Policing & criminal justiceLesson 1 of 4 in the course Prisons and corrections

Prisons: Functions, History, Organization, and Social Effects

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces prisons, their roles in the criminal-justice system, and the ways terminology differs across jurisdictions.

A prison is a facility where people are confined under state authority, usually following criminal charges or conviction. Depending on the jurisdiction, it may also be called a jail, penitentiary, detention center, correctional facility, or remand center.

All flashcards

What is pre-trial detention?
Holding a person charged with a crime while they await trial, before any conviction.
What is a panopticon?
A prison design proposed by Jeremy Bentham, based on observation and control.
What does “prison-industrial complex” describe?
Relationships among incarceration, government spending, private businesses, and prison labor.
What is the inmate code?
Informal rules that may shape relationships and behavior among incarcerated people.
What is an open prison?
A facility that may allow approved prisoners to work or study outside and sometimes take home leave.

Quiz questions

  1. In the United States, which description best distinguishes a jail from a prison?Answer: A jail is generally local and used for pre-trial or shorter-term confinement; a prison is generally state or federal and holds people serving longer sentences.
  2. What may prison staff consider during a security classification screening?Answer: A person's record, escape risk, and health needs.
  3. What characterizes direct supervision in a podular prison design?Answer: Officers work within the pod and interact with prisoners in shared spaces.
  4. What was the central feature of Jeremy Bentham's proposed panopticon design?Answer: An arrangement intended to support observation and control.
  5. Which theory of punishment seeks to prevent a person from committing crimes in the community while confined?Answer: Incapacitation

Based on the Wikipedia article Prison, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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