lecture 20 - comparative penology (united states) Flashcards
american penal system is exceptionally
punitive
american has what type of political economy?
reliance on what?
political what?
-neo liberal political economy
-reliance upon penal controls
- political paranoia
what is a neoliberal system
- free market capitalism with limited government
- socially conservative
- emphasis on individual freedoms and responsibilities
are there universal benefits in america
no
only minimal means tested welfare and healthcare
what type of legislative congress does america have
bicameral legislative congress
- 2 party politics
- SC political appointees
what two custodial sentencing acts are there
sentencing reform act 1984
violent crime control and law enforcement act 1994
what is there limited use of in sentencing
parole ‘truth in sentencing’ and earned credit
average time served in 1986
22 months
average time served in 2017
9 years
what is the impact of the war on drugs
longer sentences
disproportionately affects people of colour
what cutodial sentencing laws do they have in america
mandatory minimum terms
three strikes laws
what case introduced the three strikes laws
erving v california 2003
wh
life without parole is in all states except which one?
what purpose does LWOP have
alaska
has an expressive purpose
prison population in america
1,230,000
population per 100,000 in america
505
what is the occupancy rate in america
96%
what % of people of colour in prison
43%
what % of female prisoners
7%
reconviction rate at 3 years
68%
reconviction rate at 9 years
83%
approximately how many of the federal population are imprisoned for drugs
half
how much has the imprisonment rate gone up by between 1973 and 1990
tripled
how many prisoners serving indeterminate sentences in america
how many are POC
1 in 7
2/3 of these are people of colour
what % of people in city and county jails
70%
what % of people in state and federal correctional institutions (general prison)
21%
4 categories
what % of state and federal penitentiaries
9%
supremaximum security is called what
ADX
where are the federal supermaximum security prisons
ADX florence, colorado
what is the state supermaximum security prison
standalone or integrated security housing unit
what type of design are supermaximum security prisons
-brutalist design and solitary confinement
- concrete furniture and shower on timer
- constant fluorescent lighting and observation
- no work, programs or group activities
- solitary exercise in dog runs
is the ADX contrary to the 8th amendment
no
what are 2 controversial re-entry practices
-sex offender registration and notification schemes
-felony disenfranchisement
what caused the sex offender registration
law
act
megans law 1996
adam walsh protection and safety act 2006
have sex offender registration had a deterent effect
longitudinal studies show little to no deterrent effect
out of 50 states how many impose disenfranchisement for felony convictions
48/50
how many americans were locked out of 2020 elections?
how many were africa american
5.2 million (2.3%)
1 in 16 african americans
what thesis is america based on
the exceptionally punitive thesis
what 3 things make up the exceptionally punitive thesis
P
R
P
- populism and electorate
- religious fundamentalism and retribution
- growth of privatisation and spending on priosn industrial complex
what makes up populism in america
- conflictual paranoid politics
- higly partisan commerical media
- role of victims families in public opinion
what is the new penology loss of faith in
loss of faith in offender rehabiliation
the use of what facilities has provoked international criticsm
supermax
what is the political and public interest in reducing prison industrial complex driven by
pragmatic concerns with cost
what does comparative penology demonstrate
political choice reflective of societal consensus
