Question 1

Conservatives and liberals tend to share the same ideas about how to deal with crime.

Accepted Answer

Conservatives and liberals often have differing views on how to deal with crime, with conservatives typically emphasizing stricter law enforcement and punitive measures, while liberals may focus more on addressing the root causes of crime and rehabilitation.

Question 2

The federal government operates the correctional organizations to handle the people convicted of breaking federal laws; likewise, state and local governments provide corrections for the people who have broken state and local laws.

Accepted Answer

The federal government manages federal prisons for federal law offenders, while state and local governments manage their own correctional facilities for state and local law offenders.

Question 3

The growth in the corrections system has resulted mostly from deliberate policies that have increased the severity of sentences.

Accepted Answer

The growth in the corrections system, particularly in the United States, has been significantly influenced by deliberate policy decisions that have increased the severity and length of sentences for a wide range of crimes. These policies include mandatory minimum sentencing laws, three-strikes laws, and other tough-on-crime approaches that have contributed to higher incarceration rates.

Question 4

Which of the following are not street-level bureaucrats?
A) Home minister
B) Teachers
C) Public lawyers
D) Police officers

Accepted Answer

Street-level bureaucrats are individuals who work in public service roles that involve direct interactions with citizens, implementing policies on the ground level. Home ministers, unlike teachers, public lawyers, and police officers, typically hold higher-level, policy-making positions rather than engaging in direct, street-level public service.

Question 5

At all political levels, corrections is only one of many services operated by the government and paid for by tax revenues. Thus, corrections must vie with other government programs for .
A) correctional uncertainty
B) funding
C) goal conflict
D) None of these are correct

Accepted Answer

Corrections, like other government services, competes for funding from tax revenues to operate effectively.

Question 6

The corrections system consists of subunits that vary in their functions and responsibilities. Some examples are probation offices, halfway houses, and prisons.

Accepted Answer

The corrections system is indeed composed of various subunits, each with distinct functions and responsibilities, including probation offices, halfway houses, and prisons, among others. These components work together to manage and rehabilitate offenders, enforce penalties, and facilitate reintegration into society.

Question 7

The central purpose of corrections is to rehabilitate the offender.

Accepted Answer

The central purpose of corrections can vary, including punishment, deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation, depending on the legal system and specific correctional philosophy.

Question 8

From the earliest accounts of humankind, punishment has been used as one means of social control.

Accepted Answer

Throughout history, punishment has been utilized as a method to enforce societal norms and laws, deterring individuals from committing offenses and maintaining order within communities.

Question 9

Corrections has a nonreciprocal relationship with its environment (i.e., society).

Accepted Answer

Corrections has a reciprocal relationship with its environment (society), as societal attitudes and laws influence corrections policies and practices, and the outcomes of corrections can impact society by affecting recidivism rates, public safety, and community reintegration of former inmates.

Question 10

The postconviction process determines the guilt of a person charged with a criminal offense.

Accepted Answer

The postconviction process is designed to allow individuals who have already been convicted of a crime to challenge their convictions or sentences, not to determine their initial guilt or innocence.

Question 11

What level of government is most often responsible for correctional programs for those convicted of minor crimes?
A) Central government
B) State governments
C) Local governments
D) None of these are correct

Accepted Answer

Local governments are most often responsible for managing correctional programs for those convicted of minor crimes, such as misdemeanors, through local jails and community-based programs.

Question 12

The nonprofessional staff that works within the prison system normally possesses a college education.

Accepted Answer

Nonprofessional staff in the prison system, such as correctional officers and support personnel, often do not require a college education for their positions, although some may have it. Their roles typically require specific training rather than a college degree.

Question 13

The rate of incarceration in the United States is one of the lowest in the world.

Accepted Answer

The United States has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with a significant portion of its population in prison or jail compared to other countries.

Question 14

Since about 1970, conservative, "get-tough" crime control policies have most influenced corrections.

Accepted Answer

Since the 1970s, the United States has seen a significant shift towards conservative, "get-tough" approaches to crime, leading to policies that emphasize strict sentencing, mandatory minimums, and an overall tougher stance on crime, which have greatly influenced the corrections system.

Question 15

The number of people in local jails has dropped about 1 percent each year since 2007.

Accepted Answer

The given statement says that the number of people in local jails has dropped about 1 percent each year since 2007. So, the answer is true.

Question 16

Most of the correctional sentences carried out in the United States happen at the state and local level.

Accepted Answer

The majority of correctional sentences in the United States, including both incarcerations and community supervision, are indeed administered at the state and local levels, rather than the federal level. This is because most criminal offenses are violations of state laws.

Question 17

One of the "Big 4" states in corrections is California.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One of the "Big 4" states in...

Question 18

When all forms of correctional supervision are taken into account, what percentage of all adults in the United States are under some form of correctional control?
A) More than 8 percent
B) Nearly 3 percent
C) Less than 1 percent
D) Roughly 12 percent

Accepted Answer

Nearly 3 percent of all adults in the United States are under some form of correctional control, which includes prison, jail, probation, and parole.

Question 19

Right on Crime and Smart on Crime are the two groups that think that most people who are convicted of nonviolent crimes need end up in prison.

Accepted Answer

Right on Crime and Smart on Crime are initiatives that advocate for criminal justice reform, focusing on alternatives to incarceration for nonviolent offenders, rather than insisting that such individuals must end up in prison.

Question 20

The term staff in the correction system refers to the probation officers.

Accepted Answer

The term staff in the correction system refers to all employees of the system, including probation officers.

Quiz 1: The Corrections System