corrections exam 1

felony?

• serious crimes

• ie. murder, rape, agg. assault, robbery, arson

• state or federal correctional institution (prison

• MORE THAN ONE YEAR

• loss of civil privileges

misdemeanors

• relatively minor violations

• ie. petty theft, simple assault, breaking and entering, disorderly conduct etc

• a year or less in confinement

• distinguished by degrees or levels of seriousness

uniform crime reporting program (UCR)

• published by the fbi

• national crime statistics

• voluntarily submitted data by law enforcement agencies

• used to project the need for different types of detention and rehabilitation services/facilites

the 3 main components of the CJS

1.) Law enforcement 2.) Courts. 3.) Corrections

4 reasons for overcrowding

the war on drugs: increase in drug related arrests regardless of severity

‘tough on crime laws”: stricter criminal codes, restrictive parole policies

reduced parole opportunities

net widening

how many people in federal prison for every 100,000 in the population

43/ 100,000

7 goals of sentencing

1. revenge: usually involves an emotional response

2. retribution: “settling of scores” for society + victim

3. Just deserts: moral justification, deserving of punishment

4. deterrence: prevent future crimes

5. incapacitation: need to be segregated from society

6. rehabilitation/reformation: violaters need to learn to behave

7. restoration: should be restored to previous sense of well- being

role of the american correctional association

• set standards for corrections training

• prison policies/procedures

determinate sentences

• fixed sentences

• fixed days, months, years in correctional facilities

indeterminate sentence

specified maximum and minimum length

parole board typically determines the actual time of release

furman v georgia

court held that GA’s death penalty statute could result in arbitrary sentencing and violated the 8th amendment (bans cruel and unusual punishment)

banned death penalty

gregg v georgia

upheld guided discretionary capital statues (death penalty) opining that the standards do provide guidance to sentencing authority and reduce likelihood that it will impose sentence fairly

roper v simmons

ruled the death penalty unconstitutional and violation of 8th amendment to execute people for crimes they committed before turning 18

atkins v virginia

held that execution of offenders who are mentally impaired is cruel and unusual punishment prohibited by the eighth amendment

50% of inmates on death row reside in these 3 states

1. california (703)

2. florida (337)

3. texas (206)

5 methods of execution used in the US

1. lethal injection

2. electrocution

3. lethal gas

4. hanging

5. firing squad

2 phases of a capital murder trial (bifurcated trial)

phase 1: the guilt phase, decides the issue of guilt

if found guilty

phase 2: the penalty phase, includes presentation of facts that mitigate or aggravate the circumstances of the crime

DISCUSSION QUESTION: 2 phases of a bifurcated trial, whats discussed in each pjase

the first phase of a bifurcated trial is the guilt phase. during this phase is the quote on quote trial in which the prosecutors and defense attorneys argue the guilt of the defendent. if the defendent is found guilty the trial goes on to the penalty phase. during this phase facts and evidence that mitigate or aggravate the circumstances of the crime are presented and the jury provides the verdict on the penalty.

4 reasons for overcrowding in prisons

1. the war on drugs

2. “tough on crime” laws

3. lack of parole

4. net widening: policies intended to reduce incarceration actually draw in more crime