Deck 12: Discretion and Dilemmas in Corrections

Question 1

The prisoners' rights era of the 1970s gave way to the _________________ era of today, where courts are more apt to defer to prison officials.

A)"correctional officers' rights"
B)"old new-way"
C)"due deference"
D)"restorative deference"

Answer 1

C

Question 2

According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)study cited in the text, which type of offender is most likely to be re-arrested for a new crime after release from prison?

A)drug offenders
B)violent offenders
C)public order offenders
D)property offenders

Answer 2

D

Question 3

In Washington v. Harper , the U.S. Supreme ruled that:

A)the administration of antipsychotic drugs to unwilling inmates is not unconstitutional.
B)the administration of antipsychotic drugs to unwilling inmates is unconstitutional.
C)the administration of any drugs to inmates in general is unconstitutional.
D)the administration of any psychiatric plan of care to any inmates is unconstitutional.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following is not one of the ethical dilemmas of prison psychologists discussed by Haag?

A)informed consent
B)assessment
C)confidentiality
D)anonymity

Question 5

The _______________  rule specifies that treatment professionals do have legal duties to third persons if they have cause to reasonably believe that one of their clients is going to harm that person.

A)Tarasoff
B)Souryal
C)Glaser
D)Watergate

Question 6

The Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1996 (PLRA):

A)drastically curtailed the ability of inmates to file lawsuits.
B)drastically curtailed the ability of correctional facilities to file lawsuits against inmates.
C)drastically increased inmates' ability to file lawsuits.
D)drastically increased attorney's fees.

Question 7

Which of the following is not an ethical dilemma often faced by treatment staff in correctional facilities?

A)whether to provide treatment to people who do not want it
B)how to reconcile the duty to treat a patient with the duty to maintain security
C)keeping patient records confidential while also responding to any threats of violence
D)consulting with judges to suggest conditions of offenders' sentences

Question 8

"Correctional officer" is the term that replaced the old label of:

A)watchman.
B)keeper.
C)sentinel.
D)guard.

Question 9

Sheriff's deputies are often assigned to serve as correctional officers in which type of facility?

A)secure hospital
B)prison
C)jail ​
D)halfway house

Question 10

The Tucker Telephone was associated with a prison in:

A)Texas.
B)Arkansas.
C)California.
D)Mississippi.

Question 11

Which of the following is true regarding coercive sexual contact in prisons?

A)Coercion is more likely to be present between female officers and male inmates.
B)Coercion is more likely to be present between male officers and female inmates.
C)Coercion is more likely to be present between female officers and female inmates.
D)PREA reports do not distinguish between coercive and consensual encounters.

Question 12

"Lessons" taught to inmates by Texas corrections officers that involved verbal humiliation, profanity, shoves, kicks, and head and body slaps were known as:

A)evening the score.
B)reciprocity.
C)tune-ups.
D)give-backs.

Question 13

Which of the following statements about women in prison is false?

A)Until the mid-1800s, female prisoners were housed together with men in jails.
B)Only non-consensual staff-inmate sex is considered unethical.
C)In the mid-1980s, female officers challenged the hiring patterns of state prison systems.
D)Today, male officers are assigned to all posts inside prisons for women.

Question 14

In ________________,  the U.S. Supreme Court dealt with a case involving an inmate who had been forced to sit in a chair while two officers hit him in the head and chest area, with a lieutenant looking on.

A)Diaz v. Martinez
B)Gomez v. Glenn
C)Hamdin v. Grouch
D)Hudson v. McMillian

Question 15

In the 1980s, victimization of inmates by correctional officers decreased but was followed by a rise in :

A)violence from racial gangs.
B)the use of solitary confinement as a punishment.
C)escapes.
D)inmate violence toward officers.

Question 16

According to the most recent PREA survey, which of the following statements about officers having sexual relationships with inmates is true?

A)Only male officers engage in sexual relationships with inmates.
B)The problem of officers having sexual relationships with inmates is about equally divided between female officers and male officers.
C)The problem of officers having sexual relationships with inmates is significantly higher among female officers than male officers.
D)The problem of officers having sexual relationships with inmates is significantly higher among male officers than female officers.

Question 17

Faith-based treatment programs are:

A)unconstitutional and therefore not permitted.
B)constitutional only if no state or federal money is used.
C)active in many American prisons.
D)only allowed if they are Christian in nature.

Question 18

In the 2011 case of Brown v. Plata , the Supreme Court ordered California to release prisoners if:

A)the state could not guarantee that all correctional officers had received the proper amount of training.
B)the state could not bring the level of medical care up to a constitutional standard.
C)individual prisons exceeded 100 percent intended capacity.
D)the laws regarding marijuana possession changed. ​

Question 19

Which of the following is true regarding a probation or parole officer's power to recommend revocation?

A)The officer makes a recommendation only.
B)The officer instructs the judge, who must issue an order according to the officer's decision.
C)The officer decides whether or not to revoke, and no further court action is required.
D)None of the above is correct.

Question 20

The interdependence that may develop between correctional officers and inmates that is characterized by favoritism is called:

A)pluralistic ignorance.
B)reciprocity.
C)"trickle down" supervision.
D)hostile loyalty.

Question 21

Which of the following statements is false?

A)Parole board members or their designees make decisions regarding release.
B)Probation officers write presentence reports to help judges decide sentences.
C)Probation and parole officers have the authority and power to recommend revocation.
D)Parole officers generally deal with younger, less- serious offenders than probation officers.

Question 22

You are a psychiatrist on call with a state prison.  You have been called in to examine an inmate who has been behaving erratically.  Prison officials are concerned that he poses a danger to himself and others.  They have confined him in a bare solitary cell to be sure he can't hurt himself, and have asked you to evaluate him. Immediately, you recognize an ethical dilemma.  Your duty as a psychiatrist requires you to act in the best interests of your patient, but at the same time, you recognize that the prison setting brings with it certain duties that favor institutional security over patient rights.
Your session with the inmate has left you convinced that the inmate has the intention of attacking his  cellmate. You are faced with a dilemma. As a professional, you are committed to patient confidentiality, and the inmate has not given you permission to share anything that he told you. At the same time, you recognize that the cellmate's safety is at risk. Your dilemma is resolved by the ____________  rule, which states that you would be liable if you fail to act and the cellmate is harmed.

A)Washington
B)Tarasoff
C)Harper
D)Ruiz

Question 23

According to Souryal's typology, which type of probation and parole officers may violate professional ethics by  not performing duties associated with the role?

A)punitive law enforcer
B)bureaucratic paper pusher
C)welfare/therapeutic practitioner
D)passive time server

Question 24

According to Souryal's typology, the type of officer who goes "by the book" is called the:

A)punitive law enforcer.
B)bureaucratic paper pusher.
C)welfare/therapeutic practitioner.
D)passive time server.

Question 25

You are a rookie correctional officer at a state prison. The day is coming to an end and the inmates are in their cells. As you make your rounds to count heads, one of the inmates asks you if you'd bring him a piece of dental floss. He says he has an uncooked grain of rice from dinner stuck in his back teeth and it is very painful. He only needs a small piece, surely not enough to pose any problem. According to prison rules, dental floss may only be used in the shower area, under observation. It is apparent to you that the inmate is in discomfort, and you know this inmate to be well-behaved.
Another officer, a veteran, sees that you have retrieved dental floss and asks what you intend to do with it. After you explain, he warns that it is not a good idea. Sometimes a seemingly innocent request to break the rules turns out to just be the start, and once you have broken the rules, the inmate has something to hold over you. This can lead to more and more problematic requests and demands. This process is known as:

A)slippery slope.
B)officer accommodation.
C)cycle of obligation.
D)reciprocity.

Question 26

According to Souryal's typology, which type of probation and parole officers may need to examine his or her use of authority?

A)punitive law enforcer
B)bureaucratic paper pusher
C)welfare/therapeutic worker
D)passive time server

Question 27

You are a rookie correctional officer at a state prison. The day is coming to an end and the inmates are in their cells. As you make your rounds to count heads, one of the inmates asks you if you'd bring him a piece of dental floss. He says he has an uncooked grain of rice from dinner stuck in his back teeth and it is very painful. He only needs a small piece, surely not enough to pose any problem. According to prison rules, dental floss may only be used in the shower area, under observation. It is apparent to you that the inmate is in discomfort, and you know this inmate to be well-behaved.
You are inclined to provide the dental floss. After all, this inmate has never given you trouble, and in fact you think that he might be helpful in the future when it comes to relations with troublesome inmates. Such a relationship would illustrate the concept of:

A)officer accommodation.
B)"blind eye."
C)informal give-and-take.
D)reciprocity.

Question 28

Which of the following is not one of Souryal's types of probation and parole officers?

A)punitive law enforcer
B)bureaucratic paper pusher
C)welfare/therapeutic worker
D)passive time server

Question 29

You are an inmate at a state prison. The facility does not provide air conditioning in the cells and you find this to be unreasonable, considering the summers have been unusually hot.
Despite the discouragement, you proceed with your lawsuit anyway. Your position is that the law requires the institution to prove that a ________________  exists between prison policies or procedures and the correctional goal of safety and security.

A)"rational relationship"
B)"clear correlation"
C)"legal connection"
D)"contractual obligation"

Question 30

You are an inmate at a state prison. The facility does not provide air conditioning in the cells and you find this to be unreasonable, considering the summers have been unusually hot.
Your research in the prison law library is discouraging. You discover that a 1996 law called ________________  drastically curtailed the ability of inmates to file lawsuits.

A)the Correctional Procedures Act
B)the Inmate Tort Limitation Act
C)the Prison Litigation Reform Act ​
D)three strikes law

Question 31

Which of the following about probation is false?

A)Discretion in probation exists at the point of sentencing.
B)Probation officers use discretion during supervision.
C)Probation officers have discretion when choosing which probationers to supervise.
D)Discretion is present when probation officers decide to file violation reports.

Question 32

You are a psychiatrist on call with a state prison.  You have been called in to examine an inmate who has been behaving erratically.  Prison officials are concerned that he poses a danger to himself and others.  They have confined him in a bare solitary cell to be sure he can't hurt himself, and have asked you to evaluate him. Immediately, you recognize an ethical dilemma.  Your duty as a psychiatrist requires you to act in the best interests of your patient, but at the same time, you recognize that the prison setting brings with it certain duties that favor institutional security over patient rights.
After meeting with the inmate you determine that he is in need of medication to control his psychosis. You are concerned that the inmate is  unable to provide  ________________  for the treatment, which challenges your professional ethics.

A)legal permission
B)informed consent
C)financial payment
D)a compelling reason

Question 33

You are an inmate at a state prison. The facility does not provide air conditioning in the cells and you find this to be unreasonable, considering the summers have been unusually hot.
In the end, the court rejects your case. The court's decision is consistent with the concept of  _______________ , which allows prison administration latitude to establish policy as it sees fit.

A)reciprocity
B)institutional autonomy
C)due deference
D)retribution

Question 34

According to Souryal's typology, which type of probation and parole officers may have a tendency to violate a client's rights of privacy and autonomy?

A)punitive law enforcer
B)bureaucratic paper pusher
C)welfare/therapeutic worker
D)passive time server

Question 35

You are a rookie correctional officer at a state prison. The day is coming to an end and the inmates are in their cells. As you make your rounds to count heads, one of the inmates asks you if you'd bring him a piece of dental floss. He says he has an uncooked grain of rice from dinner stuck in his back teeth and it is very painful. He only needs a small piece, surely not enough to pose any problem. According to prison rules, dental floss may only be used in the shower area, under observation. It is apparent to you that the inmate is in discomfort, and you know this inmate to be well-behaved.
To decide how you will act, you consider the ethical systems that might apply to the situation. If you decide to refuse the inmate's request because you believe your duty to your job requires you to follow the rules completely, which ethical system would this illustrate?

A)ethical formalism
B)utilitarianism
C)ethics of care
D)teleological ethics

Question 36

Probation officers whose on-the-job behavior is guided by a desire to always do his or her duty is exhibiting:

A)ethics of care.
B)egoism.
C)utilitarianism.
D)ethical formalism.

Question 37

Which of the following is a main difference between probation officers and parole officers?

A)Parole officers carry weapons, for which they must be trained.
B)Parole officers supervise less-dangerous offenders than probation officers .
C)Parole officers generally supervise an older population.
D)Parole officers are more service-oriented.

Question 38

You are a psychiatrist on call with a state prison.  You have been called in to examine an inmate who has been behaving erratically.  Prison officials are concerned that he poses a danger to himself and others.  They have confined him in a bare solitary cell to be sure he can't hurt himself, and have asked you to evaluate him. Immediately, you recognize an ethical dilemma.  Your duty as a psychiatrist requires you to act in the best interests of your patient, but at the same time, you recognize that the prison setting brings with it certain duties that favor institutional security over patient rights.
In the end, the inmate refuses to consent to medication but you have determined that it is medically necessary for the inmate's safety and well-being that he be given the medication. According to the Supreme Court decision in Washington v. Harper , which of the following is correct?

A)Forcible administration of medication in this case would be unconstitutional.
B)Due process requires you to present your case to a judge and obtain an order to provide the medication.
C)You must obtain written permission from the inmate's legal representative or next of kin.
D)Forcible administration of medication in this case would be constitutional.

Question 39

You are a rookie correctional officer at a state prison. The day is coming to an end and the inmates are in their cells. As you make your rounds to count heads, one of the inmates asks you if you'd bring him a piece of dental floss. He says he has an uncooked grain of rice from dinner stuck in his back teeth and it is very painful. He only needs a small piece, surely not enough to pose any problem. According to prison rules, dental floss may only be used in the shower area, under observation. It is apparent to you that the inmate is in discomfort, and you know this inmate to be well-behaved.
To decide how you will act, you consider the ethical systems that might apply to the situation. If you decide to provide the dental floss because you believe it will alleviate the inmate's suffering, even though it means breaking the rules, which ethical system would this illustrate?

A)ethical formalism
B)utilitarianism
C)ethics of care
D)teleological ethics

Question 40

According to Souryal's typology, the type of probation or parole officer who has a tendency to use illegal threats and violate the due-process protections of his/her clients, is called the:

A)punitive law enforcer.
B)bureaucratic paper pusher.
C)welfare/therapeutic practitioner.
D)passive time observer.

Question 41

A correctional officer who smuggles contraband into the prison for an inmate is known as a "mule."

Question 42

Sometimes correctional officers have the power to do things that they don't have the  ___________________ to  do.

Question 43

is Syke's term for when officers become indebted to inmates and return favors.

Question 44

Jail officers face unique challenges due to the transitory nature of the jail population.

Question 45

According to a Bureau of Justice Statistics report in 2005, more than 67 percent of released prisoners were re-arrested within three years of being released.

Question 46

An egoistic rationalization would be that a favor done for the inmate may result in benefit to the officer because the inmate owes him.

Question 47

The practice of reciprocity is supported by formal correctional ethics.

Question 48

The term ____________________  refers to a situation today where courts are inclined to rule in favor of prison officials and give them freedom in decisions regarding running the prison.

Question 49

The rehabilitative era took place in the 1980s.

Question 50

In some states, consensual sex between a correctional officer and an inmate is a felony because inmates are presumed not able to give full _____________.

Question 51

Children of inmates are six times more likely to be delinquent.

Question 52

Arguably, jail officers have a more difficult job than correctional officers in prisons, partly due to the fact that jails have more frequent visitations.

Question 53

The Prison Litigation Reform Act made it easier for inmates to file lawsuits by removing the time limits that previously were used to reject lawsuits.

Question 54

Probation officers have the power to send noncompliant probationers to jail or prison.

Question 55

Surprisingly, researchers have found that correctional officers, despite the stressful nature of their occupation, do not experience alcoholism or divorce any more frequently than the rest of American society.

Question 56

According to Haag, one of the ethical issues of treatment professionals in prisons is the issue of "informed consent."

Question 57

In the case of Hudson v. McMillan , the Supreme Court found that an injury inflicted upon an inmate only rises to the level of unconstitutionality if it can be considered a "serious" injury.

Question 58

The prisoners' rights era of the 1970s gave way to the "due deference" era of today, where courts are more apt to defer to prison officials.

Question 59

During the early 1970s, there was an era called the __________________  era when many correctional programs were established and there was a belief that corrections could successfully change offenders.

Question 60

Probation and parole officers do not have to deal with the issue of gratuities.

Question 61

Correctional officers have the full range of _______________  control over inmates, including loss of liberty through physical force if necessary.

Question 62

Probation and parole officers who do the minimal level of work are referred to as "passive                               ."

Question 63

________________ refer to a method of punishment wherein officers would beat an inmate to "teach him a lesson".

Question 64

Discuss the unique aspects of the jail environment that present ethical challenges for officers. Consider the nature of the population, the purpose of the facility, and the traits of the officers.

Question 65

According to your text, what are some of the challenges that sometimes lead moral correctional officers to engage in unethical behavior?

Question 66

Describe some examples of role conflict and ethical dilemmas faced by treatment staff such as prison psychologists .

Question 67

Describe the elements of the correctional officer subculture that present ethical issues.

Question 68

The ___________________________  mandated that every state keep a record of prison rapes and allocated money to study the problem and develop solutions .

Question 69

List and describe some forms of corruption committed by correctional officers.

Question 70

An officer who does a favor for an inmate expecting it to benefit him later (because the inmate would owe him)would be using a(n) __________________  rationalization.

Question 71

Discuss ethical issues faced by probation and parole officers.

Question 72

Describe the different approaches to the probation/parole function and explain how each approach would affect the officer's behavior.

Question 73

Discuss the benefits and drawbacks that have resulted from having male correctional officers guarding female inmates and female correctional officers guarding male inmates. Use data to support your points.

Question 74

Because of the transitory nature of the population, officers working in              may not know much about the inmates they supervise.

Question 75

___________________ are perceived to be more of a threat to the community, so the officers' "supervision" role is  emphasized much more strongly than in probation.

Question 76

Beatings of inmates who attack correctional officers could be justified under a(n)____________________  ethical system, if they serve the greater good by providing a warning to other inmates that they will receive similar treatment if they attack an officer.

Question 77

According to information provided in the text, children of inmates are          times more likely to be delinquent.

Question 78

Antipsychotic drugs are often used for the purpose of ____________________  rather than treatment when administered to disruptive inmates.

Question 79

Describe the purpose of the Prison Rape Elimination Act and summarize the findings of the resulting studies.

Question 80

Explain how the concept of reciprocity can both benefit the corrections officer and also lead to trouble.