Question 1

The extensive use of correctional custody in the United States has been called:

Accepted Answer

A)   rehabilitation
B)   just deserts
C)   mass incarceration
D)   reformation C

Question 2

Describe some of the factors contributing to the recent decline in correctional populations in the United States.

Accepted Answer

There are several factors contributing to the recent decline in correctional populations in the United States. One major factor is the implementation of criminal justice reform policies at both the state and federal levels. These reforms have focused on reducing sentences for non-violent offenses, providing alternatives to incarceration for low-level offenders, and promoting rehabilitation and reentry programs for individuals leaving the criminal justice system.

Another contributing factor is the decrease in crime rates across the country. As crime rates have declined, there has been less demand for incarceration, leading to a decrease in correctional populations.

Additionally, there has been a shift in public attitudes towards criminal justice, with a growing recognition of the need for a more balanced and effective approach to addressing crime and punishment. This has led to increased support for alternatives to incarceration and a greater emphasis on addressing the root causes of criminal behavior.

Furthermore, there has been a growing awareness of the high costs associated with maintaining large correctional populations, leading to efforts to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers and state budgets.

Overall, these factors have contributed to a decline in correctional populations in the United States, reflecting a broader shift towards a more progressive and evidence-based approach to criminal justice.

Question 3

Define, describe, and explain the differences between retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation.

Accepted Answer

Retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation are three different theories of punishment in the criminal justice system.

Retribution is the theory that punishment is justified because the offender deserves to be punished for their wrongdoing. It is based on the idea of moral responsibility and the concept of "an eye for an eye." In other words, retribution seeks to balance the scales of justice by inflicting punishment that is proportionate to the harm caused by the offender.

Deterrence, on the other hand, is the theory that punishment can prevent future crimes by discouraging potential offenders from engaging in criminal behavior. There are two types of deterrence: specific deterrence, which aims to prevent the individual offender from committing future crimes, and general deterrence, which aims to prevent others in society from committing similar crimes by making an example of the punished individual.

Incapacitation is the theory that punishment is justified because it removes the offender from society and prevents them from committing further crimes. This can be achieved through imprisonment, house arrest, or other forms of confinement that restrict the offender's ability to engage in criminal behavior.

The main differences between these theories lie in their underlying principles and goals. Retribution focuses on the moral desert of the offender, deterrence focuses on preventing future crimes, and incapacitation focuses on removing the offender from society. Each theory has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the criminal justice system often employs a combination of these theories in determining appropriate punishments for offenders.

Question 4

The dominant correctional philosophy in the United States from the 1950s through the 1970s was:

Accepted Answer

A)   rehabilitation
B)   just deserts
C)   restitution
D)   social isolation

Question 5

Punishment designed to prevent future offending by individuals or groups defines:

Accepted Answer

A)   reintegration
B)   deterrence
C)   equity
D)   justice

Question 6

The custody supervision of convicted offenders defines:

Accepted Answer

A)   penal servitude
B)   reformation
C)   restitution
D)   corrections

Question 7

Specific deterrence assumes that if we punish an individual, we prevent that person from committing future crimes.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What are policies like three-strikes legislation designed to achieve, and why or why not are they likely to be successful?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are policies like three-strikes legislation designed...

Question 9

In 2018 the average annual cost to imprison an offender in a federal prison facility in the United States was over $100,000.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

What do we know about the relationships between race, class, and gender in correctional populations?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do we know about the relationships...

Question 11

The overrepresentation of people of color in the U.S. justice system is often labeled:

Accepted Answer

A)   just deserts
B)   intermediate correctional sanctions
C)   disproportionate minority contact
D)   economically justified

Question 12

Are people who commit crimes completely free to make their choices or not? Provide justifications for your answer.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Are people who commit crimes completely free...

Question 13

The idea that money spent on corrections could be better spent on front-end programs that could prevent future crimes has been called justice reinvestment.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 14

Public attitudes toward crime and criminals are getting much harsher.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2017 there were __________ people under some form of correctional supervision.

Accepted Answer

A)   6.8 million
B)   1.4 million
C)   650,700
D)   59,450

Question 16

The lex talionis is associated with the correctional philosophy of:

Accepted Answer

A)   restitution
B)   rehabilitation
C)   retribution
D)   reintegration

Question 17

The research by Robert Martinson and his colleagues has often been interpreted to mean that "nothing works" in corrections.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

Locking up career criminals to reduce the amount of crime committed would be an example of what kind of policy?

Accepted Answer

A)   mass probation
B)   restorative justice
C)   reintegration
D)   selective incapacitation

Question 19

Places in England where people were imprisoned until they could pay obligations they owed were called:

Accepted Answer

A)   penitentiaries
B)   debtors' prisons
C)   jails
D)   workhouses

Question 20

Correctional populations in the United States are slowly decreasing.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 1: Introduction to Corrections

The extensive use of correctional custody in the United States has been called:

Describe some of the factors contributing to the recent decline in correctional populations in the United States.

Define, describe, and explain the differences between retribution, deterrence, and incapacitation.

The dominant correctional philosophy in the United States from the 1950s through the 1970s was:

Punishment designed to prevent future offending by individuals or groups defines:

The custody supervision of convicted offenders defines:

Specific deterrence assumes that if we punish an individual, we prevent that person from committing future crimes.

What are policies like three-strikes legislation designed to achieve, and why or why not are they likely to be successful?

In 2018 the average annual cost to imprison an offender in a federal prison facility in the United States was over $100,000.

What do we know about the relationships between race, class, and gender in correctional populations?

The overrepresentation of people of color in the U.S. justice system is often labeled:

Are people who commit crimes completely free to make their choices or not? Provide justifications for your answer.

The idea that money spent on corrections could be better spent on front-end programs that could prevent future crimes has been called justice reinvestment.

Public attitudes toward crime and criminals are getting much harsher.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2017 there were __________ people under some form of correctional supervision.

The lex talionis is associated with the correctional philosophy of:

The research by Robert Martinson and his colleagues has often been interpreted to mean that "nothing works" in corrections.

Locking up career criminals to reduce the amount of crime committed would be an example of what kind of policy?

Places in England where people were imprisoned until they could pay obligations they owed were called:

Correctional populations in the United States are slowly decreasing.