This page provides a comprehensive set of practice questions and answers covering various aspects of corrections, with a particular focus on prison systems, jail operations, and probation. It includes multiple choice and true/false questions on topics such as the history of U.S. penitentiaries, the structure of correctional institutions, different security levels, and legal precedents. Additionally, it touches on important court cases, correctional philosophies, and the management of inmates with mental health or special needs. The content is designed to help students preparing for exams in correctional systems, including both theoretical and applied knowledge.
Many experts believe that the most effective way to prepare female offenders for success in the community is to maximize the use of alternative programs to incarceration.
True
Which is not a prison security level?
A. intake
B. community
C. high/close
D. federal
D
Which offense makes up a relatively high proportion of female arrests?
A. burglary
B. DUI
C. larceny-theft
D. murder
C
Which is one of the six factors inherent in correctional settings that hamper the provision of health services?
A. abundant financial resources
B. good staff recruitment
C. lack of constituency for inmate health services
D. correctional institutions that prioritize inmate health care
C
Why are judges now giving women longer sentences?
A. Judges believe there should be as many women in prison as men.
B. Judges have less discretion with sentencing guidelines and mandatory prison sentences.
C. Women are committing many more serious crimes.
D. Women demand to be treated equally to men.
B
Corrections is more about the process of management rather than correctional clients.
False
The inmates in a prison who do not have any specific designation as a special type of offender represent the __________.
general population
What are prison security levels designed to match?
A. physical security
B. staff resources
C. risk of inmate violence and escape
D. all of these
D
What percentage of all prison inmates do men constitute?
A. 93 percent
B. 51 percent
C. 27 percent
D. 99 percent
A
A relatively large proportion of the U.S. prison population is female.
False
What is one of the reasons that the current prison population is larger and more diverse than in the past?
A. There are more people in the United States.
B. A larger percentage of people are committing murder.
C. Many property and drug offenders who previously did not get sent to prison have been incarcerated.
D. none of these
C
Historically, what was the average age of a prison inmate?
A. 30-35
B. 18-23
C. 50-55
D. 45-50
A
People convicted of crimes regarding the possession or sale of drugs are __________.
drug offenders
For women, what alternative to prison is used by most states?
A. day supervision
B. halfway house
C. pre-release center
D. work release
D
Which offenses contributed to the most significant increase in the number of prison inmates?
A. murder and rape
B. child molestation and stalking
C. white-collar crimes
D. drug and public-order offenses
D
The makeup of the prison population is increasingly black and brown, as white offenders comprise a continually smaller proportion of the prison population.
True
About what percentage of inmates are female?
A. 25 percent
B. 7 percent
C. 48 percent
D. 32 percent
B
Which is not a contributing factor to the aging of the prison population?
A. Prison is very stressful and causes inmates to age prematurely.
B. The overall U.S. population is aging.
C. Inmates are serving longer sentences in prison.
D. Mandatory sentences and sentencing guidelines have taken away judicial discretion which kept some older offenders on probation rather than in prison.
A
What issues do female inmates face that are different from those of male inmates?
A. work opportunities
B. health care
C. vocational training
D. all of these
D
The average length of women's prison sentences are exactly equal to those of men.
False
__________ is the condition that exists when minorities comprise a greater percentage of those under correctional supervision than their makeup in the U.S. population.
Racial disparity
In which case did the Eighth Circuit Court suggest five criteria to be used to examine whether differences in prison programs discriminate against female inmates?
A. Morrissey v. Brewer
B. Pargo v. Elliott
C. Terry v. Ohio
D. Rhodes v. Chapman
B
How is order within the prison maintained?
A. physical control
B. clear and consistent enforcement of rules
C. numerical superiority of the prison staff
D. all of these
B
Which is not one of the large jurisdictions that holds more than a third of all female offenders?
A. Texas
B. the federal system
C. New York
D. California
C
In most cases, women's criminal involvement is as serious as that of men, and they are rarely accomplices.
False
The percentage of elderly offenders and juvenile offenders sentenced to adult prisons is increasing.
True
The term for men who are convicted and sentenced is __________.
male offenders
A majority of the prison population is comprised of minorities.
True
About half of women inmates in state prisons were using alcohol or drugs at the time of their offense.
True
Women who are convicted and sentenced are called __________.
female offenders
Violence is equally likely in male prisons and female prisons.
False
Crime is closely linked to which of the following?
A. poverty
B. drug use
C. little opportunity for legitimate economic success
D. all of these
D
The number of females under all types of correctional supervision has grown at a more rapid rate than the number of males under supervision.
True
As prison security level increases, what decreases?
A. physical barriers to escape
B. staff-to-inmate ratio
C. inmate movement
D. security
C
Sentence lengths increased through the many "tough on crime" statutes that were passed since 1980.
True
Males represent more than what percentage of the violent crime arrests?
A. 50 percent
B. 95 percent
C. 32 percent
D. 80 percent
D
Prison systems are predominantly planned and administered around the management of male inmates.
True
What is the most important factor in predicting recidivism for women?
A. the arrest history of their spouses
B. whether they have children
C. poverty and unemployment
D. the number of their prior arrests
D
Prisons currently house few elderly offenders, most of whom are in relatively good health.
False
Objective classification systems developed for male offenders often "overclassify" female offenders.
True
What is the security level of U.S. penitentiaries?
A. high-security
B. medium-security
C. low-security
D. minimum-security
A
__________ is an emphasis on the rational and efficient deployment of control strategies for managing and confining high-risk criminal populations.
New penology
Which system of prisons and detention facilities incarcerates inmates sentenced for federal crimes and detains those awaiting a federal trial or sentence?
A. state prisons
B. local jails
C. private prisons
D. none of these
D
The role of prisons in the U.S. criminal justice system over the past 25 years has grown tremendously. T/F
True
Which state has no federal prisons of any kind?
A. Texas
B. Georgia
C. Utah
D. California
C
During the mid-20th century, all states used what type of sentencing?
A. determinate
B. mandatory minimum
C. split sentencing
D. indeterminate
D
This 1981 Supreme Court decision set forth that housing two inmates in a cell designed for one did not violate the Eighth Amendment's protection from cruel and unusual punishment.
A. Rhodes v. Chapman
B. Brucino v. Carlson
C. Morrissey v. Brewer
D. Bell v. Wolfish
A
Where was the first penitentiary established?
A. Philadelphia
B. New York City
C. Los Angeles
D. Chicago
A
What is a lifetime incarceration rate?
A. a snapshot of those in prison at any given time
B. the percentage of U.S. citizens who are in prison
C. It is the same as the crime rate.
D. the chances of going to prison over an entire lifetime
D
The federalization of drug laws has had the greatest effect on the increase in the number of drug offenders in prison. T/F
True
Most states require that the staff of private prisons be public employees, not employees of the company that owns the prison. T/F
False
Retribution was strongly emphasized as the goal of prisons until the 1970s. T/F
False
The way a prison is built will influence the style of management for years to come. T/F
True
Which institutions feature dormitory housing, a relatively low staff-to-inmate ratio, and limited or no perimeter fencing?
A. minimum-security
B. low-security
C. medium-security
D. high-security
A
When was the U.S. Department of Justice established?
A. 1776
B. 1870
C. 1941
D. 1967
B
Most state inmates are classified as high security. T/F
False
Prisons are a relatively new phenomenon in criminal justice and corrections. T/F
True
Who was the first director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons?
A. Fred Sanford
B. Myrl E. Alexander
C. Sanford Bates
D. Norman Bates
C
Which company received the first private contract to house adult offenders?
A. Corrections Corporation of America
B. The Geo Group
C. Cornell Correctional Companies
D. none of these
A
Currently, drug offenders with no prior involvement in crime never receive long mandatory prison sentences. T/F
False
The use of prisons as a criminal sanction has increased in part because of the public's increasing fear of crime, decreasing tolerance of criminals, and demand for tougher sentencing laws. T/F
True
Which federal institutions have special missions, such as the detention of pretrial offenders or containment of extremely dangerous inmates?
A. federal prison camps
B. federal correctional institutions
C. administrative facilities
D. none of these
C
Any secure correctional facility operated by other than a governmental agency and usually in a "for profit" manner is a(n) __________.
private prison
__________ are institutional classifications such as minimum, low, medium, high, or administrative.
Security levels
Inmates consider jail sentences very "easy time," because there is so little to do. T/F
False
Before the 1970s, only the most violent and dangerous offenders went to prison, while property offenders usually got probation and supervision in the community. T/F
True
What is the primary function of prisons?
A. to hold all misdemeanants and felons of all sentence lengths
B. to hold convicted felons, usually serving a sentence of a year or more
C. to hold defendants awaiting trial
D. to hold drug offenders
B
Currently, the public disagrees that confinement facilities are the most effective way to protect the public, punish criminals, and deter them from committing further crimes after release. T/F
False
How have most jurisdictions responded to major increases in the prison population over the last two decades?
A. They have put more inmates in the cells.
B. They have released more offenders on parole.
C. They have built new prisons.
D. They have stopped incarcerating non-violent drug offenders.
C
About how many hours a day do prison officials keep inmates locked in their cells?
A. two
B. eight
C. four
D. 24
B
What is another type of correctional system and/or agency in the United States?
A. private prisons
B. immigration facilities
C. military prisons
D. all of these
D
In what state is the United States Penitentiary at Leavenworth located?
A. Utah
B. Minnesota
C. Missouri
D. Kansas
D
The growth of the federal prison population has resulted from the federal government's authority to prosecute new crimes that were difficult for local jurisdictions to handle. Which act is a good example of the creation of these new crimes?
A. The Sentencing Reform Act
B. The Three Penitentiary Act
C. The Stamp Act
D. The Volstead Act
D
The decision of Congress to make a crime a federal rather than a state offense is to __________ a crime.
federalize
Which is not part of the mission statement of most prisons?
A. to protect inmates and staff from harm in the prison environment
B. to physically discipline inmates who break the rules
C. to protect the public from further criminality, by keeping inmates inside
D. to prepare offenders for release and transition to the community
B
About how many inmates did state and federal prisons hold in 1967?
A. less than 300,000
B. one million
C. more than 500,000
D. 100,000
A
The penitentiary was established because the Pennsylvania Quakers decided that a more humane and efficient way to punish and reform criminals was needed. T/F
True
Prison administrators try to keep inmates in their cells and quiet for as much of the day as possible. T/F
False
Everyone knows someone who has gone to prison. T/F
False
In the late 1960s, the __________ model, with its emphasis on rehabilitating offenders, was the prevailing corrections philosophy.
medical
This is the process during which officials determine whether a juvenile case should be dismissed, handled informally, or referred to the juvenile court.
A. consent decree
B. referral
C. order
D. intake
D
In which case did the Supreme Court set forth that juveniles must have "the essentials of due process"?
A. In re Gault
B. In re Winship
C. Kent v. United States
D. Breed v. Jones
C
In the late 18th century, after what age were juveniles considered to be responsible for their crimes and therefore able to be treated the same as adult offenders?
A. 18
B. 16
C. 21
D. 7
D
What is the legal exception related to a youth's age, alleged offense, and court history that can place a youth under the jurisdiction of the adult criminal court?
A. statutory exclusion
B. waiver to adult court
C. status offense
D. none of these
A
A(n) __________ is sometimes referred to as informal probation.
consent decree
The juvenile justice system has many intermediate sanctions between probation and incarceration. T/F
False
Which best describes children who may be without a parent or guardian, possibly because the parent is physically or mentally unable to act in that capacity?
A. dependent
B. neglected
C. delinquent
D. superpredators
A
The number of juvenile arrests is relatively stable except for increases in what kind of crime?
A. juvenile violent crime
B. juvenile property crime
C. juvenile street crime
D. juvenile drug crime
A
There is currently little difference between the procedural due process requirements of the juvenile and adult justice systems. T/F
True
Juvenile residential facilities are similar to adult prisons. T/F
True
The placement of juvenile delinquents in a residential facility is the first and most common outcome. T/F
False
The Balance and Restorative Justice Perspective emphasizes collaborative rather than adversarial efforts by all parties within the juvenile justice system. T/F
True
Gangs have no defined organizational structure. T/F
False
In the juvenile justice system, the term that connotes "committed the act" is "responsible," while in the criminal justice system it is "guilty." T/F
True
How many states prohibit the death penalty for offenders who were younger than 18 at the time of their crime?
A. all 50
B. 16
C. 36
D. none of them
A
A(n) __________ is similar to the sentence for an adult.
order
The temporary care of children in physically restricted facilities pending court disposition or transfer to another jurisdiction or agency is __________.
juvenile detention
When and where was the first juvenile court established?
A. New York City, 1910
B. Chicago, 1899
C. Los Angeles, 1941
D. Albany, New York, 1929
B
Which term best describes children who have a parent or guardian, but are not receiving proper care or have a home situation that is harmful to them?
A. delinquent dependent
B. status offenders
C. dependent
D. neglected
D
In the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, Congress required assessments of the juvenile justice system to identify youth who were helped, rather than victimized, by placement in juvenile facilities. T/F
False
Criminologists have found that gang members are far more involved in serious and violent delinquency than non-gang youth. T/F
True
This is the formal processing of a juvenile offense through the juvenile court.
A. referral
B. statutory exclusion
C. order
D. informal trial
A
In this case, the Supreme Court upheld the use of preventive detention pending trial for juveniles.
A. In re Gault
B. In re Winship
C. Breed v. Jones
D. Schall v. Martin
D
In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that in hearings in which juveniles may be committed to an institution, they have the right to counsel, to notice of the charges against them, to question witnesses, and to protection against self-incrimination.
A. Kent v. United States
B. McKeiver v. Pennsylvania
C. In re Winship
D. In re Gault
D
Social programs are no longer used to reduce gang activities. T/F
False
In this case, the Supreme Court determined that a finding of guilt for juveniles had to meet the standard of beyond a reasonable doubt.
A. Schall v. Martin
B. In re Winship
C. McKeiver v. Pennsylvania
D. Breed v. Jones
B
A statement of the delinquent acts a juvenile is alleged to have committed is a(n) __________.
delinquency petition
The U.S. Supreme Court still allows the execution of juvenile offenders who have committed very serious crimes. T/F
False
What is the average age of arrested gang members?
A. 17-18
B. 10-12
C. 15-16
D. 21
A
Which term best describes the general removal of juveniles from correctional institutions and placement in community alternatives?
A. institutionalization
B. parole
C. residential placement
D. deinstitutionalization
D
What do the juvenile justice system and the criminal justice system have in common?
A. Rehabilitation of offenders is a primary goal.
B. The public has access to information about offenders.
C. The accused has Constitutional rights.
D. The prosecutor decides which cases to pursue.
C
__________ is the supervision of a juvenile in the community after he or she has served time in a juvenile correctional institution.
Aftercare
What is the process of moving a juvenile offender to adult courts for criminal processing because of the serious nature of the juvenile's crime?
A. waiver to adult courts
B. remand
C. bind over
D. all of these
D
What is a major difference between the juvenile and criminal justice systems?
A. Community protection is a primary goal.
B. Community policing is used.
C. The standard of "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" is required.
D. The accused has a right to a jury trial.
D
The juvenile justice process usually begins with a complaint to the police and a contact between a law enforcement officer and the juvenile. T/F
True
Which does the Balance and Restorative Justice Perspective use to help juvenile drug users end their dependence?
A. treatment
B. supervision
C. diversion
D. all of these
D
Which is not a status offense?
A. running away
B. truancy
C. burglary
D. drinking alcohol
C
The goals and philosophies of the juvenile justice system are nearly identical to those of the criminal justice system. T/F
False
The FBI collects both juvenile and adult crime data in the annual Uniform Crime Reports. T/F
True
Neither rehabilitation nor juvenile accountability alone have been effective in dealing with juvenile drug crime. T/F
True
________ are those whose circumstances, conditions, or behaviors require management or treatment outside the normal approach to supervision.
Special offenders
All drug treatment programs are effective with all types of abusers. T/F
False
___________________are the primary victims of sexual assaults?
Females
HIV/AIDS is relatively inexpensive and easy for correctional agencies to deal with. T/F
False
____________ and ____________ are dual problems that mentally ill inmates represent in jails and prisons?
Control, treatment
The ________ is an approach to managing sex offenders that includes treatment to develop internal control over deviant thoughts, supervision and surveillance to control external behaviors.
containment model
In ________, juveniles handled by adult courts are assigned to an adult prison, yet are housed separately and placed in special programs that match their age level and needs.
segregated incarceration
___________ was the first supermax prison in the United States?
Alcatraz
________ is a system in which juveniles handled by adult courts are placed in juvenile facilities until they reach age 18, then are transferred to an adult prison to complete the sentence.
Graduated incarceration
A form of incarceration in which juveniles handled by adult courts are placed in adult prisons without separate housing or differentiation in programming or job assignments is called ________.
straight adult incarceration
________ attacks the body's immune system, increasing the chance of infection and other disease.
HIV
________ is a middle ground between juvenile and adult sentences that allows judges to choose from a broad array of both juvenile and adult sanctions.
Blended sentencing
Offenders convicted of rape and sexual assault have lower recidivism rates than other violent offenders. T/F
True
________ do all the things associated with clinical psychology, only they do them in a correctional setting.
Correctional psychologists
Drug abuse programs are not particularly important in prisons. T/F
False
States have practiced the civil commitment of sexually violent predators to mental institutions since the early 1900s. T/F
False
Mentally ill inmates more likely to _______________________ than other types of offenders.
recidivate
It is important to provide drug treatment to offenders on probation. T/F
True
________ are freestanding prisons or distinct units within other prisons that manage and securely control inmates who have been designated as violent or seriously disruptive in other prisons.
Supermax prisons
________ are given to mentally ill individuals to counteract the symptoms of their mental illness, allowing them to live successfully in the community.
Antipsychotic drugs
________ are those who have committed a legally prohibited sexual act or any crime that is statutorily defined as sexually motivated.
Sex offenders
In order to protect the public, state legislatures have been passing laws defining a new type of mental disorder that allows for the "______________" diagnosis of sex offenders?
sexually violent predators
________ is carried in the dried residue of drops left from sneezes, coughs, laughing, or spitting.
Tuberculosis
The legal process for transferring juveniles to the adult court system varies from state to state, primarily focusing on who has the discretion to make the transfer or waiver decision. T/F
True
Which is not one of the three variations of the legal process of transferring juvenile offenders to adult court?
A. plea bargain
B. waiver
C. statutory exclusion
D. direct file
A
Correctional officials encourage the housing of juvenile offenders in prisons with older adult felons. T/F
False
Mentally ill offenders are especially deterred by typical punishment. T/F
False
As long as the purpose of confinement is to treat the sex offender, how long may a state commit an offender to an institution?______________
indefinitely
A small percentage of inmates are truly violent and predatory and continue violent acts while in prison. T/F
True
Mentally ill inmates more likely to have _________________than other inmates?
disciplinary problems
Intro to Corrections Chapter 2
True or False Questions
1. A little fewer than half of the counties in the United States have a jail (T/F) False
2 Very few felony cases result in a guilty plea by the defendant, and instead go to trial (T/F) False
3 The PSI is not intended to assist courts in the sentencing decision (T/F) False
4 Intermediate sanctions provide less supervision and monitoring than standard probation (T/F) False
5 In many criminal cases, offenders are charged with more than one crime or with several counts of the same crime (T/F) True
6 Drug courts are usually a unit outside the court system (T/F) False
7 In 1994, California expanded the definition of three-strikes laws to include some second-felony offenders (T/F) True
8 Most states require PSIs for felony cases that allow the possibility of probation (T/F) True
9 Pretrial diversion programs are sometimes referred to as "deferred prosecution" or "probation without adjudication." (T/F) True
10 Non-incarceration sentences include economic sanctions, probation, and intermediate sanctions (T/F) True
11 Sometimes referred to as "deferred prosecution" or "probation without adjudication." Pretrial diversion
Corrections Practice Questions
What was the first prison designed to house sentenced offenders in the US called?
Walnut Street Jail
Describe Walnut Street Jail
Inmates kept separate; Penance; used masks
Hands off Doctrine
Avoidance by the US Supreme Court of judicial intervention in the operations of prisons and the judgement of correctional administrators
What was the emphasis in the Rehabilitative Era?
Professionalizing of staff; recruitment, training and implementation of may self-improvement
What links crime causation to punishment, based on offenders' free will and hedonism?
Reintegration: strengthens the links between prison and the community
Which theorist suggested that criminal laws should be organized so that the punishment for any act would outweigh the pleasure that would be derived form the act?
Jeremy Bentham
What is specific deterrence?
The effect of punishment on an individual offender that prevents that person from committing future crime
Whose efforts in jail reform led to the passing of the Penitentiary Act in 1779?
John Howard
The stages of which system are solitary confinement, special prison, open institutions, and ticket of leave?
Norfolk Island- Irish System
Which correctional era advocated an environment that emphasized reformation, education, and vocational programs, and focused offenders' attention on the future?
Reformatory Era
What are the advantages of a diversionary treatment program?
Provide opportunity for a criminal offender to be diverted from processing in the system by suspending criminal processing will offering a chance to participate in treatment programs and avoid further criminal activity. If successful all charges are dismissed.
1987 US Supreme Court: upheld the ability of a magistrate to confine an offender on the presumption that he or she was dangerous?
United States v. Salerno
In which country did pretrial release programs originate?
England
What are the problems with the system of bail as a requirement for release?
Unreasonably high bail; bail price is not related to the risk of the offenders; discriminates against the poor; "Freedom can be bought for a price"=unethical
What are the purposes of the PSI?
Use in sentencing by the court; use in determining supervision needs during probation; use by prison officials in classifying offender and determining needs; use by parole board in making release decisions; Research purposes
What percentage completion of sentence does the truth in sentencing reform require?
85%
Who initiated the concept of "good time"?
Captain Alexander Maconochie
In presumptive sentencing, what do mitigating circumstances indicate to a judge?
Indicate reasons for leniency
Why have states adopted sentencing guidelines?
To make sure judges are harsh on certain criminals to ensure dangerous criminals are sent to prison; Provide uniformity, ensuring that offenders who commit similar crimes receive similar sentences; Provide planners a better predictor of the # of inmates in prison or offenders under probation supervision; Provide a rational approach to determining sentencing
What is an early English term for jail?
"Goal"
First generation Jail
linear design for housing inmates; cells are aligned in long, straight rows with walkways in front of cells for correctional officers to walk to observe inside of cells
Second generation Jail
Popular housing designs and remote supervision; officers located in a secure control room overlooking the cells/dayroom; electronic controls to open and close cell doors
Third generation Jail
without remote control center; correctional officers are located in the housing unit, direct contact with inmates
What are the three most important reasons for effective jail classification system?
Provide a guide for separating violent, predatory inmates from potential inmate victims; Provide a guide for identifying and managing different inmates with special needs; Provide a guide for identifying inmates with a high risk of escape and housing them in more secure settings
Community corrections gained prominence as an adaptation of which era of corrections?
Rehabilitative Era
Which era of corrections developed with the developed with the distinct provision that the community be an essential part of the correctional process?
Reintegrative Era
Which style of supervising community offenders emphasizes assisting the offender with problems, providing counseling, and ensuring that the offender successfully completes supervision?
Casework style of Supervision
Which Supreme Court case allowed an exception to probation violations by holding that failure to make restitution payment due to unemployment is not sufficient reason to revoke probation?
Bearden v. Georgia
1973 Supreme Court Case: created the due process requirements for revoking probation?
Gagnon v. Scarpelli
Which probation style mimics the community policing philosophy and parents with citizens groups, churches, and other neighborhood organizations?
Broken Windows
What is used only after low-risk offenders demonstrate a good adjustment to supervision?
Administrative
What are the factors that have been cited in support of intermediate sanctions?
Unhappiness with regular probation supervision; increase in # of prisons and prison overcrowding; tightening of budgets by states and an inability to continue to fund high rehab programs; Realization that solid ties to the community are critical to the success of offenders and the knowledge that keeping offenders in the community helps them maintain these ties; Proportionality of sentencing, in that with a continuum of sanctions that sentence can be crafted to better fit the crime and offender
What is sometimes referred to as "community control"?
House Arrest
On which model is shock probation based?
Specific deterrence model
Where was the first US penitentiary established?
Penn
What is the primary function of prisons?
To hold convicted felons, usually serving a sentence of a year or more
1981 US Supreme Court case: set forth that housing two inmates in a cell designed for one did not violate the 8th Amendment's protection from cruel and unusual punishment?
Rhodes v. Chapman
Mission statement of most prisons:
Prepare offenders for release and transition to the community; protect inmates and staff from harm; protect public from further criminality
According to Gowdy, which is a factor contributing to the expansion of the private sector's role in the penal system?
The publics view that the current penal system is too costly and too ineffective at reducing recidivism
Who was the first director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons?
Sanford Bates
Which company received the first private contract to house adult offenders?
Corrections Corporation of America
Which stage of Maconochie's mark system emphasized punishment and included solitary confinement and a diet of bread and water?
Penal Stage
19th century director of the Irish prison system who created a four-stage system of graduated release from prison?
Sir Walter Crofton
What was the first stage of the Irish system of release?
Solitary Confinement
Which penologist advocated the Irish system in the US and became the first superintendent of the Elmira Reformatory?
Brockway
Which model calls for fixed sentences so that the punishment fits the crime?
Just deserts model
What was created as a means to reduce disparity and make decision making more understandable to the public and inmates?
Parole Guidelines
What is the name of a point determination for each inmate for use with parole guidelines?
Salient Factor Score
Corrections Final Exam
Question 1
In the distant past, PSIs were shorter, factual without opinion, and designed to avoid legal challenges by the defense.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 2
What is a plea bargain?
Selected Answer: C. The defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence without going to trial.
Answer Options:
A. The defendant waives a jury trial in exchange for a trial by a judge.
B. The defendant pleads not guilty and goes to trial.
C. The defendant pleads guilty in exchange for a reduced sentence without going to trial.
D. The defendant agrees to a reduced sentence after a trial.
Question 3
This 1987 Supreme Court decision upheld the ability of a magistrate to confine an offender on the presumption that he or she was dangerous.
Selected Answer: C. United States v. Salerno
Answer Options:
A. Bell v. Wolfish
B. Williams v. New York
C. United States v. Salerno
D. Miranda v. Arizona
Question 4
Most states require PSIs for felony cases that allow the possibility of probation.
Selected Answer: True
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 5
The PSI is not intended to assist courts in the sentencing decision.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 6
Which is not an alternative to bail?
Selected Answer: A. personal recognizance
Answer Options:
A. personal recognizance
B. preventive detention
C. collateral
D. third-party custody
Question 7
Drug courts are usually a unit outside the court system.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 8
Which is a problem with the system of bail as a requirement for release?
Selected Answer: A. The bail process discriminates against the poor.
Answer Options:
A. The bail process discriminates against the poor.
B. Bail does not allow freedom to be bought.
C. The availability of financial resources and the ability to “make bail” is closely related to the risk of the offender.
D. all of the above
Question 9
What is a pledge of money or property in exchange for a promise to return for further criminal processing?
Selected Answer: D. bail
Answer Options:
A. plea bargain
B. surety
C. ROR
D. bail
Question 10
A little fewer than half of the counties in the United States have a jail.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 11
By the beginning of the 20th century, preparation for release was considered to be important, and correctional systems provided programs to prepare inmates for the community.
Selected Answer: True
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 12
Which constitutional amendment states that excessive bail may not be required?
Selected Answer: B. Eighth
Answer Options:
A. Fourteenth
B. Eighth
C. First
D. Fourth
Question 13
What country originated pretrial release programs?
Selected Answer: A. England
Answer Options:
A. England
B. China
C. United States
D. Babylon
Question 14
Which is not an advantage of a diversionary treatment program?
Selected Answer: D. It increases a defendant’s appearances before the court.
Answer Options:
A. They cost considerably less than criminal justice processing.
B. They reduce the demands on the court and prosecutors to process the case as a criminal activity.
C. Offenders avoid the stigma associated with a criminal conviction.
D. It increases a defendant’s appearances before the court.
Question 15
What type of crime is punishable by one year or more of incarceration?
Selected Answer: A. felony
Answer Options:
A. felony
B. misdemeanor
C. both felonies and misdemeanors
D. neither felonies nor misdemeanors
Question 16
Very few felony cases result in a guilty plea by the defendant, and instead go to trial.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 17
In many criminal cases, offenders are charged with more than one crime or with several counts of the same crime.
Selected Answer: True
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 18
Intermediate sanctions provide less supervision and monitoring than standard probation.
Selected Answer: False
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
Question 19
Which of the following does not define a pretrial diversion program?
Selected Answer: A. It offers people charged with crimes alternatives to traditional criminal justice proceedings.
Answer Options:
A. It offers people charged with crimes alternatives to traditional criminal justice proceedings.
B. It occurs between the formal filing of charges and the final judgment of guilt.
C. The accused participates on a volunteer basis only.
D. All of the above define pretrial diversion programs.
Question 20
In 1994, California expanded the definition of three-strikes laws to include some second-felony offenders.
Selected Answer: True
Correct Answer Options:
- True
- False
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Question 1
Where was the first penitentiary established?
Selected Answer: C. Philadelphia
Answer Options:
A. Los Angeles
B. Chicago
C. Philadelphia
D. New York City
Question 2
During the mid-20th century, all states used what type of sentencing?
Selected Answer: B. indeterminate
Answer Options:
A. determinate
B. indeterminate
C. split sentencing
D. mandatory minimum
Question 3
Which state has no federal prisons of any kind?
Selected Answer: A. Utah
Answer Options:
A. Utah
B. Texas
C. California
D. Georgia
Question 4
Who was the first director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons?
Selected Answer: B. Sanford Bates
Answer Options:
A. Norman Bates
B. Sanford Bates
C. Myrl E. Alexander
D. Fred Sanford
Question 5
Which is not part of the mission statement of most prisons?
Selected Answer: B. to physically discipline inmates who break the rules
Answer Options:
A. to prepare offenders for release and transition to the community
B. to physically discipline inmates who break the rules
C. to protect inmates and staff from harm in the prison environment
D. to protect the public from further criminality, by keeping inmates inside
Question 6
What is a lifetime incarceration rate?
Selected Answer: A. the chances of going to prison over an entire lifetime
Answer Options:
A. the chances of going to prison over an entire lifetime
B. the percentage of U.S. citizens who are in prison
C. a snapshot of those in prison at any given time
D. It is the same as the crime rate.
Question 7
Which company received the first private contract to house adult offenders?
Selected Answer: C. Corrections Corporation of America
Answer Options:
A. The Geo Group
B. Cornell Correctional Companies
C. Corrections Corporation of America
D. none of the above
Question 8
What is another type of correctional system and/or agency in the United States?
Selected Answer: D. all of the above
Answer Options:
A. immigration facilities
B. private prisons
C. military prisons
D. all of the above
Question 9
The growth of the federal prison population has resulted from the federal government’s authority to prosecute new crimes that were difficult for local jurisdictions to handle. Which act is a good example of the creation of these new crimes?
Selected Answer: B. The Volstead Act
Answer Options:
A. The Sentencing Reform Act
B. The Volstead Act
C. The Three Penitentiary Act
D. The Stamp Act
Question 10
About how many inmates did state and federal prisons hold in 1967?
Selected Answer: C. less than 300,000
Answer Options:
A. 100,000
B. more than 500,000
C. less than 300,000
D. one million
Question 11
This 1981 Supreme Court decision set forth that housing two inmates in a cell designed for one did not violate the Eighth Amendment’s protection from cruel and unusual punishment.
Selected Answer: B. Rhodes v. Chapman
Answer Options:
A. Brucino v. Carlson
B. Rhodes v. Chapman
C. Bell v. Wolfish
D. Morrissey v. Brewer
Question 12
What is the primary function of prisons?
Selected Answer: A. to hold convicted felons, usually serving a sentence of a year or more
Answer Options:
A. to hold convicted felons, usually serving a sentence of a year or more
B. to hold defendants awaiting trial
C. to hold all misdemeanants and felons of all sentence lengths
D. to hold drug offenders
Question 13
What is the security level of U.S. penitentiaries?
Selected Answer: C. high-security
Answer Options:
A. low-security
B. minimum-security
C. high-security
D. medium-security
Question 14
In what state is the United States Penitentiary at Leavenworth located?
Selected Answer: C. Kansas
Answer Options:
A. Utah
B. Minnesota
C. Kansas
D. Missouri
Question 15
Which institutions feature dormitory housing, a relatively low staff-to-inmate ratio, and limited or no perimeter fencing?
Selected Answer: A. minimum-security
Answer Options:
A. minimum-security
B. medium-security
C. high-security
D. low-security
Question 16
When was the U.S. Department of Justice established?
Selected Answer: C. 1870
Answer Options:
A. 1941
B. 1776
C. 1870
D. 1967
Question 17
Which federal institutions have special missions, such as the detention of pretrial offenders or containment of extremely dangerous inmates?
Selected Answer: C. administrative facilities
Answer Options:
A. federal correctional institutions
B. federal prison camps
C. administrative facilities
D. none of the above
Question 18
How have most jurisdictions responded to major increases in the prison population over the last two decades?
Selected Answer: A. They have built new prisons.
Answer Options:
A. They have built new prisons.
B. They have released more offenders on parole.
C. They have stopped incarcerating non-violent drug offenders.
D. They have put more inmates in the cells.
Question 19
About how many hours a day do prison officials keep inmates locked in their cells?
Selected Answer: A. eight
Answer Options:
A. eight
B. 24
C. two
D. four
Question 20
Which system of prisons and detention facilities incarcerates inmates sentenced for federal crimes and detains those awaiting a federal trial or sentence?
Selected Answer: D. none of the above
Answer Options:
A. private prisons
B. local jails
C. state prisons
D. none of the above
Jails Practice Questions
False
Each year, jails admit about one-half as many offenders as prisons.
False
Jails are designed to hold sentenced offenders for very long terms of confinement.
False
There are approximately 1,350 jails in the United States.
False
The average length of stay in a jail is 30 months.
False
Jails are exciting places; inmates get good educations and inmates have plenty to do.
True
Early jails in the American colonies followed the English model.
True
Jail staff are always extremely outnumbered by the inmates in any correctional setting.
True
Over the last 30 years, the number of criminal offenders with mental illness has risen.
True
Sentenced offenders can serve up to one year in jail.
True
Which of the following is an early English term for a jail?
A.) Jail
B.) Workhouse
C.) Lockup
D.) Gaol
D.) Gaol
All of the following are responsible for the significant increase in the use of jails from 2000 to 2008 EXCEPT __________________.
A.) The overcrowding of state and federal prisons over the past decade.
B.) The "tough on crime" mentality of the public.
C.) The increasing use of split sentences.
D.) The serious budget crises of local governments.
C.) The increasing use of split sentences.
Which was NOT a requirement for English prisons and jails as specified by the English Penitentiary Act of 1779?
A.) Housing inmates in common cells.
B.) Systematic Inspections
C.) Abolition of fees charged to inmates.
D.) Secure and sanitary structures.
A.) Housing inmates in common cells.
Which of the following categories of offenders is NOT held in jail?
A.) Individuals pending arraignment and awaiting trial, conviction, or sentencing.
B.) Probation, parole, and bail bond violators and absconders.
C.) Mentally ill people, pending their movement to appropriate mental health facilities.
D.) Inmates sentenced to terms of more than ten years.
D.) Inmates sentenced to terms of more than ten years.
In rural countries, which elected official overseas the operation of the jail?
A.) Sheriff
B.) Local Magistrate
C.) Prosecutor
D.) Chief of Police
A.) Sheriff
Which of the following is described as statistical approaches to consider the risk of escape and violence by inmates?
A.) Direct Supervision Plans
B.) Objective Classification Systems
C.) Subjective Classification Processes
D.) Censuses of Jail Facilities
B.) Objective Classification Systems
Which of the following is characteristic of a third-generation jail?
A.) It uses podular housing designs and remote supervision.
B.) It is designed to minimize interaction between inmates and jail staff.
C.) The cells are aligned in long, straight rows, with walkways in the front of the cells.
D.) Correctional officers are located in the housing unit in direct contact with inmates.
D.) Correctional officers are located in the housing unit in direct contact with inmates.
What main factor differentiates jails from prisons?
A.) Type of inmate.
B.) Length of stay.
C.) Type of sentence.
D.) Overcrowding
B.) Length of stay.
A very large percentage of arrested and jailed offenders make bond and are released within ________.
A.) One month.
B.) Forty-eight hours.
C.) Two hours.
D.) Six Weeks.
B.) Forty-eight hours.
Jail inmates may have only noncontact visits. What type of visitor is the exception?
A.) Spouse
B.) Parent
C.) Close Friend
D.) Attorney
D.) Attorney
Which is NOT one of the three most important reasons for effective jail classification systems?
A.) They provide a guide for separating violent, predatory inmates from potential inmate victims.
B.) They provide a guide for identifying inmates with a high risk of escape.
C.) They provide a guide for identifying and managing inmates with special emotional or mental needs.
D.) They provide a guide for giving inmates proper substance abuse counseling.
D.) They provide a guide for giving inmates proper substance abuse counseling.
Which is the most important element in the operations and policies of all correctional facilities?
A.) The programs offered.
B.) The physical security.
C.) The staff.
D.) The services provided.
Which of the following is NOT true of jails in a correctional setting?
A.) Jail officers do much of the same work as prison correctional officers.
B.) Jail staff members are extremely outnumbered by the inmates.
C.) Jails are better managed through a consistent routine of operations.
D.) Jails offer extensive programs or services for inmates.
D.) Jails offer extensive programs or services for inmates.
About how many more jails are there in the United States than prisons?
A.) Twice as many.
B.) Just as many.
C.) Five times as many.
D.) Three times as many.
D.) Three times as many.
Which of the following facilities continuous communications between jail staff and inmates, thus reducing tension and avoiding the development of conflicts among inmates or between inmates and staff?
A.) Direct Supervision Jails
B.) Second-Generation Jails
C.) Podular Design
D.) First-Generation Jails
A.) Direct Supervision Jails
Offenders are fingerprinted and booked into the jail before arrest. (T/F)
False
Jails have limited programs, such as education, substance abuse counseling, or work. (T/F)
True
Jail staff members are always extremely outnumbered by the inmates in any correctional setting. (T/F)
True
Over the last thirty years, the number of criminal offenders with mental illness has risen.
True
A lockup is a jail that serves more than one county and is overseen by a regional jail commission. (T/F)
True
The number of people in the nation's jails has decreased significantly over the past twenty years. (T/F)
False
Sentenced offenders can serve up to one year in jail. (T/F)
True
The high volume of jail admissions and releases often results in mistakes. (T/F)
True
Second-generation jails use a linear design for housing inmates. (T/F)
False
The nation's jails employ less than half as many staff members as state and federal prisons. (T/F)
True
C.) The staff.
The high volume of jail admissions and releases often results in mistakes.
0
1943