Question 1

Old English common law punished felonies ______.

Accepted Answer

Old English common law typically punished felonies with the death penalty, as felonies were considered serious crimes warranting severe punishment.

Question 2

Early advocates of imprisonment believed that offenders could be reformed and rehabilitated through all of the following except ______.

Accepted Answer

Early advocates of imprisonment saw it as a means to reform and rehabilitate offenders primarily through methods that would encourage reflection, moral improvement, and personal development. These methods included personal contemplation, bible study, and hard work, which were seen as ways to instill discipline and moral values. Punishment, in the context of causing suffering or pain without a constructive or rehabilitative intent, was not a primary focus of these early reformers. Their goal was more about rehabilitation than retribution.

Question 3

An offender is convicted of rape and sentenced to 30 years in prison.The judge says he would have imposed a greater sentence had the court been able if for no other reason than to remove the
Rapist from society for as long as possible.This is an example of which purpose of punishment?

Accepted Answer

The judge's statement reflects the purpose of incapacitation, which aims to remove offenders from society to prevent them from committing further crimes.

Question 4

All of the following were given by the U.S.Supreme Court in Kennedy v.Mendoza-Martinez as a consideration as to whether a law is or is not criminal except ______.

Accepted Answer

The considerations given by the U.S. Supreme Court in Kennedy v. Mendoza-Martinez for determining whether a law is criminal do not include whether the population considers the action as deserving of criminal punishment. The other options (A, C, D) are factors the Court mentioned for this determination.

Question 5

______ imposes punishment based on just desert.

Accepted Answer

Retribution is the philosophy of punishment that imposes punishment on offenders because they deserve it based on their actions. It is focused on the past actions of the offender rather than future prevention or correction.

Question 6

Which of the philosophies is based on the biblical injunction of "an eye for an eye?"

Accepted Answer

Retribution is based on the principle of "an eye for an eye," which is a form of justice where the punishment mirrors the crime.

Question 7

An offender is convicted of burglary and sentenced to a facility where he is confined from society but also receives counseling and job training in an attempt to prevent him from committing
The offense again.This is an example of which purpose of punishment?

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is rehabilitation because the scenario involves providing counseling and job training to the offender with the aim of preventing future offenses, which aligns with the goal of rehabilitation to reform the offender.

Question 8

According to Smith v.Doe, are sex offender registration laws constitutional when considering ex post facto requirements of law?

Accepted Answer

The Supreme Court in Smith v. Doe ruled that sex offender registration laws are constitutional and do not violate the ex post facto clause because they are considered civil and non-punitive measures intended to protect public safety, rather than to punish the offender.

Question 9

Sentences of imprisonment longer than 1 year are typically served in which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Sentences longer than 1 year are typically served in state prisons, as local jails usually house individuals awaiting trial or serving shorter sentences.

Question 10

______ appeals to the idealistic notion that people are essentially good and can transform their lives when encouraged and given support.

Accepted Answer

Rehabilitation is the approach that focuses on helping individuals transform their lives through support and encouragement, with the belief that people can change for the better.

Question 11

Which of the following states became the first to introduce the penitentiary?

Accepted Answer

Pennsylvania is recognized for establishing the first penitentiary, the Walnut Street Jail, which marked the beginning of the penitentiary system in the United States, focusing on reform and rehabilitation of prisoners.

Question 12

Which of the following is one consideration of criminal law?

Accepted Answer

Criminal law considers whether the law itself may constitute a "punishment" as it relates to the principle of legality and the prohibition of ex post facto laws.

Question 13

Which of the following was criticized as placing too much control in unelected judges and correctional officials?

Accepted Answer

Rehabilitation has been criticized for placing too much control in the hands of unelected judges and correctional officials, as it often involves subjective assessments of an individual's progress and needs, leading to decisions about parole, treatment, and release that may lack transparency and accountability.

Question 14

An offender murders three people and is sentenced to die in the electric chair as just punishment for his acts.This is an example of which purpose of punishment?

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is retribution, which is punishment inflicted on someone as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act. In this context, the death penalty is being used as a form of retribution for the murder of three people, aiming to serve justice by giving a punishment that is considered proportionate to the crime committed.

Question 15

All of the following sentences have been deemed cruel and unusual via the Eighth Amendment except ______.

Accepted Answer

Hanging has not been deemed cruel and unusual punishment by the Supreme Court in the context of the Eighth Amendment, whereas practices like branding, flogging, and whipping have been considered as such, reflecting a shift in societal norms and legal interpretations over time.

Question 16

An offender is sentenced to 2 years in prison for aggravated robbery so as to send a message to other potential robbers of what will happen should they commit this crime.This is an example of which purpose of punishment?

Accepted Answer

This is an example of deterrence, as the punishment is intended to discourage others from committing similar crimes by demonstrating the consequences.

Question 17

______ recognizes that the needs of victims often are overlooked in the criminal justice system.

Accepted Answer

Restoration focuses on repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior, which includes addressing the needs of victims, recognizing that they are often overlooked in the criminal justice system.

Question 18

______ singles out offenders who have committed certain serious offenses for lengthy incarceration.

Accepted Answer

Selective incapacitation focuses on identifying and incarcerating individuals who are deemed to be particularly dangerous or likely to commit serious crimes, thereby removing them from society to prevent further offenses.

Question 19

An offender is convicted of misdemeanor vandalism, but instead of being sentenced to jail, she is given 200 hr of community service, much of which is spent cleaning up her own graffiti and
Similar acts of vandalism.This is an example of which purpose of punishment?

Accepted Answer

Restoration focuses on repairing the harm caused by criminal behavior, often involving the offender directly in the process. In this case, the offender's community service, particularly cleaning up graffiti and similar acts of vandalism, directly addresses the harm caused by her actions, aligning with the restorative justice approach.

Question 20

English common law punished misdemeanants with ______.

Accepted Answer

Whipping was a common punishment for misdemeanants in English common law.

Quiz 14: Sentencing and Appeals