Deck 1: From Theory to Policy: Evidence-Based Corrections

Question 1

Which of the following is not a component of rival correctional theories?

A) there is a statement or goal of corrections
B) the theory must "do no harm"
C) each theory has an implicit or explicit blueprint for how the correctional system should be arranged
D) the theory must make a claim of effectiveness

Answer 1

the theory must "do no harm"

Question 2

Which of the following statements about the retribution or just deserts perspective is true?

A) offenders must restore the victims and communities they harmed
B) crime can only be prevented by interventions early in life
C) people need to be taught that "crime does not pay"
D) people who harm others deserve to be harmed equally in response

Answer 2

people who harm others deserve to be harmed equally in response

Question 3

Which of the following statements about the purpose of correctional theories is not true?

A) correctional theories identify what the purpose of the correctional system should be
B) the popularity of competing correctional theories has been shaped by the prevailing social context
C) theories should be developed based on gut feelings or intuitive knowledge
D) the key to knowing what does and does not work is evidence-based data

Answer 3

theories should be developed based on gut feelings or intuitive knowledge

Question 4

Which of the following best describes specific deterrence?

A) offenders are not able to reoffend because they are incapacitated
B) offenders will refrain from reoffending so as to avoid the cost of criminal sanctions
C) offenders are less likely to reoffend if they are being monitored
D) people might decide not to commit a crime depending on what happens to others

Question 5

According to incapacitation theory, which is not one of the ways to reduce crime?

A) indiscriminate incapacitation
B) incapacitation effect
C) collective incapacitation
D) selective incapacitation

Question 6

A utilitarian theory is defined as:

A) punishing offenders as an end in and of itself
B) a theory that is used for correctional institutions
C) a theory that is guided by evidence-based practices
D) seeking to sanction offenders not simply to sanction them, but for some other purpose (e.g., reduce crime)

Question 7

Which theory is the only non-utilitarian perspective?

A) deterrence
B) rehabilitation
C) retribution/just deserts
D) incapacitation

Question 8

Approximately how many state and federal prisoners are returned to society each year?

A) 1.0 million
B) 600,000
C) 5,000
D) 100,000

Question 9

Which of the following perspectives suggest that crime can be prevented by intervening through biological, psychological, and social conditions?

A) deterrence
B) restorative justice
C) reentry
D) early intervention

Question 10

Which of the following statements describes the opportunity cost that incapacitation theory confronts?

A) money should be devoted to preventing crime as opposed to punishing those who commit crime
B) the cost of prisons is difficult to maintain
C) money devoted to prisons cannot be used elsewhere
D) money spent on rehabilitation is more effective than incapacitation

Question 11

According to reentry theory, which of the following is not a phase in which programs can be undertaken?

A) fully after incarceration
B) during sentencing
C) during incarceration
D) during a period that spans or follows incarceration

Question 12

Which of the following statements describes the inherent logic of early intervention?

A) if it is not broke, why fix it?
B) they all come back
C) if you do the crime, you will do the time
D) if something can be prevented, then why not do so?

Question 13

Utilitarian goals only "make sense" if they have utility or _____

A) benefits
B) opinions
C) no morals
D) common sense

Question 14

Which of the following statements is an example of correctional quackery?

A) using correctional interventions based on results from a meta-analysis of 150 studies
B) using correctional interventions based on empirical evidence
C) using correctional interventions based on previous experience
D) using correctional interventions based on previous successful interventions

Question 15

Which of the following statements about outsider knowledge is true?

A) knowledge based on personal experience
B) knowledge from someone who has been incarcerated in a correctional facility
C) knowledge based on someone who works in the agency
D) knowledge from empirical data

Question 16

Which of the following is not a limitation associated with insider knowledge?

A) the N-of-1 problem
B) the selectivity-of-perceptions problem
C) the interpersonal-bias problem
D) the conflicting-personal-experience problem

Question 17

Baseball is related to corrections in which of the following ways?

A) existing scientific evidence should be used to make decisions
B) they both seek to fill capacity of their respective facilities
C) people tend to focus on statistics too much when they should be focusing on their personal experience
D) by working with those in the field (e.g., a baseball player or convicted criminal), more insight can be gained to help make decisions

Question 18

The purpose of rehabilitation is to:

A) change factors that are causing offenders to break the law
B) make sure that offenders are punished for their crime
C) reduce harm to the offender, victim, and community
D) scare the public straight

Question 19

Which of the following theories is considered both non-utilitarian and utilitarian?

A) rehabilitation
B) restorative justice
C) deterrence
D) retribution

Question 20

Compare and contrast the role of utilitarian and non-utilitarian theories of corrections. What are the main components underlying each perspective?

Question 21

What is evidence-based corrections and why is it important for the future of the field?

Question 22

Discuss how baseball (Moneyball) and evidence-based corrections are related. What are the similarities and differences?

Question 23

Compare and contrast the role of insider and outsider knowledge. Do they share similarities? What are the differences?

Question 24

Specific and general deterrence have two separate goals but are both part of the deterrence perspective. How do the two types differ and how do they each work to prevent future crime?