expensive and rare

• Items that are used for decoration

• Items that are found in nature

Culpable Mental State - ________

• The state of mind that determines an individual’s degree of blame/responsibility

• A physical act that causes harm to another person

• A legal document granting permission

• The process of collecting evidence in a case

Detective - ________

• Officers assigned to follow-up crimes and respond to crime scenes for the detection and collection of evidence

• Personnel responsible for patrolling highways and issuing traffic citations

• Individuals who manage administrative paperwork in the police department

• Officers who specialize in community outreach and public relations

Direct evidence - ________

• Evidence that supports the truth of a claim (in criminal law, the claim of guilt or of innocence)

• Evidence that is based on assumptions or inferences

• Evidence that is not admissible in court

• Evidence that is only circumstantial

Evidence - ________

• Legal proof permitted by a judge to be presented to the judge/jury at trial which supports the alleged facts of a case

• A written statement made under oath outside of court

• A formal accusation issued by a grand jury

• A document that transfers ownership of property