Corr Chap 10 Incarcer PPT Notes

Question 1

What major questions regarding incarceration will be discussed?

Answer 1

How are prisons organized across the U.S.? How are prisons designed and operated? How do states vs federal individually operate their institutions? Where are they located and who are the people inside them?

Question 2

What is the oldest US prison and when was it built?

Answer 2

The oldest US prison is in Trenton, NJ, built in 1789 and rebuilt in 1835; it is still open!

Question 3

What defines the ‘Big House’ style of prison?

Answer 3

Large, walled fortresses with tiered cellblocks, open yards, and shops, holding an average of 2500 inmates.

Question 4

What was the focus of prisons during the 60s and 70s?

Answer 4

The focus shifted to rehabilitation, integrating treatment programs and education into prison life.

Question 5

What has changed today in prison population and focus?

Answer 5

Prisons are now more accountable, with a population shift towards more Hispanics and African-Americans, and an increase in violent offenders.

Question 6

What is the current focus in prisons?

Answer 6

The focus is on crime control, with many states reducing or removing treatment and rehabilitation programs.

Question 7

What are the three institutional models of prisons?

Answer 7

1. Custodial: Focus on retribution and security. 2. Rehabilitation: Focus on treatment programs. 3. Reintegration: Focus on ties to family and community.

Question 8

How are prisons organized in the U.S.?

Answer 8

All states and the federal government operate prisons, with approximately 1,821 confinement facilities.

Question 9

What is the U.S. Bureau of Prisons (USBOP)?

Answer 9

Created by Congress in 1930, it is responsible for the safekeeping and care of federal prisoners.

Question 10

What was the prison population trend from 1940 to 1980?

Answer 10

The population was around 24,000 until the 1980s when it exploded to over 58,000 due to the War on Drugs.

Question 11

What are the characteristics of federal prisons?

Answer 11

They operate about 130 facilities, ranging from SuperMax to halfway houses, with a focus on security.

Question 12

What is the design of modern prisons?

Answer 12

Modern prisons often resemble hospitals or schools, with low height and no outstanding external characteristics.

Question 13

What are the four basic prison designs?

Answer 13

Radial, Telephone Pole, Courtyard, and Campus.

Question 14

What is the ‘Radial’ prison design?

Answer 14

A design where the control center is at the hub, monitoring movement into isolated units.

Question 15

What is the ‘Telephone Pole’ prison design?

Answer 15

A long central corridor serves as the main movement route, allowing for continuous surveillance.

Question 16

What is the ‘Courtyard’ style of prison design?

Answer 16

Functional units are in separate buildings around an open square, with movement through the courtyard.

Question 17

What is the ‘Campus’ style of prison design?

Answer 17

Small housing units spread out among other buildings, allowing inmates to move around openly.

Question 18

Why are prisons mostly located in rural areas?

Answer 18

Land is cheaper and citizens often oppose having prisons nearby, known as ‘NIMBY’ syndrome.

Question 19

How are prisons classified?

Answer 19

By level of security required: minimum, medium, maximum, with some states having ‘SuperMax’ facilities.

Question 20

What are the characteristics of maximum security prisons?

Answer 20

Designed to prevent escape and assaults, usually housing inmates in single cells with strict routines.

Question 21

What are the characteristics of medium security prisons?

Answer 21

Less rigid routines than maximum security, with more contact with the outside world and rehabilitation programs.

Question 22

What are the characteristics of minimum security prisons?

Answer 22

Hold least violent prisoners, often lack walls, and emphasize rehabilitation and preparing for release.

Question 23

What are private prisons?

Answer 23

Facilities run by private companies, often claiming to be cheaper and more efficient, though this is debated.

Question 24

What factors influence a prison’s operations?

Answer 24

Age, education, and criminal record of prisoners, with a majority being men convicted of violent crimes.

Question 25

What issues arise with elderly inmates?

Answer 25

The increasing number poses challenges in housing, medical care, and program availability.

Question 26

What is the rate of HIV/AIDS among inmates?

Answer 26

The rate is 2.5 times higher than the general population, with many high-risk behaviors contributing.

Question 27

What challenges do mentally ill inmates face?

Answer 27

They often require special programs, with a significant portion of the prison population affected.

Question 28

What is the trend regarding long-term prisoners in the U.S.?

Answer 28

Inmates serve longer sentences, with about 140,610 serving life sentences, often costing over $1 million.