Fall 2013
Corrections
JAC 0200-4010
Tuesday & Thursday 2:00-3:20
Instructor: Ross Kleinstuber, Ph.D.
Office: 104-B Krebs
Office Hours: Mon. 5:00-5:55; Tues & Thurs. 9:30-10:55; Tues. through Fri. by appointment
Office Phone: 269-2989
Email: rkleins@pitt.edu
**NOTE** This course will utilize CourseWeb (https://courseweb.pitt.edu/) for
announcements, assignments, additional readings, and other materials pertinent to the course.
You are expected to be familiar with CourseWeb and to check it regularly. If you have any
questions about using CourseWeb, please see me.
Required Text: Stohr, Mary K. and Anthony Walsh. 2012. Corrections: The Essentials.
Washington, DC: Sage.
This book is also available as an e-reader at
http://www.coursesmart.com/IR/4513503/9781412986991?__hdv=6.8
*Other readings will be assigned throughout the course at the instructor’s discretion.
Course Description
This is an overview course on the systems and practices of American criminal corrections,
including the historical development of correctional practices, contemporary correctional
structures and treatment, the experience of prisoners, alternatives to incarceration, punishment
philosophies, and some of the most pressing problems and controversies in modern corrections.
Course Expectations
Topics in corrections will inevitably touch on many controversial topics (such as the death
penalty and prisoners’ rights). Therefore, you must be respectful of your classmates and openminded at all times. To get a fuller understanding and appreciation for these issues, class
attendance and participation are essential. Classes will be conducted using a combination of
lecture and, when appropriate, class discussions. The purpose of this course is to discuss and
think about correctional issues in a critical manner. In this sense, you will be challenged to
support your opinions or beliefs with material from the text, the lectures, or any other appropriate
source. You will be expected to participate and to interact with your classmates. As such,
you will be expected to have read and thought about the assigned readings prior to the class for
which they are assigned. This will facilitate discussion and make learning easier and more
enjoyable. Because of the discussion-based nature of many classes, you are expected to attend
class; many exam questions will come directly from class discussions.
Please remember that you are expected to respect your classmates at all times. There are no
wrong opinions (as long as they can be defended), so when someone else is speaking, you are
1
Fall 2013
expected to listen, to wait until he or she is done before responding, and to respond courteously,
politely, and thoughtfully. Derogatory, racist, sexist, and other offensive or insulting remarks or
comments will not be tolerated.
Course Grading
Your grade in this course will be based out of 550 points, broken down as follows:
4 Exams (100 points each):
400 points
Shawshank Redemption Reflection: 50 points
Final Paper:
100 points
Grades will be calculated based on total points accumulated as follows*:
509-550 = A
492.5-508.5 = A-
478-492 = B+
454-477.5 = B
437.5-453.5 = B-
421-437 = C+
399-420.5 = C
382.5-398.5 = C-
366-382 = D+ <327=F
344-365.5 = D
327.5-343.5 = D-
*Please see note on Extra Credit/Grade Replacement below
Note on Disabilities
Students with disabilities who require special testing accommodations or other classroom
modifications must notify the instructor and the Coordinator of Disability Services in writing no
later than the second week in the term. Documentation of a disability may be needed to
determine the appropriate accommodations or classroom modifications. For information or to
schedule an evaluation-of-need appointment, call the Office of Health & Counseling Services in
G10 Student Union, at (814) 269-7119.
Academic Dishonesty
Students are expected to be familiar with the Pitt-Johnstown Guidelines on Academic Integrity
(http://www.upj.pitt.edu/28133.pdf) and abide by them. Academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated. Anyone caught plagiarizing, cheating, or helping anyone do so will be referred to the
appropriate university authorities and, at the very least, receive a 0 on the assignment.
Additional penalties may apply depending on the nature of the incident.
The Guidelines on Academic Integrity forbid students from presenting “as one’s own, for
academic evaluation, the ideas, representations, or words of another person or persons without
customary and proper acknowledgment of sources.” Plagiarism is dishonest and illegal. Writers
are indebted to authors from whom they borrow exact words, ideas, theories, opinions, statistics,
illustrative material, or facts (beyond common knowledge). Writers are also indebted if they
summarize or paraphrase in their own words material from sources. All quoted material
requires the acknowledgement of the source by the use of quotation marks or indentation (if
exact wording is incorporated). In addition, both directly quoted and summarized material must
be acknowledged by use of a note or parenthetical citation that indicates the author and/or date of
publication and page number or numbers. If the writer indents a quotation, it must be clearly set
off from the body of the text and must be documented in the aforesaid manner. Students are
permitted to use any professionally recognized citation style, but to verify the various
documentation procedures, writers should consult the style sheet for the particular citation format
2
Fall 2013
they are using (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). (Note: Language of this paragraph was adapted from
both the Pitt-Johnstown Guidelines on Academic Integrity and the Indiana University of
Pennsylvania Academic Integrity Policy.)
Cell Phones
You are expected to turn off your cell phones before coming to class. I reserve the right to
answer any cell phone that rings during class or to complete any text message I catch you typing
during class. Remember, you are expected to be respectful at all times. Interruptions
during class, whether they are from cell phones or unnecessary conversations, are
disrespectful. Failure to respect your classmates and the instructor may result in being
asked to leave.
Extra Credit/Grade Replacement Opportunities
Throughout this course, a number of videos will be shown to help illustrate certain topics. The
number of videos shown will depend on how long it takes to cover the material. Because it is not
yet clear how many videos will be shown, I have not specifically assigned reaction papers for
these videos or included reaction papers in grade calculations. However, there will be test
questions (including possible essay questions) based upon the films, so it is imperative that you
attend class to view these films. Furthermore, depending on the number of films shown, I may
allow students to write reaction papers either for extra credit or to replace part of another grade.
Please note, you will not be able to use a reaction paper to replace an entire grade (although
multiple reaction papers may take the place of a grade), and I do not know how many I will
assign. The opportunities for either extra credit or grade replacement will be announced both in
class and on CourseWeb prior to the showing of the videos, and any extra credit or grade
replacement assignments will be placed on CourseWeb with specific instructions.
Furthermore, to increase the value of this course, I am scheduling two prison tours of SCI Laurel
Highlands (Dates TBD). Because I cannot schedule these tours to only take 80 minutes, I cannot
schedule them solely during class time and I cannot make them mandatory. However, I believe
students will gain a lot from attending one of these tours. Therefore, I hope you are able to
attend one of the tours. As with the videos, students will be given an opportunity to write either
an extra credit paper or a partial grade replacement paper, and this opportunity will be announced
prior to the first tour and the assignment (if any) will be placed on CourseWeb.
Please note: Under NO CICRUMSTANCES can students use these assignments to replace any
part of their final paper. The assignments will either be extra credit or can be used to replace part
of one of your other grades. You will not be given the choice of how to use the assignment. I
will announce how the assignments will be calculated into course grades when I assign them.
Exams and Make-up Exams
Exams are expected to be completed in class and may only be made up with documentation of an
approved excused absence; please consult the university policy for more information. If you
miss an exam due to either an emergency or an excused absence, you are expected to contact the
instructor within 48 hours or as soon as reasonably possible. Barring extreme extenuating
circumstances, failure to contact the instructor within 48 hours with an approved excuse and to
3
Fall 2013
schedule a make-up will result in a grade of 0 for the exam. Make-up exams will be given in a
format to be determined by the instructor.
Shawshank Redemption Reflection (Due: October 29)
You are to view the film The Shawshank Redemption (1994, Castle Rock Entertainment) starring
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman on your own and offer a critical commentary on the film
based upon what we have learned in this course about the history of corrections, prisons, parole,
the philosophies of punishment, and sentencing. The paper should be a MINIMUM of 5 pages.
You should approach this as a film critic, but with a scholarly eye—that means you should
utilize scholarly sources to provide FACTUAL support to your arguments (students are required
to cite AT LEAST ONE academic source other than the textbook). This critical reflection should
address at least the following questions:
 How accurate was the film’s portrayal of prison life?
 What were some of the characteristics or patterns of behavior of the prison subculture
that emerge throughout the film? What are some of the reasons for the emergence of a
subculture? Why do some of the prisoners join gangs? Do you find this aspect of the film
realistic? Be sure to use specific examples from the film and relate them to class material.
 Do the characters accurately represent the inmate roles described by Sykes (see pp. 118120 of the textbook)? Based upon the roles identified by Sykes, which role best describes
Andy? Red? Brooks? Bogs? Support your answer with evidence from the film.
 How is the idea of the total institution and prisonization portrayed in the film? What does
the film suggest about the effects of being institutionalized in prison, and how does it
affect inmates who are later released into society? How accurate do you find this
portrayal? Use specific examples from the film to support your answer. What does your
answer suggest about releasing inmates after long periods of incarceration and what
policy implications does your answer have?
 ANY OTHER PORTRAYALS IN THE FILM THAT YOU FEEL ARE WORTHY OF
NOTING IN YOUR CRITICAL REFLECTION BASED UPON WHAT YOU HAVE
LEARNED AND READ SO FAR
Be sure to check CourseWeb for more detailed instructions.
Final Paper (Due: December 3)
For your final paper, you must choose a current controversy or problem in corrections and write
a paper discussing the controversy or problem. Your paper should explain the nature of the
problem or controversy (assume your readers do not know anything about corrections or the
dilemmas it faces, so you need to inform them), what the different sides of the controversy or
proposed solutions to the problem are, why the issue is so pressing, and why the controversy or
problems needs to be addressed (that is, why should anyone care?). You should then explain
what the arguments and factual evidence in support of each side are; you do not have to take a
position (although you may if you choose). I have provided a list of topics below, but you are
not bound by those topics; they are just suggestions. Regardless of what topic you select, you
MUST get your topic approved by the instructor NO LATER THAN October 1. Please note,
this is an absolute deadline; I highly recommend you get your topic approved prior to October 1
in case your topic gets rejected.
4
Fall 2013
The final paper will be due on December 3, but you should have your first draft completed by
November 21 so that your paper can be reviewed by your peers prior to final submission. On
this date, there will be no lecture; rather, you will meet with your classmates to review, edit, and
revise each other’s papers, to offer suggestions and critiques, and to fine tune the paper for final
submission. Furthermore, you are REQUIRED to utilize AT LEAST THREE SCHOLARLY
SOURCES (other than the textbook) in writing your paper. You MUST get these sources
approved by me NO LATER THAN October 31. This is also an absolute deadline; it is
HIGHLY recommended that you submit your sources prior to October 31 in case I reject your
sources. You are permitted to use more than three scholarly sources, and you are permitted to
use non-scholarly sources in addition to your three scholarly sources, but ALL sources MUST
be cited. You may use any ACADEMIC citation style you wish, but you MUST include both a
works cited page AND in-text citations (unless you are using a citation style that utilizes
footnotes or endnotes).
Be sure to check CourseWeb for more detailed instructions.
Below is a list of topics from which you may select. You are not required to pick one of these
topics. These are just some suggestions to get you thinking. These are just general ideas; you
may need to get more specific. Please remember to get your topic approved no later than
October 1.
AIDS in prison
Appropriate punishment
philosophy
Drug Counseling/Treatment
Monetary Bail
Prison Gangs
Mass Incarceration
Juveniles in Prison
Abolishing Parole
Intensive Supervision
Probation
Furloughs
Collateral Consequences
(Felon disenfranchisement,
offender registries)
Conjugal visits
Needle Exchange in Prison
Elderly Inmates
Charging Inmates for their
confinement
Inmate Labor
LGBT inmates
Providing Healthcare
Educational Opportunities
Juvenile Death Penalty
Mentally Ill Inmates
Executing the Mentally
Challenged/Mentally Ill
Work Release
Solitary Confinement
Capital punishment
Mandatory minimums and
Truth-in-Sentencing laws
Prison Privatization
Prison violence/rape
Recidivism
Mothers in prison
Juvenile LWOP
Use of Intermediate Sanctions
Disproportionate Minority
Confinement
Reintegrating Ex-Offenders
Super-max prisons (secure
housing units)
Restricting Contact Visits
Providing condoms to inmates
Drugs in Prison
How to Get an “A” on Your Writing Assignments
A grading rubric will be provided on CourseWeb for each writing assignment; however, here are
some guidelines to assist you in preparing your papers. If you expect to get an “A” on your
writing assignments, you should be able to answer “Yes” to each of the following questions:
Thesis
 Is there a thesis statement?
5
Fall 2013



Does your thesis CLEARLY explain YOUR position to the reader?
Does your thesis clarify WHY you believe what you believe so the reader knows what
arguments to expect in the body?
o E.g., The issue of AIDS in prison is a pressing problem in corrections today
because X, Y, Z…
o The death penalty should be abolished because X, Y, Z…
Is the thesis close enough to the beginning of the document to prevent confusion?
Body
 FINAL PAPER ONLY: Do you provide a clear, concise, coherent overview of the
problem or controversy so that the average reader can understand what the dilemma is
and why it needs to be addressed?
 If taking a position (you MUST take a position for the Shawshank Redemption paper):
o Do you support your position with actual FACTS?
o Is each argument presented in a different paragraph so they do not blend together?
o Do you anticipate what someone who opposes your position might say? That is,
do you consider facts and/or arguments that would oppose your position?
o Do you explain why you reject those counter-arguments?
o Do your facts actually support your position?
 If not taking a position:
o Do you provide the arguments and FACTS that support each position?
o Do the facts you provide actually support each position?
o Do you provide a complete overview and understanding of each side?
 Do you cite where you got your facts so the reader knows you did not just make them up?
Is your source credible (NOTE: Wikipedia is NOT a credible source)?
 Is your reader likely to learn something new when he/she reads this paper?
Conclusion
 Do you summarize your paper and your position/the different positions?
 Do you avoid introducing new concepts in your conclusion?
Grammar
 Did you edit and proofread your paper? Did you have someone else read it and make
comments?
 Is everything in the correct tense?
 Did you use the correct word (e.g., their/there/they’re; loose/lose; its/it’s; to/too/two;
affect/effect; etc.)?
 Does the paper’s organization make sense?
 Is the paper organized into paragraphs, and are the paragraphs each communicating the
same basic idea or argument?
6
Fall 2013
Course Schedule
***Please note: this schedule is tentative and subject to change at the instructor’s
discretion. Please check CourseWeb to get scheduling updates. ***
Date
August 27
Topic
Introduction to the Course
Review of Syllabus
Getting to know each other
What is Corrections?
August 29 Philosophies of Punishment
History of Corrections, Part I
Sep. 3-5
History of Corrections, Part II
Sep. 10-12 Sentencing
Sept. 17
EXAM 1
Sep. 19-24 Jails
Sep. 26Probation & Intermediate Sanctions
Oct. 1
Final Paper Topic Approval Deadline Oct. 1
Oct. 3-8
Prisons
Oct. 10
Oct. 15
Oct. 17
Oct. 22
Oct. 24-29
Oct. 31Nov. 5
Nov. 7-12
Nov. 14
Nov. 19
Nov. 21
Nov. 26
Nov. 28
Dec. 3
Major Issues in Prison: Prison Work, Mental
Illness, Elderly Inmates, LGBT Inmates, Drug
Addiction, Violence, Gangs, and Prisoner
Rights
NO CLASS; ATTEND MONDAY
CLASSES
Major Issues in Prison (cont’d)
EXAM 2
Parole & Reentry
Shawskank Redemption Paper Due Oct. 29
Women & Corrections
List of Sources Due Oct. 31
Minorities & Corrections
EXAM 3
Juvenile Corrections
MEET WITH CLASSMATES TO
REVIEW DRAFTS OF FINAL PAPERS
Juvenile Corrections (cont’d)
NO CLASS—THANKSGIVING 
Correctional Controversies: Prison
Privatization
Final Paper Due
7
Readings
S&W, Chapters 1-2
S&W, Chapter 3
S&W, Chapter 4
S&W, Chapter 5
S&W, Chapter 6
S&W, pp. 108-120
Rose & Clear, “Incarceration,
Social Capital, and Crime…”
S&W, pp. 120-130, 258-259
Williams & Parra, “Cruel &
Unusual”
Clear, et al., pp. 144-147
S&W, Chapter 8
S&W, Chapter 10
S&W, Chapter 11
Ingram, “The Long History of
White Privilege in Prison Reform”
S&W, Chapter 12
S&W, pp. 269-271
Taking Sides (10th ed.), Issue 10
Hedges, “The Business of Mass
Incarceration”
Fall 2013
Dec. 5
Correctional Controversies: Death Penalty
Dec. 9
FINAL EXAM @ 3:00 PM
8
Dyer, pp. 230-236
Clear, et al., pp. 504-505
Sieter, pp. 460-464
Tabak, “Racial Discrimination in
Implementing the Death Penalty”