Exam 18: Incarceration Trends

The strategy advocates doing nothing to relieve prison overcrowding, under the assumption that the problem will take care of itself.

Some overseers think a hardening of public attitudes toward criminals is reflected in longer sentences.

Proponents who say that nothing should be done about prison overcrowding subscribe to the strategy.

A large percentage of the admissions to prison each year are parole violators.

The greater number of people in prison means that there are more incarcerated individuals in programs.

a. Relieving overcrowding by building more prisons b. Strains staff morale c. Cheaper than prison d. Doing nothing about prison overcrowding e. Incarceration rate above historical norms f. African Americans/Hispanics g. Higher prison populations as a whole h. Average U.S. incarceration rate from 2000 to 2007 i. One of the causes of the current high incarceration rates -Overcrowding

According to research findings, states with higher have higher prison populations.

a. Relieving overcrowding by building more prisons b. Strains staff morale c. Cheaper than prison d. Doing nothing about prison overcrowding e. Incarceration rate above historical norms f. African Americans/Hispanics g. Higher prison populations as a whole h. Average U.S. incarceration rate from 2000 to 2007 i. One of the causes of the current high incarceration rates -War on drugs

Public attitudes in favor of more-punitive sentencing policies have influenced legislators to approve building more prisons.

We have clear evidence that imprisonment is cost-effective.

According to organizational theorists, such as hospitals and schools are used to their fullest capacity.

The state of currently has the highest incarceration rate in the United States.

According to the authors, the most costly correctional resource is .

Various "backdoor strategies" are the main ways that correctional officials can take steps to reduce prison populations.

What factors do you think have been the most crucial in the dramatic increase in the incarceration rate? What current trends do you see as having the most important role in determining the incarceration rate for the foreseeable future?

States with high unemployment rates have higher prison populations than states with lower unemployment rates.

There seems to be little relationship between the crime rate and the incarceration rate.

Opponents of new prison construction believe that, given the nature of bureaucratic organizations, prison cells will always be .

Systemic approaches to dealing with prison overcrowding must be undertaken by .

Judges in several states have ordered that prison residents be removed from in which crowding violates the Constitution.