Chapter 15 Flashcards
What was the primary goal in the traditional prison during the big house era?
Custody was the primary goal; there was a clear division between inmates and staff rank was observed and discipline was maintained. There were very few treatment programs.
Is racial conflict a problem in most US prisons?
Yes
Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of African American prisoners during the last 30 years?
An increase
What is the primary purpose of a prison?
Some consider security the dominant purpose for prisons; as they should be impersonal, military-like institutions where strict discipline, minimal amenities, and restrictions on freedom constitute punishment for the offender.
The primary goals of incarceration are keeping(custody), using work), and serving(treatment) inmates. They are designed to show these goals and to confine the offender fairly and justly as a punishment where the length matches the seriousness of the crime they committed.
Can female corrections officers work with male inmates?
They can, however it does cause more problems of prison rape.
Were prisons affected when mental institutions started to close back in the 60s?
Yes, as more mentally ill people were being put into prisons.
Do prisoners serve longer or shorter sentences in the US compared to other western nations?
They serve longer sentences compared to other western nations.
Do most prisons have well developed mental health treatment programs?
No
Do most inmates serve their time in isolation?
False, very few inmates are in isolation and they are there because they are violent or are at risk of harm.
What percent do women make up the prison population?
7%
Are female prisoners more prone to violence than male prisoners?
No; ½ male to ⅓ female
Can prisoners receive federal funding to go to college?
No because of the Comprehensive Crime Control Act of 1994 that banned this.
Gang membership in prison; is it primarily based on race?
Gangs are often organized along racial lines.
Does prison management refer to the keeping, using, and serving inmates?
Yes
Is it illegal in modern prisons to separate inmates by race, ethnicity, age, and gang affiliation?
No
Prison population over the last 30 years; increase and decrease in African Americans and hispanics?
Increased
What are the significant problems faced by modern prisons in the US?
The significant problems are racial conflicts, legal issues, limited resources, and growing populations.
In the past 2 decades the number of persons in prisons has increased, decreased or stayed the same? Did it greatly increase or greatly decrease?
The number of people in prison has greatly increased within the last 2 decades.
Know the models and what they mean?
Custodial model- model of incarceration that emphasizes security, discipline, and order.
Rehabilitation model- emphasizes treatment programs designed to reform the offender and get them to a constructive place in society.
Reintegration model- model of correctional institutions that emphasizes maintaining the offender’s ties to family and community as a method of reform, recognizing that the offender will be returning to society.
Know the 3 lines of staff in prison
The three lines of staff in prison are custody-maintaining custody over the prisoners-, work-supervises them in their work activities-and treatment-treats inmates.
Know what can be legally withheld or granted as a reward to a prisoner?
Things like choice job assignment, residence in the honor unit and favorable parole reports, good time, and some conflict amongst inmates may be ignored-assumption that it keeps prisoners from uniting against authorities-as rewards. As well as opportunities for furloughs, work release, and transfer to a halfway house. Things like not being allowed to attend a recreational period, or removal of privileges given to them at the start of the sentence can be taken away.
Know the Bureau of Justice statistics regarding the types of prisoners( young, old, minority, female, male, educated, etc.)
The majority of prisoners are men, aged 25-44-average 30-39, and members of minority groups-likely African American. Approximately 40% of state prisoners have not completed their high school education.
What is meant by the inmate code?
The inmate code is the values and norms of the prison social system that define the inmates’ idea of the model prisoner.
Disorganized Criminal-
inmates who can’t develop any of the other orientations. Of low intelligence with a physical mental disability, find functioning in a prison society difficult. Manipulated by others, develop emotional disorders, attempt suicide, and violate prison rules.
Jailing-
those who cut themselves off from the outside and try to construct a life within prison, often youths who spent most of their life in jail.
Gleaning-
try to take advantage of prison programs to better themselves and improve their prospects for success after release.
Doing time-
view prison terms as brief, inevitable break in their criminal careers, cost of doing business, they will try to serve their term in the greatest comfort and least amount of suffering possible. Avoid trouble and form some friendships.
Bottom feeder-
tries to profit from the misfortune of others.
In past years what was used as the standard currency in the prison economy?
Cigarettes now cans of tuna and bars of soap
Differences between men’s and women’s prisons?
There is less violence in womens prisons, women are more responsive to prison programs, mens prisons are divided by security level, but women’s are mixed, men rarely become intimate with their keepers, but women share details of their life with the officers. Male prisons form cliques and male norms stress autonomy, self-sufficiency, and the ability to cope with problems by yourself. expected to do their own time. Women place less emphasis on achieving status, are less likely to pose severe restrictions on the sexual/emotional conduct of others. Women from small families like groups to support and share things with others.
What programs are most popular?
Programs offering academic courses are the most popular.
What do you call an inmate who has difficulty functioning in the prison society?
Disorganized Criminal- inmates who cannot develop 1 of the other 3 orientations. Likely of low intelligence, or have mental/physical disabilities.
What percentage of staff, minority staff specifically, is being represented in prisons?
30% of correctional officers are a minority and 23% are women.
What percentage of women are likely to be pregnant or give birth within the last year of entering prison?
10%
Female prisoners are more likely than male prisoners to suffer from things like depression, breast cancer, diseases, AIDS, HIV.
Female prisoners are more likely to suffer from physical/sexual abuse, suffer from a mental illness, develop more serious health issues like HIV and AIDS, heat disease, and diabeties, and breast cancer.
