Question 1

Which occupational category comprises the majority of prison employees?

Accepted Answer

Correctional officers make up the majority of prison employees, as their primary role is to maintain security and oversee the daily activities of inmates, which is central to the functioning of a correctional facility.

Question 2

Marco, a state prison employee, is charged with guiding inmates through all aspects of their prison sentence and also serves as a liaison between inmates and the outside community. Which staff position does Marco hold?

Accepted Answer

Case managers in prisons are responsible for overseeing inmates' overall progress during their sentences, including program participation and preparation for reentry into society. They often act as a bridge between the inmate and external services or communities.

Question 3

Suzanne, a new inmate, has been sent to a facility operated by a for-profit company under contract with state authorities to provide security, housing, and programs for Suzanne and the other inmates. Suzanne is in a(n)

Accepted Answer

Suzanne is in a private prison, which is a facility operated by a for-profit company under contract with government authorities to provide security, housing, and programs for inmates.

Question 4

The lack of private prisons in the Midwest and Northeast is likely related to the

Accepted Answer

The strength of labor unions in the Midwest and Northeast is a significant factor in the lack of private prisons in those regions. Labor unions often oppose the privatization of prisons, advocating instead for public management of correctional facilities to ensure fair labor practices and maintain job security for their members.

Question 5

The Federal Bureau of Prisons was established in 1930 to relieve overcrowding in state prisons.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The Federal Bureau of Prisons was established...

Question 6

The most frequently committed offense by federal prison inmates is robbery.

Accepted Answer

The most frequently committed offense by federal prison inmates is drug offenses, not robbery.

Question 7

A Federal Correctional Complex can actually have facilities with several different security levels at one location.

Accepted Answer

A Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) is designed to house facilities of multiple security levels in one location, allowing for a more efficient management of inmates with varying security needs.

Question 8

Most state correctional facilities hold fewer than 500 inmates, although some might exceed 2,500 prisoners.

Accepted Answer

Most state correctional facilities are designed to hold a wide range of inmate populations, with many having capacities for fewer than 500 inmates. However, there are indeed facilities that are much larger, capable of housing over 2,500 prisoners, especially in states with high incarceration rates.

Question 9

If Ava approaches a fortress-like structure with high stone walls surrounding groupings of buildings, she is most likely entering a maximum-security state prison.

Accepted Answer

Fortress-like structures with high stone walls are characteristic of maximum-security state prisons, designed to prevent escapes and ensure the security of the surrounding area.

Question 10

When discussion is about the maximum number of beds or inmates that are allocated by an official to institutions throughout the state, reference is to the design capacity.

Accepted Answer

The answer of When discussion is about the maximum number...

Question 11

Most of the prisoners held in the country's state prisons are in minimum-security facilities.

Accepted Answer

Most prisoners in the country's state prisons are held in medium or maximum-security facilities, as these are designed to house individuals convicted of more serious offenses, which constitute a larger portion of the prison population.

Question 12

The terms supermax prison, control unit, and secured housing unit all refer to facilities at the highest security level, with prisoners isolated from the general population and from each other.

Accepted Answer

These terms are used to describe types of high-security prison facilities designed to isolate inmates from the general prison population and from each other, often used for the most dangerous or escape-prone prisoners.

Question 13

An approach to prison management wherein officials place troublemakers in various units of the prison or send them to prisons in other states is called a concentration approach.

Accepted Answer

This approach is actually called the dispersion approach, where troublemakers are dispersed among various units or prisons to minimize their influence and manage behavior more effectively.

Question 14

When inmates are segregated for disciplinary or administrative reasons they may be housed either alone or with other inmates in a special housing unit.

Accepted Answer

Inmates can be segregated and placed in special housing units either alone or with other inmates for disciplinary or administrative reasons, depending on the policies of the correctional facility and the specific circumstances.

Question 15

Data from the National Inmate Survey show that the majority (more than 60%) of state and federal prison inmates had spent time under disciplinary or administrative segregation or in solitary confinement in the 12 months preceding the survey or since coming to their current facility.

Accepted Answer

The National Inmate Survey does not indicate that the majority (more than 60%) of state and federal prison inmates had spent time under disciplinary or administrative segregation or in solitary confinement in the 12 months preceding the survey or since coming to their current facility. The actual percentage of inmates experiencing such conditions is significantly lower, though concerns about the use of solitary confinement remain.

Question 16

According to a report on prisoners who spent time in segregation or solitary confinement, black inmates were somewhat more likely that white inmates to have spent time in restrictive housing.

Accepted Answer

Studies and reports have consistently shown that black inmates are more likely than white inmates to be placed in segregation or solitary confinement, reflecting broader racial disparities within the criminal justice system.

Question 17

One reason for the continued use of solitary confinement in prisons is traced to research showing that exposure to short-term solitary confinement serves to provide a safer environment and effectively deter misbehavior.

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently shown that solitary confinement can have severe psychological effects, does not effectively deter misbehavior, and often exacerbates mental health issues, rather than creating a safer environment.

Question 18

One feature of an objective classification system is that it actually allows staff to depart from the scored classification level.

Accepted Answer

An objective classification system can include provisions for staff to use discretion and override the scored classification level based on specific circumstances or additional information.

Question 19

The purpose of prison risk assessment is to determine the level of risk the offender poses to the public; for example, is the person likely to continue to engage in criminal conduct?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The purpose of prison risk assessment is...

Question 20

When people try to predict recidivism they are predicting the likelihood that an offender will repeat his or her criminal behavior.

Accepted Answer

Recidivism refers to the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior. In the context of criminal justice, predicting recidivism involves estimating the likelihood that a convicted criminal will re-offend.

Quiz 7: Managing Prisons and Prisoners