Deck 5: Jails and Detention Facilities

Question 1

Historically jails in the United States have been run by:

A) county jail administrators
B) county sheriffs
C) regional jail authorities
D) county commissions

Answer 1

B

Question 2

All of the following have been identified as problems associated with contemporary local jails except:

A) housing diverse inmate populations
B) under-funding
C) overcrowding
D) federal court orders

Answer 2

D

Question 3

All of the following have state run jail/prison systems except:

A) Texas
B) Delaware
C) Rhode Island
D) Hawaii

Answer 3

A

Question 4

A temporary holding facility operated by a law enforcement agency typically is considered a:

A) lockup
B) workhouse
C) penal farm
D) penitentiary

Question 5

In 2017 jails in the United States had _________ admissions.

A) 257,000
B) 1.75 million
C) 10.6 million
D) over 25 million

Question 6

According to the text, virtually all jails are built to ________ security standards.

A) maximum
B) medium
C) minimum
D) intermediate

Question 7

Metropolitan Correctional Centers are operated by the:

A) largest counties
B) U.S Bureau of Prisons
C) Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency
D) state police in some states

Question 8

Jail inmates who experience frequent admissions and discharges are sometimes called:

A) troublemakers
B) career criminals
C) frequent fliers
D) mentally unstable

Question 9

Overwhelmingly in the United States, jail inmates are:

A) Asian Americans
B) American Indians
C) female
D) male

Question 10

The most traditional jail design is called the ________ design.

A) linear
B) circular
C) podular
D) spoke

Question 11

"New generation" (or third generation) jails are characterized by having what type of architectural design?

A) circular
B) sectional
C) linear
D) podular

Question 12

Which of the following is the only state to have popularly elected county jailers?

A) Texas
B) Kentucky
C) South Carolina
D) California

Question 13

In 2017 there were about ________ youths detained in adult jails.

A) 3,500
B) 6,800
C) 10,000
D) 27,800

Question 14

How does the suicide rate for jail inmates compare with the rate for non-incarcerated individuals?

A) The jail suicide rate is the same
B) The jail suicide rate is lower
C) The jail suicide rate is higher
D) We don't know how the two rates compare

Question 15

Which of the following is not true of jail inmates in the United States?

A) Many have unmet health needs
B) The greatest number are over the age of 54
C) Many have substance abuse problems
D) Racial and ethnic minorities are overrepresented

Question 16

Nearly half of the jails in the United States are run by state corrections departments.

Question 17

John Irwin called the people frequently housed in American jails the "rabble."

Question 18

Two-thirds of the nation's jail inmates at a given time stand convicted of a serious felony.

Question 19

The proportion of female jail inmates has been decreasing over time.

Question 20

Male and female jail inmates have the same medical problems.

Question 21

Sheriffs often assign new deputies who have just graduated from the basic academy to work in the jail.

Question 22

Some states do not require any formal pre-service training for custody officers who work in jails.

Question 23

Because of the stress associated with their work, jail officers may suffer from job burnout.

Question 24

When a new jail must be built, many neighborhoods welcome the location of that new jail.

Question 25

Today all states have some form of mandatory jail standards.

Question 26

Define, describe, and explain what we mean by a local jail. What characteristics define such institutions, and what functions do they serve?

Question 27

The text outlined a number of problems associated with local jails. List and discuss at least three (3) of the major problems faced by these facilities.

Question 28

Discuss the differences between traditional jail designs and new-generation jails. What does each imply about the types of employees needed to run them?

Question 29

Some jails have decided that it is advantageous to house inmates from other jurisdictions. Discuss this practice. Is it desirable or undesirable to use jails as money-makers for a county? Explain.

Question 30

Why are some juveniles held in adult jails? What are some of the problems associated with such a practice?