Deck 12: Ethical Issues for Corrections Staff

Question 1

According to Worley (2003)),__________ engage in psychological warfare.

A)Heartbreakers
B)Exploiters
C)Hell-raisers
D)None of the above

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which of the following is not a role of corrections?

A)To securely detain those convicted of crimes
B)To protect those convicted of crimes from themselves and any others detained in the same facility
C)To provide essential medical and mental health care to those convicted of crimes
D)To reintegrate convicted offenders back into the community

Answer 2

D

Question 3

It is the courts that have the authority to extend or revoke inmate privileges,alter or reassign inmate housing,and change both the level and duration of contact that inmates have with others.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

What do correctional officers identify as their most frequent source of stress?

A)Rotating shift work
B)The threat of violence by inmates
C)Understaffing
D)Mandatory overtime

Question 5

Jails tend to have fewer amenities because incarceration is meant to be brief,and they are in a constant state of turnover with respect to population.

Question 6

In U.S.federal institutions,prisoners have a right to the standard of health care that exists in the community where the facility is located.

Question 7

Corrections staff members who fail to protect inmates can be held accountable for what the courts refer to as

A)Deliberate indifference
B)Failure to act
C)Limited use of force
D)All of the above

Question 8

What is the most frequently seized contraband item in correctional facilities?

A)Drugs
B)Alcohol
C)Cell phones
D)Money

Question 9

When are correctional officers permitted to use "reasonable force"?

A)To protect themselves
B)To get inmates to comply with institutional policy
C)To prevent escape
D)All of the above

Question 10

Which of the following is not identified in this chapter as a common problem raised in inmate lawsuits?

A)Overcrowding
B)Cruel and unusual punishment
C)Inadequate medical care
D)Use of force

Question 11

Compassion fatigue decreases the likelihood that corrections officers will resign.

Question 12

A __________ is designed to facilitate the long-term sentences of convicted felons.

A)Jail
B)Holding cell
C)Prison
D)All of the above

Question 13

Corrections is the branch of the criminal justice system that deals with which of the following?

A)The incarceration of convicted criminals
B)The rehabilitation of convicted criminals
C)The treatment of convicted criminals
D)All of the above

Question 14

Corrections officers have a duty to the inmates they supervise to prevent them from foreseeable harm.

Question 15

According to Worley (2003)),exploiters were found to have aggressively forged inappropriate relationships with staff members to make illicit profits in the underground prison economy.

Question 16

The smuggling of contraband by prison staff is an automatic terminal offense.

Question 17

Jails are used to hold those who have been recently arrested prior to any court proceedings,such as an arraignment,in law enforcement custody.

Question 18

Which of the following is not considered contraband?

A)Metal
B)Jewelry
C)Maps
D)All of the above are considered contraband.

Question 19

The state has a duty of care to inmates.

Question 20

Reasonable access to legal resources is considered an inmate right.

Question 21

List and describe three ethical issues that arise with correctional officers.
• Use of Force
i.The inmate has a right to be free from harm and to be free of the fear of harm (with respect to both correctional officers and other inmates)).
ii.However,correctional officers have an obligation to intervene against inmates with "reasonable force" in order to protect themselves,their coworkers,or other inmates.They may also use "reasonable force" in order to get inmates to comply with institutional policy,to prevent escape,or to facilitate recapture.
iii.The obligation to protect inmates from harm using force extends to that which is foreseeable by corrections staff;in fact,staff members who fail to protect inmates can be held accountable for what the courts refer to as "deliberate indifference."
• Professional Boundaries
i.Corrections staff have a professional obligation to set and maintain consistent boundaries between themselves and the inmates in their charge.
ii.Boundary violations can include the following: deviating from the traditional,making self-disclosures,bending the rules,taking gifts from inmates,giving information to inmates,joking around,and receiving help or information for self-gain.
• Inappropriate Relationships
i.Personal relationships between correctional officers and inmates are inherently inappropriate.Worley et al.(2003))identified three types of "turners": heartbreakers,exploiters,and hell-raisers.
• The Introduction of Contraband
i.Corrections officers account for much of the contraband that ends up in a given facility.Common examples include drugs,alcohol,weapons,and cell phones.

Question 22

Explain the state's duty of care with respect to correctional facilities.
• When the state deprives citizens of their liberty and confines them to a prison,it takes on the responsibility for their health,safety,and general welfare.The state therefore has a duty of care.
• When the state breaches its duty of care to an inmate,the state is liable for any harm that is suffered.The basic duty of care that exists between a correctional facility and its inmates is found in the understanding that the state must refrain from violating an inmate's civil rights.
• These rights are guaranteed in Section 1983 of the United States Code titled "Civil action for deprivation of rights."