CRJ 100 - Chapter 14 (part 1)

What is the theoretical purpose of Corrections?

to prevent recidivism

What is meant by an Essential Tension?

it is a conflict between ideals or what should be and the observable world as it actually is

What are the four essential tensions in Corrections?

Tension of Finance, Tension of Research, Tension of Discretion, Tension of Invisibility

What is meant by the essential Tension of Finance?

to have limited funding for particular correctional institutions and programs; conflict theory and the prison industrial complex

What is the Prison-Industrial Complex?

a set of bureaucratic, political, and economic interests that encourage spending on imprisonment regardless of actual need

What is meant by the Essential Tension of Research?

the hope that correctional policy is justified based on solid research but is actually typically not the case; correctional policy is sometimes based on common sense and not empirical evidence

What is meant by the Essential Tension of Discretion?

the balance between individual judgment and the need for consistent, fair, and accountable decision making; tension arises when decisions are based on individual assessment of a situation rather than strict adherence to rules or regulations

What is meant by the Essential Tension of Invisibility?

the idea that correctional agencies are isolated from the public, which leads to the public being unaware/uninformed about what goes on in correctional facilities

What are the three models of correctional institutions that were developed in the 19th century in America?

the solitary system, the congregate system, prison farms

What were the characteristics of the Solitary System?

was designed to promote offender rehabilitation through self-introspection, focus on silence and lack of human interaction

What were the characteristics of the Congregate System?

generated revenue for the state through inmates’ work in prison factories; inmates not completely isolated

What were the characteristics of Prison Farms?

inmates lived together in large bunkhouses, farms largely operated by inmates; they were expected to generate revenue for the state by selling produce

What does current practice in most correctional facilities look like?

inmates live with a cellmate, have work/programming opportunities; pod style design

What are the different types of modern day prison facilities based off of?

Security level; minimum, medium, maximum

What is meant by Irving Goffman’s “total institutions”?

the inmate sleeps, engages in recreation, and works in the same place; goes under mortification

What is meant by Mortification?

the loss of personal identity, name is replaced with a number, institutional clothing replaces individual attire, etc

What are the five pains of imprisonment highlighted in Gresham Sykes’ “Pains of Imprisonment”?

1. deprivation of liberty

2. deprivation of goods and services

3. deprivation of heterosexual relationships

4. deprivation of autotomy

5. deprivation of security

What is meant by prisonization?

the inmate’s acceptance of the unique culture of the prison environment

What are the parts of the culture of a prison environment?

norms, jargon, lifestyle, conditions

What is meant by the Importation Model?

the idea that inmates bring attitudes and life experiences from the outside into prison, which shapes their behavior in the prison environment

What is meant by the Deprivation Model?

the idea that the nature of the prison environment and its deprivations shape inmate behavior