BCJ Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield BCJ facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the following best describes 'problem-oriented policing' as developed by Herman Goldstein? → Identifying and addressing underlying conditions that cause recurring crime problems
2. What is the primary function of a civilian review board in a police department? → To provide independent oversight and review of police misconduct complaints
3. The following are all benefits of probation and parole versus incarceration. EXCEPT → increased public safety
4. What is forensic toxicology primarily concerned with? → Detecting and measuring drugs, poisons, and chemicals in biological samples
5. Which court case established the right to counsel for indigent defendants in state felony cases? → Gideon v. Wainwright
6. Which principle prevents a person from being tried twice for the same crime? → Double jeopardy
7. What legal standard must police meet to arrest a suspect? → Probable cause
8. The concept of 'stare decisis' means courts should: → Follow precedent set by prior decisions
9. What does 'postmortem lividity' (livor mortis) indicate in a death investigation? → The position of the body after death based on blood pooling
10. Retaliation legislation is also referred to as → lex talionis
11. What is the purpose of diversion programs in the juvenile justice system? → To redirect youth away from formal court processing
12. Which Supreme Court case abolished the death penalty for juvenile offenders? → Roper v. Simmons
13. An idea that encompasses all facets of civilized life and is connected to fundamental ideas of justice and cultural norms of good and wrong → Social Justice
14. What is the legal term for the formal accusation that initiates a criminal case? → Indictment
15. What is the 'fruit of the poisonous tree' doctrine? → A rule that excludes evidence derived from an illegal search
16. What is the primary goal of a juvenile detention center versus a training school? → Detention is short-term pre-adjudication; training school is longer-term post-adjudication
17. What is the primary function of a presentence investigation report (PSI)? → To provide judges with background information for sentencing
18. What is the primary goal of rehabilitation in corrections? → To reform offenders and reduce recidivism
19. What is 'waiver' or 'transfer' in the juvenile justice system? → Moving a juvenile case to adult criminal court
20. Which factor is the strongest predictor of juvenile delinquency? → Peer association with delinquent youth
21. What is 'state-sponsored terrorism'? → Terrorism that a government directly supports or conducts against another nation or group
22. What is the purpose of a preliminary hearing? → To determine if probable cause exists to proceed to trial
23. The exclusionary rule prevents courts from using evidence that was: → Obtained through an unlawful search or seizure
24. The development of the state jail system is credited to which group of American citizens? → Quakers
25. Which fingerprint pattern is the most common among the general population? → Loop
26. Graham v. Florida (2010) ruled that juveniles cannot receive: → Life without parole for non-homicide offenses
27. Which concept refers to the phenomenon where police officers develop a cynical, suspicious, and secretive worldview as a result of occupational socialization? → The police personality
28. Which U.S. Supreme Court case ruled that the death penalty for mentally disabled individuals is unconstitutional? → Atkins v. Virginia
29. What does 'restorative justice conferencing' involve in the juvenile system? → A facilitated meeting between the juvenile offender, victim, and community members
30. Which term describes terrorism carried out by individuals radicalized domestically without direct foreign direction? → Lone-wolf terrorism