Introduction to Corrections
Chapter One
Corrections Today
• 6.7 million adults under supervision (2002)
parole
10%
probation
53%
prison
28%
jail
9%
Prisoners in Federal & State Prisons/Jails
Federal
11%
State
89%
Corrections Defined
• “includes all government agencies, facilities, programs,
personnel, and techniques concerned with the intake,
custody, confinement, supervision, or treatment, or presentencing or pre-disposition investigation of alleged or
adjudicated adult offenders, delinquents, or status
offenders.”
Current Trends
• Increasing numbers of adults in
correctional programs
Current Trends
• Expected to go to prison during their lifetime (if
current rates do not change):
• Women: numbers have increased 42 percent
(vs. 27% for men) between 1995 and 2002
Punishment Philosophies
Retribution
The belief that punishment must retaliate for
a harm or wrong to another.
Deterrence
• Certain and severe punishment can
discourage future crime by the offender
and by others.
Rehabilitation
• Providing psychological or education
assistance or job training to offenders
makes them less likely to engage in future
criminality.
Incapacitation
Separating offenders from the community to
reduce the opportunity for further crime
while they are incarcerated.
Other philosophies
• Isolation:
• Reintegration:
• Restitution:
• Restoration:
The Outlook
• Current Mood: punish, punish, punish
– Policymakers/Politicians:
The Outlook
annual cost per person
The Costs of Housing
$20,000
$18,000
$16,000
$14,000
$19,500
$12,000
$10,000
$8,000
$6,000
$8,000
$4,000
$2,000
$0
$643
max-security prison
community facility
probation-local
The Costs of Construction
$90,000
$80,000
$80,000
cost per bed
$70,000
$53,000
$60,000
$43,000
$50,000
$40,000
$30,000
$20,000
$10,000
$0
maximum
medium
minimum
Criminological Theories
• A quick recap
Criminological Theory
• Biological:
• IQ:
• Psychological:
Criminological Theory
• Rational Choice:
• Social disorganization:
• Differential Association (Shaw & McKay):
Criminological Theory
• Social control:
• Anomie/Strain:
Correctional Programs
Correctional Programs
• Community-based programs
• Intermediate Sanction
programs
Correctional Programs
• Institutional-placement programs