Lesson T2.2.2

T2.2.2 The justice system Quiz: KS3 Citizenship, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T2.2.2, The justice system: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Citizenship (National Curriculum), Unit 2: Rights, rules and justice, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What are the three main functions of the justice system?

    • Running hospitals, libraries and parks
    • Collecting taxes, running schools and building roads
    • Electing MPs, choosing the monarch and writing budgets
    • Preventing crime, resolving disputes and punishing offenders fairly

  2. Which principle means a person is treated as innocent until proven guilty?

    • Right to silence in Parliament
    • Right of appeal
    • Presumption of guilt
    • Presumption of innocence

  3. Who decides whether a person is guilty in a Crown Court trial?

    • A jury of members of the public
    • The Speaker of the House of Commons
    • The Prime Minister
    • The police officer who arrested the person

  4. What is the role of a judge in a criminal trial?

    • To write the laws that the trial applies to the case in front of the court
    • To decide guilt on their own without any evidence from the prosecution or defence
    • To make sure the trial is fair and to decide the sentence after a guilty verdict
    • To arrest the defendant and take them into custody at the start of the trial

  5. What is a 'defendant'?

    • A person accused of a crime or a civil claim in court
    • A person who investigates crimes and gathers evidence for the police
    • A witness who gives evidence about what they saw or heard during the case
    • A juror who listens to the evidence and decides the verdict in the trial

  6. What does 'burden of proof' mean in a criminal case?

    • The judge must prove the law is fair
    • The police must prove the victim's claim
    • The prosecution must prove the defendant's guilt
    • The defendant must prove their innocence

  7. Which of these is a civil court case?

    • A dispute between a customer and a company over a faulty product that they bought
    • A case about assault in a park in which a person was hurt by another
    • A hearing about a driving offence in which a motorist was charged by the police
    • A trial for burglary of a home in which a person's property was stolen

  8. What does 'beyond reasonable doubt' mean?

    • The defendant must admit the offence
    • The judge must be certain of the law
    • The jury must be sure of guilt, with no reasonable doubt left
    • The jury must think guilt is more likely than not

  9. Why is it important that justice is open to the public?

    • It guarantees that all defendants are found guilty
    • It allows the monarch to attend every trial
    • It helps build trust and allows the system to be checked
    • It means everyone can decide the verdict

  10. A person is found not guilty in a criminal trial. What does this mean?

    • The prosecution did not prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt, so the verdict is not guilty
    • The victim has been paid compensation and so the case is closed without a verdict
    • The judge has decided the defendant is innocent after reviewing all the evidence in the case
    • The defendant has proved they are innocent by showing the evidence against them was false

  11. Which of these is an example of a civil law remedy?

    • Compensation paid to a person harmed by another's negligence in a civil claim
    • A fine for speeding paid to the state by the driver of a vehicle
    • A community order for vandalism that requires the offender to repair damage
    • A prison sentence for theft of goods from a shop by a repeat offender

  12. Why might someone seek legal advice?

    • To become a judge by learning about the law and the work of the courts in detail
    • To guarantee that they will win their case if they have a lawyer to represent them
    • To avoid paying tax altogether by making a claim through the courts each year
    • To understand their rights and options before deciding what to do next

  13. What is an appeal?

    • A request for a higher court to review a decision made by a lower court
    • A complaint made to a shop about the quality of goods bought by a customer
    • A public petition signed by voters asking the courts to change a particular verdict
    • A vote by a jury to decide whether a defendant should be released from custody

  14. Which of these best describes the role of the Crown Prosecution Service?

    • Deciding whether to bring criminal cases to court in England and Wales
    • Writing new laws for the courts and setting the sentencing guidelines for judges
    • Running prisons in the UK and managing the probation service across the country
    • Choosing the judges for each trial from a list of senior barristers and solicitors

  15. A witness is asked to give evidence in court. Why is this important?

    • Witnesses decide the verdict themselves
    • Evidence helps the court establish the facts of the case
    • Witnesses replace the jury
    • Witnesses determine the sentence without a judge

  16. Which statement about the justice system is most accurate?

    • Justice depends on the personal wishes of the monarch
    • Justice is decided by the government of the day
    • Justice is based on public popularity
    • Justice aims to be fair, impartial and based on evidence

  17. Why might a victim of crime be offered support?

    • To help them cope and understand what happens in court during the criminal process
    • To change the verdict of the case by giving evidence on the offender's behalf
    • To pay the defendant's fine so that the case can be closed quickly and cheaply
    • To decide the sentence for the offender after the trial has been completed

  18. A person is charged with a crime. What is the first main step in the criminal process after the charge?

    • The defendant appears before a court for the first hearing after being charged
    • The Prime Minister decides the case personally after reviewing the evidence
    • The defendant is sentenced immediately after being arrested by the police
    • The jury is chosen by the police from among officers who attended the scene

  19. Which of these shows the justice system protecting the rights of defendants?

    • Being sentenced without a trial because the evidence is clear to the police
    • Being unable to hear the evidence against you before the trial begins
    • Being judged by police officers alone without any independent check on their decision
    • The right to a lawyer and the right to challenge evidence in court

  20. Why are sentences given by judges rather than by the police?

    • Juries decide all sentences by a show of hands
    • Police officers prefer to give sentences
    • Sentences are decided by the monarch
    • Judges are independent and apply the law impartially

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