Question 1

Which of the following are among the proposed benefits of private prisons?

Accepted Answer

Budgetary savings is a proposed benefit of private prisons.

Question 2

According to Sykes (1958), which of the following are painful features of prison?

Accepted Answer

Sykes (1958) identified several "pains of imprisonment," including deprivation of possessions, deprivation of heterosexual contact, and deprivation of autonomy, among others. These deprivations are considered fundamental to the experience of being incarcerated, contributing to the overall suffering and challenges faced by prisoners.

Question 3

According to the text, which of the following is true regarding the effectiveness of faith-based programming for prisoners?

Accepted Answer

Research has indicated that inmates who participate in faith-based programming often exhibit a reduction in misconduct during their time in prison, suggesting a positive impact on behavior while incarcerated.

Question 4

Official statistics show that approximately ____ percent of inmates are victims of sexual violence.

Accepted Answer

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 4% of state and federal prison inmates and 3.2% of jail inmates reported experiencing one or more incidents of sexual victimization by another inmate or facility staff in the past 12 months or since admission to the facility, if less than 12 months.

Question 5

According to the text, in what regard are female prisons tougher than male prisons?

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the text, in what regard...

Question 6

Which of the following is true of restrictive housing?

Accepted Answer

Inmates with mental health issues are indeed more likely to be placed in restrictive housing, a trend observed across various studies and reports. This is due to a variety of factors, including the challenges in managing mental health conditions within the general prison population and the use of restrictive housing as a management tool, despite concerns about its impact on mental health.

Question 7

Which of the following are characteristics of a "Spartan-like" prison?

Accepted Answer

"Spartan-like" prisons are characterized by their minimalism and lack of amenities, which means they typically do not offer frills such as television.

Question 8

Which of the following are sources of informal deprivations associated with prison life as suggested by Guenther?

Accepted Answer

Guenther suggests that informal deprivations associated with prison life can stem from various sources, including aspects of personal and social life that are affected by incarceration, such as missing out on time with children, holidays, and weekends. These are times typically spent with family or in social activities, which prisoners are deprived of, contributing to the informal deprivations of prison life.

Question 9

Which of the following are rationales for treatment or rehabilitation programs?

Accepted Answer

Many prisoners have alcohol or other drug problems, which is a significant rationale for treatment or rehabilitation programs. These programs aim to address substance abuse issues, which are often linked to criminal behavior, to reduce recidivism and aid in the reintegration of prisoners into society.

Question 10

According to the authors, what incentives are there for keeping elderly prisoners incarcerated?

Accepted Answer

Elderly prisoners might not have a support system or income outside of prison

Question 11

The Prison Litigation Reform Act:

Accepted Answer

The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) was enacted to curb the number of frivolous lawsuits filed by prisoners. It introduced several requirements that inmates must fulfill before they can file a lawsuit, which led to a decrease in the number of inmate lawsuits.

Question 12

There are virtually no differences between female prisons and male prisons.

Accepted Answer

Female prisons often have different security measures, programs, and policies tailored to address the specific needs and backgrounds of female inmates, including issues related to health, family, and trauma.

Question 13

Although African Americans are a minority in the United States, they comprise the majority of all prisoners.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Although African Americans are a minority in...

Question 14

According to proponents, competition and the free market economy will supposedly make private prisons more efficient, effective, and accountable.

Accepted Answer

Proponents of private prisons argue that competition and market forces in a free market economy will drive these facilities to operate more efficiently, effectively, and with greater accountability compared to state-run prisons, as they must maintain cost-effectiveness and quality to remain competitive.

Question 15

The elderly is the fastest growing segment of the federal prison system.

Accepted Answer

The elderly population (defined as those 50 years and older) in the federal prison system has been growing rapidly due to longer sentences and the aging of individuals incarcerated during the prison population boom of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

Question 16

Research shows that offenders who received treatment in a correctional setting were less likely to commit crime than offenders who did not receive treatment.

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently shown that offenders who participate in rehabilitative programs, including educational, vocational, and psychological treatment, while in a correctional setting are less likely to reoffend upon release compared to those who do not receive such interventions. This is attributed to the positive impacts of these programs on offenders' skills, behavior, and mental health.

Question 17

According to the text, more than one half of prisoners in state prisons are in prison for a drug crime.

Accepted Answer

The majority of state prisoners are incarcerated for violent crimes, not drug crimes. Drug offenders make up a significant portion but not the majority.

Question 18

There appears to be growing global support for providing inmates with educational opportunities.

Accepted Answer

Many countries and international organizations advocate for the provision of educational programs in prisons, recognizing their role in rehabilitation and reducing recidivism.

Question 19

According to the text, the black imprisonment rate is decreasing.

Accepted Answer

Recent data and studies have shown a trend of decreasing imprisonment rates among Black Americans, reflecting changes in criminal justice policies, sentencing reforms, and shifts in law enforcement practices.

Question 20

Deprivation of autonomy refers to the removal of an inmate's choices.

Accepted Answer

Deprivation of autonomy refers to the process where individuals, such as inmates, lose their ability to make personal choices and decisions, as their freedom is restricted by an external authority or institution.

Quiz 16: Ethics and Prison: Selected Issues