Chapter 9 Knowledge Check

Chapter 9

Quiz yourself using the following chapter review questions to check how well you can recall the material.

Review Questions

1. In the 1920s, the ____________ by creating individual treatment plans for each inmate.
2. True or false: Jails are primarily used to incarcerate individuals who have committed serious crimes with sentences exceeding one year, while prisons are used as short-term holding facilities for individuals awaiting trial or sentenced for misdemeanors.
3. True or false: The risks of aging in prison are especially severe for older adults, as incarceration accelerates the aging process, resulting in chronic illnesses and conditions commonly seen in individuals 15 years their senior.
4. True or false: The closure of mental health institutions in the latter part of the twentieth century resulted in the discharge of patients into society without the development of alternative mental health resources or community-based facilities, which contributed to an increase in incarceration for individuals with serious mental illnesses.
5. The _____________ is a predominantly Caucasian male prison gang known for its violent activities and involvement in murder-for-hire operations.
6. Which of the following prison security levels is characterized by the most stringent security measures, including single-cell units and isolation for 23-24 hours a day, primarily aimed at incapacitating the most dangerous criminals?
   1. Minimum-Security Prisons
   2. Medium-Security Prisons
   3. Maximum-Security Prisons
   4. Supermax Prisons
7. Which of the following prison designs incorporates a central open area for inmate movement, outdoor activities, and natural light, while still maintaining necessary security measures?
   1. Radial Design
   2. Telephone-Pole Design
   3. Courtyard Design
   4. Campus Design
8. The ___________ design, prevalent in 19th-century prisons, features a central control center from which multiple cell blocks radiate outward, allowing for efficient surveillance but posing challenges like congestion during inmate movement.
9. True or false: Federal prisons house inmates who have been charged with federal crimes, while state prisons house inmates who have been charged with state crimes.
10. True or false: Deinstitutionalization of mental hospitals in the 1950s and 1960s led to a reduction in the number of mentally ill individuals incarcerated in jails and prisons.
11. In the late nineteenth century, the ____________ system was widely used in the South, where states leased inmates to private businesses for labor, often under harsh conditions, leading to high mortality rates among prisoners.
12. The Pennsylvania system during the early nineteenth century, centered at Eastern State Penitentiary, emphasized which of the following principles for prisoner reform?
    1. Solitary confinement and reflection
    2. Corporal punishment and forced labor
    3. Group work and communal living
    4. Public executions and deterrence
13. True or false: The total costs of the death penalty system in the U.S. are generally lower than life imprisonment due to the fewer legal processes and appeals required.
14. Which of the following is one of H. L. A. Hart’s five elements of punishment, as outlined in his work Punishment and Responsibility: Essays in the Philosophy of Law?
    1. The punishment must be voluntary and accepted by the offender.
    2. The punishment must involve a consequence that is typically considered unpleasant.
    3. The punishment must be decided by the offender’s family members.
    4. The punishment must always be imposed with a focus on rehabilitation.
15. Vulnerable inmate populations, such as those with mental health issues, substance abuse problems, or physical disabilities, often face significant challenges in jail and prison environments, including increased risks of violence, higher rates of substance abuse, and barriers accessing necessary treatment and rehabilitation ____________ / _____________.

Answer Key

1. Medical. The medical model focused on addressing offenders’ psychological or physiological issues with individualized treatment plans.
2. False. Jails are used for short-term holding and for individuals sentenced for misdemeanors, while prisons are used for more serious crimes with longer sentences.
3. True. Incarceration accelerates the aging process in older adults, increasing the prevalence of chronic and life-threatening illnesses, including cognitive impairment and dementia, at an earlier age compared to those in the general population.
4. True. The closure of mental health institutions led to individuals with serious mental illnesses being discharged into society without sufficient community-based care, often resulting in their incarceration.
5. Aryan Brotherhood. The Aryan Brotherhood is a highly violent, predominantly Caucasian male prison gang that funds its operations through drug trafficking and other illicit activities.
6. Supermax prisons. Supermax prisons house the most dangerous criminals and focus on incapacitation through extreme isolation, with inmates often confined to single cells for 23-24 hours a day and a high staff-to-inmate ratio to ensure security measures.
7. Courtyard design. The courtyard design has buildings arranged around an open central area, providing space for inmate movement, outdoor activities, and natural light while maintaining necessary security.
8. Radial. The radial design features a central control hub with cell blocks extending outward, allowing for enhanced inmate supervision and movement control.
9. True. Federal prisons are designated for individuals convicted of federal crimes, while state prisons are for those convicted of state crimes.
10. False. Deinstitutionalization led to a significant shift, with jails and prisons increasingly housing mentally ill individuals due to a lack of mental health resources and severe limitations in hospital beds at remaining mental health facilities.
11. Convict leasing. The convict leasing system was common in the South, where inmates were leased for labor to private businesses, typically under brutal conditions, resulting in high inmate mortality rates.
12. Solitary confinement and reflection. The Pennsylvania system emphasized solitary confinement and reflection, allowing prisoners time to repent during their time in isolation.
13. False. The financial burden of capital punishment far exceeds that of life imprisonment, with costs arising from prolonged legal processes, appeals, and isolation of death row inmates.
14. The punishment must involve a consequence that is typically considered unpleasant. One of Hart’s elements of punishment states that it must involve discomfort or consequences that are generally perceived as undesirable, which serves to underscore the punitive nature of the act.
15. Programs/services. Vulnerable inmate populations often struggle to access necessary programs, such as treatment, rehabilitation, and educational services, due to the limitations within jail and prison environments.