Question 1

In the United States, justice policymakers are increasingly abandoning mandatory minimums in favour of :

Accepted Answer

Sentencing guidelines are being favored as they offer a balance between mandatory minimums and complete judicial discretion, allowing for more tailored and potentially fairer sentencing decisions.

Question 2

Which statement about the 1987 Canadian Sentencing Commission Report is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The 1987 Canadian Sentencing Commission Report did not recommend the use of mandatory minimum sentences for all but murder and high treason. Instead, it generally advocated for the reduction of the use of imprisonment and suggested more discretion for judges, rather than imposing mandatory minimums across a wide range of offenses.

Question 3

The type of facility used by the provinces and territories to house offenders before and during trial as well as between conviction, sentencing, and transportation to a more permanent assignment is a:

Accepted Answer

Remand centres are specifically designed to house individuals who are awaiting trial or sentencing, effectively serving as a temporary holding facility before a more permanent assignment is determined.

Question 4

According to the text, _____ and _____ combine to form the self-contained subculture of prisons.

Accepted Answer

Prisonization and importation are the two key concepts that combine to form the self-contained subculture of prisons. Prisonization refers to the process by which inmates adapt to prison life and its unique norms and values, while importation suggests that inmates bring their own pre-prison socialization and cultural influences into the prison environment, both contributing to the prison subculture.

Question 5

According to the text, data seem to indicate that the highest rates of offenders successfully completing parole are those on:

Accepted Answer

Day parole has the highest rates of successful completion because it allows offenders to participate in community-based activities, which can aid in their rehabilitation and reduce the likelihood of re-offending.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT one of the recommendations from the jurors in the Ashley Smith inquest?

Accepted Answer

The recommendations from the Ashley Smith inquest included ending the use of indefinite solitary confinement, giving prison staff the right to refuse a superior's order without reprisal, and making all levels of prison staff accountable for inmates' right to life. Increasing the size of observation windows into cells and improving lighting was not listed among the recommendations from this specific inquest.

Question 7

Which statement about the mental health needs of female prisoners is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which statement about the mental health needs...

Question 8

When first-time nonviolent offenders are released back into the community after serving only one-sixth of their sentences, it is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

Accelerated parole is a form of early release specifically designed for first-time, nonviolent offenders, allowing them to serve a portion of their sentence under supervised freedom, rather than the full term in incarceration.

Question 9

When someone is granted a parole after serving a majority of their life sentence, it is called a(n):

Accepted Answer

The answer of When someone is granted a parole after...

Question 10

Which is NOT one of the trends in community supervision noted in the text?

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is B because the statement that the number of adult offenders on probation has increased steadily over the last decade is not identified as a trend in community supervision within the provided context. Other options A, C, and D discuss specific statistics and observations about community supervision that are mentioned as trends or facts.

Question 11

People forming opinions about crime and punishments based on media coverage of a sensational case is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

The availability heuristic is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples that come to a person's mind when evaluating a specific topic, concept, method, or decision. When people form opinions about crime and punishment based on media coverage of sensational cases, they are influenced by the availability heuristic because the media coverage makes those examples more prominent in their minds, leading them to overestimate the frequency or importance of the event.

Question 12

The belief that people will not commit crimes because they fear punishment and incarceration is called _____ deterrence.

Accepted Answer

General deterrence is the concept that the threat of punishment or the experience of punishment will deter the general population from committing crimes.

Question 13

Which statement about alternative sentencing options for Aboriginal offenders is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Healing lodges, as part of alternative sentencing options for Aboriginal offenders, aim to reduce recidivism by focusing on cultural and spiritual healing, which contrasts with the claim in option A that there's no differential recidivism effect compared to traditional incarceration. This suggests that the statement in A is false, as healing lodges are designed to offer a different, potentially more effective approach to rehabilitation.

Question 14

Which statement about the correctional system in Canada is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Territorial and provincial rates of paroles granted are lower than from the federal system.

Question 15

Which fact about prisoners in Canada is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

The statement that the average prisoner is a married, young male is false. In reality, prisoners come from a variety of demographic backgrounds, and there is no evidence to suggest that the majority are married young males. The characteristics of prisoners can vary widely, including age, marital status, and other socio-demographic factors.

Question 16

According to the text, which is NOT one of the reasons a person may be excluded from participation in a sentencing circle for Aboriginal offenders?

Accepted Answer

Sentencing circles for Aboriginal offenders typically focus on restorative justice and community involvement rather than the age of the offender. Therefore, being an older first-time offender is not a reason for exclusion. Other options like community preparedness, the length of the potential prison sentence, and the offender's attitude are relevant factors in determining participation.

Question 17

Which is NOT one of the research findings covered in the text that addresses the question, "Does prison work?"

Accepted Answer

Smith et al.'s finding about shorter prison terms with treatment reducing recidivism significantly is not mentioned among the research findings in the provided text. The other options (A, B, C) reflect specific findings from studies that address the effectiveness of prison or alternatives in reducing recidivism, but option D is not supported by the text.

Question 18

Based on information in the text, which statement about gangs and drugs in prison is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Gang membership in federal prisons has not been declining; in fact, it's often reported that gang influence and membership within prisons are significant concerns for prison management. The other statements about the prevalence of gang-related violence, the high percentage of prisoners with substance abuse problems, and the rates of positive drug tests within prisons align more closely with documented issues within the prison system.

Question 19

In Canada, life prisoners can apply for parole after serving _____ of their sentence in custody.

Accepted Answer

In Canada, life prisoners can apply for parole after serving two-thirds of their sentence in custody.

Question 20

Which is NOT one of the findings from polling research on public attitudes about sentencing in Canada?

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C because it inaccurately states the relationship between fear of crime and perceptions of judicial leniency. In reality, people who fear crime more are likely to perceive the justice system as too lenient, indicating a positive relationship between fear of crime and perceptions of leniency, not a negative one.

Quiz 11: Corrections: Sentencing, Imprisonment, and Alternatives