CJCENTRAL: Criminal Justice Brief, 5E: Glossary

federal court system
The three-tiered structure of federal courts, involving U.S. district courts, U.S. courts of appeal, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

federal interest computers
Those that (1) are the property of the federal government, (2) belong to financial institutions, or (3) are located in a state other than the one in which the criminal perpetrator is operating.

felony
A criminal offense punishable by death or by incarceration in a prison facility.

feminist criminology
A developing intellectual approach which emphasizes gender issues in the subject matter of criminology.

filing
The initiation of a criminal case in a court by formal submission to the court of a charging document, alleging that one or more named persons have committed one or more specified criminal offenses.

fine
The penalty imposed upon a convicted person by a court, requiring that he or she pay a specified sum of money to the court.

first appearance(also initial appearance)
An appearance before a magistrate which entails the process whereby the legality of a defendant's arrest is initially assessed, and he or she is informed of the charges on which he or she is being held. At this stage in the criminal justice process bail may be set or pretrial release arranged.

forcible rape (UCR)
The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will. See, also, carnal knowledge.

forensic anthropology
The application of anthropological principles and techniques in the service of criminal investigation.

forfeiture (also asset forfeiture)
The authorized seizure of money, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value. In federal antidrug laws, the authorization of judicial representatives to seize all moneys, negotiable instruments, securities, or other things of value furnished or intended to be furnished by any person in exchange for a controlled substance, and all proceeds traceable to such an exchange.

forgery
The creation or alteration of a written or printed document, which if validly executed would constitute a record of a legally binding transaction, with the intent to defraud by affirming it to be the act of an unknowing second person; also the creation of an art object with intent to misrepresent the identity of the creator.

fraud offense
The crime type comprising offenses sharing the elements of practice of deceit or intentional misrepresentation of fact, with the intent of unlawfully depriving a person of his or her property or legal rights.

frivolous suit
A lawsuit with no foundation in fact. Frivolous suits are generally brought by lawyers and plaintiffs for reasons of publicity, politics, or other nonlaw-related issues and may result in fines against plaintiffs and their counsel.

Fruit of the Poisoned Tree Doctrine
A legal principle that excludes from introduction at trial any evidence eventually developed as a result of an originally illegal search or seizure.

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