Deck 10: Parole and Prisoner Reentry

Question 1

The notion that prison populations are determined both by the number of people sent to prison and the amount of time they spend incarcerated is known as:

A) the law of supply and demand
B) Bentham's postulate
C) the iron law of prison populations
D) the Laffer curve

Answer 1

C

Question 2

In 2017 there were almost ________ people released from prison in the United States.

A) 625,000
B) 57,000
C) 14,500
D) 1 million

Answer 2

A

Question 3

In 2016 there were over ________ prisoners in the United States who were serving life sentences.

A) 600,000
B) 479,000
C) 285,000
D) 161,000

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Roughly what percentage of prisoners will be released and return to the community?

A) 25%
B) 49%
C) 95%
D) 100%

Question 5

Conditional release from prison defines:

A) probation
B) parole
C) pardon
D) rehabilitation

Question 6

In 1976 which state was the first to abandoned its system of parole?

A) Maine
B) New Hampshire
C) Florida
D) Iowa

Question 7

Which of the following involves executive clemency resulting in official forgiveness for the conviction of a crime?

A) ticket of leave
B) parole
C) probation
D) pardon

Question 8

Which of the following presidents granted the greatest average number of clemency requests per year?

A) George W. Bush
B) Ronald Reagan
C) Barack Obama
D) Bill Clinton

Question 9

Sixteen states, the District of Columbia, and the federal government do not have parole, but instead use the granting of:

A) work release
B) good time credits
C) intermediate sanctions
D) probation

Question 10

Over 80% of the people on parole are:

A) male
B) female
C) African American
D) Latino

Question 11

In states with parole systems, eligibility for parole is determined by:

A) the prison warden
B) the parole board
C) the institutional review board
D) a judge

Question 12

In the United States most parole officers/agents work for:

A) local governments
B) the federal government
C) private companies
D) state governments

Question 13

The network of positive relationships and resources that ex-prisoners possess can be called their:

A) neighbors
B) associates
C) social capital
D) Facebook friends

Question 14

In 2016 what percentage of parolees successfully completed their term of parole?

A) 57%
B) 66.6%
C) 95%
D) 100%

Question 15

Between 1984 and 2016 the number of inmates serving life sentences in the United States fell by half.

Question 16

The practice of parole was pioneered in British penal colonies off the coast of Australia through the granting of "marks of commendation."

Question 17

State governors and the U.S. president have the power to grant clemency to convicted offenders.

Question 18

If an offender's sentence is commuted it means the length of punishment has been shortened.

Question 19

Over 50% of the people on parole in the United States are African American.

Question 20

In most states members of the parole board are appointed by the legislature.

Question 21

Minnesota was the first state to eliminate parole.

Question 22

In most states parole officers have smaller caseloads than probation officers.

Question 23

Parolees are prohibited from possessing firearms.

Question 24

In the case of Morrissey v. Brewer the U.S. Supreme Court held that parolees have limited due process rights.

Question 25

Compare and contrast the concepts of probation and parole. How similar are the conditions imposed on each group? What factors might lead to success or failure?

Question 26

Discuss the differences between indeterminate sentences and determinate sentences. How do these sentencing schemes impact the granting of parole?

Question 27

Why have some states eliminated the practice of discretionary parole? What have they replaced it with?

Question 28

Discuss the notion of executive clemency. What types of clemency can be extended to convicted offenders?

Question 29

What factors are considered by parole boards in determining eligibility for early release? Are these factors objective or subjective? Explain.