Deck 17: Female Offenders

Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between gender and incarceration in the United States?

A) Male offenders represent the overwhelming majority of adult prisoners, and the male inmate population is increasing at a higher annual rate of growth than that of females.
B) Male and female offenders are equally represented in the prison system, and both populations are increasing in numbers.
C) Male offenders represent the overwhelming majority of adult prisoners, but the female population is increasing at a higher annual rate of growth than that of male prisoners.
D) Male offenders are equally represented in the prison system, but the female population is increasing at a higher annual rate of growth than that of male prisoners.

Answer 1

Male offenders represent the overwhelming majority of adult prisoners, but the female population is increasing at a higher annual rate of growth than that of male prisoners.

Question 2

Females are most likely to be arrested for

A) violent crimes.
B) non-violent crimes.
C) drug-related crimes.
D) public order crimes.

Answer 2

non-violent crimes.

Question 3

Which of the following is not a reason why female offenders frequently do not spend much time in detention prior to trial?

A) Concern for the family of the offender
B) A lack of adequate detention facilities for females
C) An unwillingness on the part of the police to incarcerate females
D) A lack of female personnel in the police department

Answer 3

An unwillingness on the part of the police to incarcerate females

Question 4

Which of the following is a characteristic of drug-abusing female offenders?

A) They are likely to have completed high school but have not attended college.
B) Many suffer from mental or physical illnesses.
C) Most do not have children.
D) They tend to have the financial resources to support their drug habit.

Question 5

Which of the following has contributed significantly to the number of women arrested and placed in jails and detention centers?

A) The recent recession
B) The women's liberation movement
C) Differential treatment of female offenders
D) The War on Drugs

Question 6

Which of the following is not typical of the majority of female jail inmates?

A) Incarceration for a violent offense
B) Low income
C) Prior victim of sexual abuse
D) Prior drug use

Question 7

The state with the largest number of female inmates is

A) California.
B) Florida.
C) Oklahoma.
D) Texas.

Question 8

________ women have the highest rate of incarceration in the United States.

A) White
B) Black
C) Hispanic
D) Asian

Question 9

Which of the following is not more common in female inmates when compared to male inmates?

A) Involvement in violent crime
B) Having a mental health problem
C) Having been recently homeless
D) Involvement in substance abuse

Question 10

The majority of female inmates are housed in ________ facilities.

A) maximum security
B) high security
C) minimum- to low-security
D) alternative treatment

Question 11

Which of the following statements about female prisons is most accurate?

A) Since many states have only one major correctional facility for females, a state's female prison will often house all security classification levels within one compound.
B) Since many states have only one major correctional facility for females, low-risk female offenders are often released early or offered alternatives to incarceration.
C) Since most states have more than one correctional facility for females, a state's female prison population faces no distinct issues or concerns.
D) Since most states have more than one correctional facility for females, a state's female prison population will be segregated by classification level.

Question 12

Which of the following is not a special problem for incarcerated females?

A) Aging within prison
B) Pregnancy
C) Safety
D) Loss of family ties

Question 13

Which of the following statements regarding pregnant female inmates is true?

A) Today, there is adequate medical care and programming for pregnant inmates.
B) Pregnant inmates are required to place their babies with relatives or put them up for adoption.
C) Some prisons allow newborns to remain with their mothers for up to a year.
D) Research suggests that separating pregnant inmates from their babies immediately reduces the trauma for both the mother and baby.

Question 14

Failure of family and children to visit incarcerated mothers is mainly due to

A) a lack of care and concern on the part of relatives.
B) the child's unwillingness to visit his or her mother in the prison facility.
C) relatives' concern for the well-being of the child.
D) physical and institutional barriers.

Question 15

Since 1988, the number of female inmates in state prisons who are over the age of 55 has

A) declined slightly.
B) declined significantly.
C) increased significantly.
D) not changed.

Question 16

Which of the following is not a reason why aging is becoming a serious problem in female prisons?

A) Elderly female inmates may have serious medical issues that need to be addressed.
B) Psychological impairments pose particular problems for elderly female inmates.
C) Prisons are not conducive to caring for the elderly.
D) Females tend to live longer than men.

Question 17

Why is administrative concern about possible homosexual activity a problem in female prisons?

A) Because homosexual activity in female prisons is extremely rare so excessive administrative concern creates unnecessary hardship for inmates
B) Because it focuses only those inmates who were gay or bisexual before entering prison and discriminates against them
C) Because it encourages inmates to engage in homosexual activity as an act of rebellion against the administration
D) Because it conflicts with many activities and practices that are standard for females outside prison

Question 18

Which of the following is not a reason why homosexuality may be more prevalent in female than in male institutions?

A) Female prisons tend to be more accepting of homosexual behavior among inmates than male prisons.
B) Female prison facilities tend to be less secure and compartmentalized.
C) A high percentage of female inmates have been abused by men.
D) The impact of imprisonment may be significantly different for females.

Question 19

What is a co-gender prison?

A) An adult prison that permits conjugal visitation
B) An adult prison housing homosexual and transgendered inmates
C) An adult prison housing both male and female inmates
D) An adult prison housing married couples

Question 20

Which of the following is not an advantage of community corrections for female offenders?

A) Community corrections can provide programming that addresses the underlying problems causing the criminal behavior.
B) Community corrections allows female offenders to remain in contact with their children.
C) Community corrections programs are recommended for nonviolent offenders.
D) Community corrections treatment programs tend to be non-gender-specific.

Question 21

In recent years, the so-called "steel ceiling" has begun to decline.

Question 22

The female inmate population is increasing more slowly than the male inmate population.

Question 23

Women are most likely to be arrested for violent crimes.

Question 24

Pretrial detention for female offenders is common.

Question 25

Drug-addicted female inmates tend to have other co-existing conditions.

Question 26

The majority of female jail inmates have been sexually abused at some point in their lives.

Question 27

Among female prison inmates, Hispanic women have the highest rate of incarceration.

Question 28

Female inmates are less likely to have experienced homelessness in the year prior to arrest than male inmates.

Question 29

Children of female inmates usually live with their fathers.

Question 30

Very few female inmates are housed in maximum security facilities.

Question 31

Most states house all female inmates in the same prison facility, regardless of security classification.

Question 32

The health needs of pregnant inmates are adequately addressed in most prisons.

Question 33

The main reason why relatives fail to visit incarcerated mothers is lack of care and concern.

Question 34

Administrative concern over possible homosexual activity in female prisons increases the problems created by institutionalization.

Question 35

Homosexuality appears to be more prevalent in male prisons than in female facilities.

Question 36

Co-gender institutions allow daily interaction between male and female inmates.

Question 37

Female prisons tend to offer inside-the-walls treatment programs that have been shown to have long-term effectiveness in reducing recidivism.

Question 38

Community corrections programs are appropriate for female offenders because they are rarely violent.

Question 39

The first point at which the female offender generally comes into contact with the criminal justice system is the point of ________.

Question 40

Judges showing a(n) ________ attitude tend to treat female offenders more leniently.

Question 41

Drug-addicted women tend to have other ________ conditions, such as medical or mental health problems.

Question 42

It appears that females arrested for violent crimes are becoming less likely to receive more lenient or ________ treatment by the criminal justice system.

Question 43

When comparing racial groups, ________ women have the highest rate of incarceration.

Question 44

Female inmates are least likely to be housed in ________-security prisons.

Question 45

Forcing the separation of the newborn child from the inmate mother can create severe emotional and ________ problems for the infant, as well as causing emotional problems for the mother.

Question 46

For female inmates who have children, prison policies that emphasize family ________ help strengthen the ties for the mother when she is eventually released.

Question 47

The tendency of prison administrators to redefine natural acts among women as evil and proscribed increases the negative effect of ________ on the long-term female prisoner.

Question 48

Female inmates tend to feel a stronger need to create a(n) ________ family within prison.

Question 49

A co-gender institution permits daily ________ between male and female inmates.

Question 50

________ sanctions are particularly recommended for women, as they tend to pose little danger to public safety.

Question 51

Match the advantage or justification to the type of program to which it refers .

-Provides an additional tool for creating a more normal atmosphere

A) Community corrections
B) Co-gender institution

Question 52

Match the advantage or justification to the type of program to which it refers .

-Avoids legal pressures to provide equal access to programs and services

A) Community corrections
B) Co-gender institution

Question 53

Match the advantage or justification to the type of program to which it refers .

-Provides access to more reasonable risk reduction programs

A) Community corrections
B) Co-gender institution

Question 54

Match the advantage or justification to the type of program to which it refers .

-Reduces damage to inmates whose basic problem is substance abuse

A) Community corrections
B) Co-gender institution

Question 55

Match the advantage or justification to the type of program to which it refers .

-Expands career opportunities for female offenders

A) Community corrections
B) Co-gender institution

Question 56

Match the advantage or justification to the type of program to which it refers .

-Reduces the cost to the state

A) Community corrections
B) Co-gender institution

Question 57

Discuss the relationship between female prisoners and prior abuse.

Question 58

Why does pregnancy in prison represent special challenges for the inmate as well as the correctional facility?

Question 59

Why are community corrections programs considered appropriate for female offenders?

Question 60

Discuss the advantages of allowing inmates with infants/young children to keep their children with them for the length of their incarceration. Do you agree with this? Support your response.

Question 61

As a matter of policy, should elderly women who have committed nonviolent offenses receive alternative sanctions, in lieu of prison sentences? Explain your answer.