Question 1

A lot of prisoners come from disadvantaged backgrounds: approximately _____ of prisoners have at least one family member who has been incarcerated, and over _____ of prisoners have not completed high school.

Accepted Answer

Studies and statistics have shown that a significant portion of prisoners come from backgrounds with a history of family incarceration and low educational attainment, with around 40% having a family member who has been incarcerated and over 65% not having completed high school.

Question 2

Sentencing guidelines are intended to achieve all of the following goals, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Sentencing guidelines are designed to standardize sentencing, aiming to reduce disparities and increase fairness, not necessarily to increase the severity of sentences.

Question 3

Studies find that there are several factors that lead to disparities in sentencing decisions. Which one of the following is NOT among these factors?

Accepted Answer

Factors influencing sentencing disparities include gender, with women generally receiving lighter sentences than men, especially for violent crimes, and racial disparities, such as African American juveniles facing harsher sentences in conservative areas. However, the statement that young Hispanic men are least likely to be incarcerated is not supported by research, making it the incorrect choice.

Question 4

In the case of _____, the Supreme Court abandoned the _____ of mandatory sentencing.

Accepted Answer

In United States v. Booker (2005), the Supreme Court ruled that the mandatory guidelines for sentencing were unconstitutional, thus abandoning the rigidity of mandatory sentencing and making the guidelines advisory instead.

Question 5

It is estimated that about _____ of inmates suffer from a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. A decision on whether they receive treatment for it is typically made by the _____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of It is estimated that about _____ of...

Question 6

The rate of imprisonment in the United States was _____ between 1972 and 2009, and then _____ since 2010.

Accepted Answer

The rate of imprisonment in the United States was increasing between 1972 and 2009, and then started a slow decline since 2010.

Question 7

A rather radical approach to sentencing guidelines involves mandatory, or determinate sentencing, which requires judges to:

Accepted Answer

Mandatory or determinate sentencing requires judges to hand down sentences within a prescribed range, limiting their discretion in adjusting sentences based on individual circumstances.

Question 8

Which of the four goals of imprisonment did the creators of early prisons in Pennsylvania and New York aspire to fulfill the most?

Accepted Answer

The creators of early prisons in Pennsylvania and New York were most focused on rehabilitation. They believed in the potential for reform and aimed to create an environment that would encourage prisoners to reflect on their crimes and change their behavior. This approach was notably embodied in the design and regimen of the Eastern State Penitentiary in Pennsylvania, which emphasized solitude, reflection, and moral reform.

Question 9

According to the text, all of the following factors have contributed to the stunning rise of the prison population in the United States, EXCEPT:

Accepted Answer

Increased use of parole typically aims to reduce the prison population by allowing inmates to serve the remainder of their sentences under supervised release. The other options, such as the war on drugs, mandatory sentencing, and increased imprisonment of juveniles, have contributed to the rise in the prison population.

Question 10

There are stark racial disparities in incarceration. Young _____ have the highest incarceration rate of any racial/gender group. Overall, _____ represent only about 8% of the adult prison population in the United States.

Accepted Answer

Black males have the highest incarceration rate among all racial/gender groups, and women represent a significantly smaller portion of the adult prison population in the United States.

Question 11

Sentencing is not necessarily clear-cut. According to the text, criminal behaviors that can be attributed to stable, controllable causes appear to receive the _____ punishment.

Accepted Answer

Criminal behaviors attributed to stable, controllable causes are perceived as more blameworthy, often resulting in harsher punishments.

Question 12

Imprisoning people is a huge expense for taxpayers. But even more importantly, studies find that serving time in prison has a _____ effect, which means that those who spend longer sentences in incarceration are _____ likely to reoffend.

Accepted Answer

Criminogenic effect refers to factors that lead to or exacerbate criminal behavior. Studies have shown that longer periods of incarceration can increase the likelihood of reoffending, thus making "criminogenic; more" the correct choice.

Question 13

The largest single group of inmates in federal prisons, constituting almost half of all federal prisoners, consists of individuals who have been convicted of:

Accepted Answer

The largest single group of inmates in federal prisons consists of individuals convicted of drug offenses. This category includes a wide range of crimes related to the illegal possession, distribution, and manufacturing of drugs, reflecting the federal government's extensive efforts to combat drug-related crime.

Question 14

The restorative justice approach, which includes face-to-face meetings and discussions between victims and offenders, has been studied using strong research designs like randomized controlled trials. These research studies have shown that victims who participated in restorative justice conferences were _____ likely to experience the symptoms of PTSD, while offenders who participated in the conferences were _____ likely to reoffend.

Accepted Answer

Restorative justice conferences have been shown to reduce the symptoms of PTSD in victims and decrease the likelihood of reoffending among offenders, according to research studies.

Question 15

James was charged with committing a robbery with a group of his peers. He had never committed any crimes and was caught up in a situation that he could not see any way out of. The attributions that would represent the above scenario include_____ and _____.

Accepted Answer

The scenario suggests that James was influenced by external factors (his peers) and felt he had no control over the situation, indicating external causes and uncontrollability.

Question 16

When comparing countries in terms of the percentage of their populations incarcerated in jails and prisons, the following statement is true:

Accepted Answer

The United States has the highest incarceration rate of any Western democracy, significantly outpacing other developed countries in the percentage of its population that is imprisoned.

Question 17

Criminal behaviors that are attributed to _____ causes evoke the strongest punitive response.

Accepted Answer

Criminal behaviors attributed to internal, controllable, and stable causes evoke the strongest punitive response because they suggest that the individual had control over their actions and is likely to repeat them.

Question 18

Crime rates have been _____ for the last 25+ years. At the same time, the rate of incarceration in the United States is _____ that of other developed democracies.

Accepted Answer

Crime rates in the United States have been falling for the last 25+ years, but despite this decrease, the rate of incarceration in the U.S. remains several times higher than that of other developed democracies.

Question 19

Sentencing decisions are based on the crime and also take into consideration the attributions of the criminal. One question that is sometimes asked during sentencing hearings is whether the personality of the criminal has an influence on his or her criminal behavior. According to the text, what is being assessed is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Internal causes refer to aspects of a person's personality or character that influence their behavior, which is what is being assessed when considering if a criminal's personality affects their criminal actions.

Question 20

When an inmate is released from prison before his or her entire sentence has been served, to remain under the supervision of an officer in the community, this is called:

Accepted Answer

Parole is the term used when an inmate is released from prison before the completion of their sentence, under the condition of being supervised by an officer in the community.

Quiz 16: Corrections: Sentencing, Imprisonment, and Alternatives

A lot of prisoners come from disadvantaged backgrounds: approximately _ of prisoners have at least one family member who has been incarcerated, and over _ of prisoners have not completed high school.

Sentencing guidelines are intended to achieve all of the following goals, EXCEPT:

Studies find that there are several factors that lead to disparities in sentencing decisions. Which one of the following is NOT among these factors?

In the case of _, the Supreme Court abandoned the _ of mandatory sentencing.

It is estimated that about _ of inmates suffer from a serious mental illness like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression. A decision on whether they receive treatment for it is typically made by the _.

The rate of imprisonment in the United States was _ between 1972 and 2009, and then _ since 2010.

A rather radical approach to sentencing guidelines involves mandatory, or determinate sentencing, which requires judges to:

Which of the four goals of imprisonment did the creators of early prisons in Pennsylvania and New York aspire to fulfill the most?

According to the text, all of the following factors have contributed to the stunning rise of the prison population in the United States, EXCEPT:

There are stark racial disparities in incarceration. Young _ have the highest incarceration rate of any racial/gender group. Overall, _ represent only about 8% of the adult prison population in the United States.

Sentencing is not necessarily clear-cut. According to the text, criminal behaviors that can be attributed to stable, controllable causes appear to receive the _____ punishment.

Imprisoning people is a huge expense for taxpayers. But even more importantly, studies find that serving time in prison has a _ effect, which means that those who spend longer sentences in incarceration are _ likely to reoffend.

The largest single group of inmates in federal prisons, constituting almost half of all federal prisoners, consists of individuals who have been convicted of:

James was charged with committing a robbery with a group of his peers. He had never committed any crimes and was caught up in a situation that he could not see any way out of. The attributions that would represent the above scenario include_ and _.

When comparing countries in terms of the percentage of their populations incarcerated in jails and prisons, the following statement is true:

Criminal behaviors that are attributed to _____ causes evoke the strongest punitive response.

Crime rates have been _ for the last 25+ years. At the same time, the rate of incarceration in the United States is _ that of other developed democracies.

When an inmate is released from prison before his or her entire sentence has been served, to remain under the supervision of an officer in the community, this is called: