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The number of cases awaiting disposition in a court which exceeds the court's capacity for disposing of them within the period of time considered appropriate.
bail
The money or property pledged to the court or actually deposited with the court to effect the release of a person from legal custody.
bail bond
A document guaranteeing the appearance of a defendant in court as required and recording the pledge of money or property to be paid to the court if he or she does not appear, which is signed by the person to be released and anyone else acting in his or her behalf.
bail bondsman
A person, usually licensed, whose business it is to effect release on bail for people charged with offenses and held in custody, by pledging to pay a sum of money if the defendant fails to appear in court as required.
bailiff
The court officer whose duties are to keep order in the courtroom and to maintain physical custody of the jury.
bail revocation
The court decision withdrawing the status of release on bail which was previously conferred upon a defendant.
balancing test
A principle, developed by the courts and applied to the corrections arena by Pell v. Procunier (1974), which attempts to weigh the rights of an individual, as guaranteed by the Constitution, against the authority of states to make laws or to otherwise restrict a person's freedom in order to protect the state's interests and its citizens.
ballistics
The analysis of firearms, ammunition, projectiles, bombs, and explosives.
battered women's syndrome (BWS)
1. A series of common characteristics that appear in women who are abused physically and psychologically over an extended period of time by the dominant male figure in their lives. 2. A pattern of psychological symptoms that develops after somebody has lived in a battering relationship. 3. A pattern of responses and perceptions presumed to be characteristic of women who have been subjected to continuous physical abuse by their mates.5
behavioral conditioning
A psychological principle that holds that the frequency of any behavior can be increased or decreased through reward, punishment, and association with other stimuli.
bench warrant
A document issued by a court directing that a law enforcement officer bring a specified person before the court. A bench warrant is usually issued for a person who has failed to obey a court order or a notice to appear.
bias crime
See hate crime.
Bill of Rights
The popular name given to the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which are considered especially important in the processing of criminal defendants.
bind over
To require by judicial authority that a person promise to appear for trial, appear in court as a witness, or keep the peace. Also, the decision by a court of limited jurisdiction requiring that a person charged with a felony appear for trial on that charge in a court of general jurisdiction, as the result of a finding of probable cause at a preliminary hearing held in the court of limited jurisdiction.
biocrime
A criminal offense perpetrated through the use of biologically active substances, including chemicals and toxins, disease-causing organisms, altered genetic material, and organic tissues and organs. Biocrimes unlawfully affect the metabolic, biochemical, genetic, physiological, or anatomical status of living organisms.
Biological School
A perspective on criminological thought that holds that criminal behavior has a physiological basis.
biological weapon
A biological agent used to threaten human life (for example, anthrax, smallpox, or any infectious disease).6
biometrics
The science of recognizing people by physical characteristics and personal traits.
bioterrorism
The intentional or threatened use of viruses, bacteria, fungi, or toxins from living organisms to produce death or disease in humans, animals, or plants.7
Bivens action
A civil suit, based on the case of Bivens v. Six Unknown Federal Agents, brought against federal government officials for denying the constitutional rights of others.
bobbies
The popular British name given to members of Sir Robert (Bob) Peel's Metropolitan Police Force.
booking
A law enforcement or correctional administrative process officially recording an entry into detention after arrest and identifying the person, the place, the time, the reason for the arrest, and the arresting authority.
Bow Street Runners
An early English police unit formed under the leadership of Henry Fielding, magistrate of the Bow Street region of London.
broken windows thesis
A perspective on crime causation that holds that physical deterioration in an area leads to higher crime rates and an increased concern for personal safety among residents.
Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
A U.S. Department of Justice agency responsible for the collection of criminal justice data, including the annual National Crime Victimization Survey.
burglary
By the narrowest and oldest definition, trespassory breaking and entering of the dwelling house of another in the nighttime with the intent to commit a felony.
burglary (UCR)
The unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or a theft (excludes tents, trailers, and other mobile units used for recreational purposes). For the UCR, the crime of burglary can be reported if (1) an unlawful entry of an unlocked structure has occurred, (2) a breaking and entering (of a secured structure) has taken place, or (3) a burglary has been attempted.
5. People v. Romero, 8 Cal. 4th 728, 735 (1994).
6. Technical Working Group on Crime Scene Investigation, Crime Scene Investigation: A Guide for Law Enforcement (Washington, D.C.: National Institute of Justice, 2000), p. 12.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Bioterrorism: An Overview. Web posted at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/documents/PPTResponse/laboverview.pdf. Accessed August 5, 2003.
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