Chapter 1 Flashcards
What is corrections?
A process whereby practitioners engage in organized security & treatment functions to correct criminal tendencies among the offender population.
This process is crucial for rehabilitating offenders and ensuring public safety.
What are the five segments of the criminal justice system?
- Law enforcement
- The courts
- Corrections
- The juvenile system
- Victim services
These segments work together to maintain law and order in society.
What has research found about exposure to prison?
It can actually increase the likelihood of future criminal behavior.
This highlights the potential pitfalls of the prison system in rehabilitating offenders.
What is the relationship between the death penalty and violent crime rates?
Higher rates of violent crime are observed when the death penalty is applied.
This suggests that capital punishment may not deter crime as intended.
What is the brutalization hypothesis?
The contention that the use of harsh punishments sensitizes people to violence & teaches them to use it.
This theory raises questions about the effectiveness of punitive measures in reducing crime.
What is the Code of Hammurabi?
The earliest known written code of punishment.
This code established laws and corresponding punishments in ancient Babylon.
What does lex talionis refer to?
The Babylonian law of equal retaliation.
This principle is often summarized as ‘an eye for an eye’.
What is trial by ordeal?
Very dangerous and/or impossible tests to prove the guilt or innocence of the accused.
This practice was historically used in various cultures.
What is a sanctuary in the context of legal history?
A place of refuge or asylum.
Sanctuaries were often used to protect individuals from persecution.
When did sanctuary lose its appeal in Europe?
From roughly 1750 onward.
This marked a shift in legal practices and the treatment of offenders.
What are public wrongs?
Crimes against society or a social group.
Public wrongs are often prosecuted by the state.
What are private wrongs?
Crimes against an individual that could include physical injury, damage to a person’s property, or theft.
These wrongs are typically addressed through civil litigation.
What is branding in the context of criminal justice?
Usually on thumb with a letter denoting the offense.
Branding is a historical practice used to mark offenders for identification purposes.
What does banishment mean?
Exile from society.
Banishment has been used as a form of punishment throughout history.
Who was William Penn?
The founder of the state of Pennsylvania and a leader of the religious Quakers.
William Penn was an important figure in promoting religious freedom and democratic principles.
What is the Great Law in Pennsylvania?
Correctional thinking & reform due to the work of William Penn & the Quakers
The Great Law aimed to improve the penal system by emphasizing rehabilitation.
Who is considered the father of classical criminology?
Cesar Beccaria
Beccaria’s ideas laid the groundwork for modern criminal justice philosophy.
What does classical criminology emphasize regarding punishments?
Punishments must be useful, purposeful, & reasonable
This approach focuses on the rationality of punishment in relation to crime.
Define hedonistic calculus in criminology.
A term describing how humans weigh pleasure & pain outcomes when deciding to engage in criminal behavior
This concept suggests that individuals evaluate the potential benefits and costs before committing a crime.
What was the Old Newgate prison?
First prison structure in America located in Connecticut
It served as a model for future penitentiaries.
What was significant about the Walnut Street Jail?
America’s first attempt to incarcerate inmates with the purpose of reforming them, established in 1790
It marked a shift towards rehabilitation in the correctional system.
Was the Walnut Street Jail the first prison in America?
No, it was the first penitentiary
The distinction lies in its focus on reform rather than mere confinement.
Where is the Western State Penitentiary located?
Outside of Pittsburgh
It is part of the Pennsylvania system of prisons.
Where is the Eastern State Penitentiary located?
Near Philadelphia
It is also part of the Pennsylvania system and is known for its unique architecture.
What is the Auburn System?
An alternative prison system located in New York
It emphasized a different approach to inmate management compared to the Pennsylvania system.
What year was the Eastern State Penitentiary established?
1829
Eastern State Penitentiary operated until 1971.
What labor system utilized inmate labor through state-negotiated contracts?
Contract labor system
This system involved private manufacturers.
What were black codes?
Separate laws required for slaves & free men who turned criminal
When was the Elmira reformatory opened?
July 1876
What is the mark system?
A system where the duration of the sentence was determined by the inmates work habits & righteous conduct
What are indeterminate sentences?
Sentences that include a range of years that will be potentially served by the offender
What are determinate sentences?
Consists of fixed periods of incarceration with no later flexibility in the term that is served
Which prison system is thought to have the worst conditions among the southern prison farm era?
Arkansas prison system
What does the progressive era refer to?
A period of extraordinary urban & industrial growth and unprecedented social problems
What characterizes big house prisons?
Typically large strong structures with brick walls, guard towers, & checkpoints throughout the facility
What is the medical model in corrections?
An approach to correctional treatment that incorporates psychology & biology, rehabilitative in nature
What is the reintegration model?
Used to identify programs that looked to the external environment for causes of crime and the means to reduce criminality
What is the Martinson report?
An examination of a number of various prison treatment programs
What is the crime control model?
An approach to crime that increased the use of longer sentences, the death penalty, and intensive supervision probation.
When was the federal bureau of prisons (BOP) established?
In 1930.
How many employees does the federal bureau of prisons (BOP) have?
Over 33,000 employees.
How many inmates does the federal bureau of prisons (BOP) supervise?
More than 209,000 inmates.
What is the inmate count of the Louisiana state penitentiary (Angola)?
50,000 inmates.
Which state has a total inmate count less than the Louisiana state penitentiary (Angola)?
North Dakota.
What are the three largest state correctional systems in the United States?
Texas, California, and Florida.
What percentage of state prison inmates are violent offenders?
54%.
