Question 1

The concept that communities are made more secure by removing unsafe residents is ingrained in American tradition, but correctional policy shifts according to legislators' perceptions of what the public wants. This relationship is referred to as the ______________

Accepted Answer

The answer of The concept that communities are made more...

Question 2

_____ require an offender to serve a specified portion of his or her sentence prior to release.

Accepted Answer

Mandatory minimum sentencing laws require an offender to serve a specified portion of his or her sentence prior to release. Three strikes laws increase the length of sentences for individuals who have been convicted of three or more serious crimes. Community-based treatments and faith-based treatment programs are alternative forms of rehabilitation and do not necessarily involve a requirement to serve a specified portion of a sentence prior to release.

Question 3

__________ are problems, habits, or deficits that are directly related to an individual's involvement in criminal behavior.

Accepted Answer

Criminogenic needs are specific factors that are linked to an individual's involvement in criminal behavior. These factors can include things like substance abuse, lack of education or employment, and pro-criminal attitudes. Effective interventions and treatments focus on addressing these criminogenic needs to reduce the likelihood of reoffending.

Question 4

Which of the following is a minimum-security institutional setting for imprisoned offenders who have already spent some time in prison and are nearing release?

Accepted Answer

A prerelease program is a minimum-security institutional setting for imprisoned offenders who have already spent some time in prison and are nearing release. It is designed to prepare offenders for their re-entry into society by providing vocational training, education, counseling, and other services that will help them make a successful transition. Pretrial supervision is a program for individuals who are awaiting trial and have not yet been convicted. Prisoner reentry programs are community-based programs that provide services and support to offenders who are transitioning from prison back into the community. Intermediate sanctions are a range of non-prison punishments, such as fines, community service, and electronic monitoring, that fall between probation and imprisonment.

Question 5

The most common form of community corrections is ________, which is the release of an offender under conditions imposed by the court for a specified period of time. The court retains the authority to modify the conditions or to resentence the offender if he or she violates the conditions.

Accepted Answer

Probation is the most common form of community corrections where an offender is released under specific conditions imposed by the court for a designated time. The court can modify the conditions or sentence the offender again if they violate the set conditions. Parole refers to the release of a prisoner before their sentence ends and usually involves regular reporting to a parole officer. Mandatory conditional release is the release of an offender who has served a portion of their sentence, and electronic monitoring involves tracking an offender's movements through devices such as ankle bracelets.

Question 6

Which of the following refers to any section in which offenders serve all or a portion of their entire sentence in the community?

Accepted Answer

Community corrections refer to any section in which offenders serve all or a portion of their entire sentence in the community. Probation may be a part of community corrections, but it does not encompass all types of community-based sentences. Bail refers to the pretrial release of an accused person, not a sentence served in the community. Jail refers to confinement in a correctional facility, not a community-based sentence.

Question 7

The three main decision points in the corrections system are bail, ____________, and reentry.

Accepted Answer

The three main decision points in the corrections system are bail, sentencing, and reentry. Bail is determined at the beginning of the criminal justice process, while reentry occurs after a person has completed their sentence. This leaves sentencing as the logical choice for the missing option. Sentencing is a critical decision point in the corrections process, as it determines the length and type of punishment that an offender will receive. It is also an opportunity for judges to consider alternative sentences, such as probation or diversion, which may be more appropriate for certain offenders.

Question 8

______ refers to any sanction in which an offender serves all or a portion of his or her entire sentence in the community.

Accepted Answer

Community corrections refer to any sanctions that allow offenders to serve their sentence in the community, rather than in jail or prison. This can include house arrest, probation, and other forms of supervision. Social justice is a broader concept that refers to a society's efforts to ensure fairness and equality. Restorative justice is a philosophy that seeks to repair harm done to victims and communities, rather than simply punishing offenders. A halfway house is a residential facility where individuals can live after being released from prison, as they transition back into the community. None of these options fully capture the definition of an offender serving all or a portion of his or her entire sentence in the community.

Question 9

______________ refers to a sentencing philosophy that encourages rehabilitation and incorporates a broad sentencing range in which discretionary release is determined by a parole board.

Accepted Answer

Indeterminate sentencing is a philosophy that allows for flexibility in sentencing and incorporates rehabilitation as a goal. The length of the sentence is not predetermined, but instead is determined by a parole board based on the progress the offender has made in their rehabilitation. Mandatory minimum sentencing and truth-in-sentencing are both philosophies that emphasize punishment and limit judicial discretion. Determinate sentencing involves a predetermined sentence length without the possibility of discretionary release.

Question 10

_____ offer graduated levels of supervision and provide rewards for positive behavior, with gradually less supervision when offenders are successful.

Accepted Answer

Intermediate sanctions, such as community service or electronic monitoring, offer graduated levels of supervision and provide rewards for positive behavior. This can include less supervision if the offender is successful in meeting the requirements of the sanction.

Question 11

In determinate sentencing, the range of permissible sentences is determined largely by _____________.

Accepted Answer

Determinate sentencing is based on legislated statutes, which outline specific sentences for each offense. This means that judges have limited discretion when it comes to sentencing and must follow the guidelines set by the legislature. Treatment goals and objectives, parole boards, and boards of pardons and clemency do not determine the range of permissible sentences in determinate sentencing.

Question 12

Lack of confidence in correctional programming peaked in 1974 when __________ publication concluded that, "with few exceptions, the rehabilitative efforts that have been reported so far had no appreciable effect on recidivism."

Accepted Answer

Martinson's publication, "What Works? Questions and Answers About Prison Reform" concluded that rehabilitation programs did not effectively reduce recidivism rates. This widely cited study contributed to a shift away from rehabilitative programs in correctional settings and towards punishment-oriented approaches.

Question 13

________ refers to any activity or program that is conducted to prepare parolees for safe return to the community and for living as law-abiding citizens.

Accepted Answer

The term "prisoner reentry" specifically refers to preparing parolees for successful return to society, including providing them with the necessary resources and support to live lawful lives. Compulsive education and intensive supervision are related concepts, but they are not as overarching as prisoner reentry. Parole is also related to prisoner reentry, but it specifically refers to the release of an inmate before the end of their sentence, usually with certain conditions.

Question 14

In 1975, _________ was the first state to return to a philosophy of determinate sentencing.

Accepted Answer

Maine was the first state to return to a philosophy of determinate sentencing in 1975, moving away from the indeterminate sentencing model that allowed parole boards to have significant discretion in release decisions.

Question 15

_____ is a monetary payment deposited with the court to ensure a defendant's return for the next court date, in exchange for the defendant's release.

Accepted Answer

Bail is a payment made by or on behalf of a defendant to ensure their release from jail before trial. It serves as a guarantee that the defendant will return for their next court date, and is refunded when the defendant appears in court as required.

Question 16

Roughly how many people are currently under some form of correctional supervision in the United States?

Accepted Answer

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, as of 2019, approximately 7 million people were under some form of correctional supervision in the United States, including probation, parole, and incarceration. Option A is too low, option B is close but slightly below the actual number, and option D is too high.

Question 17

The state in which a defendant has been sentenced by a court after having either pled guilty or been found guilty by a judge or jury is known as

Accepted Answer

Post-adjudication refers to the stage after a defendant has been found guilty or has pled guilty, and the court has issued a sentence.

Question 18

The most common form of community corrections is

Accepted Answer

Probation is the most common form of community corrections, with the highest number of individuals under community supervision being on probation. Probation involves supervising offenders in the community, typically with a set of conditions they need to follow, such as regular check-ins with a probation officer, drug testing, and counseling. Boot camp and community restitution are also forms of community corrections but are less common. Parole is a form of supervision for offenders who have been released from prison and is not considered community corrections.

Question 19

From the 1930s to the 1970s, _____ was the primary sentencing philosophy in the United States.

Accepted Answer

Indeterminate sentencing was the primary sentencing philosophy in the United States from the 1930s to the 1970s. This philosophy allowed for a range of sentences to be imposed for a particular offense, with the goal of rehabilitation being the primary purpose of imprisonment. The length of the sentence was often determined by the offender's behavior and progress in rehabilitation.

Question 20

Truth-in-sentencing laws require offenders to serve at least _________ of the original sentence length before becoming eligible for release.

Accepted Answer

Truth-in-sentencing laws require offenders to serve at least 85% of the original sentence length before becoming eligible for release. This means that if an offender is sentenced to 10 years in prison, they must serve a minimum of 8.5 years before being considered for release. The purpose of truth-in-sentencing laws is to ensure that offenders serve a significant portion of their sentence and to increase public safety by keeping dangerous criminals off the streets for longer periods of time.

Quiz 1: An Overview of Community Corrections: Goals and Evidence-Based Practices