BCJ 2002, Theory and Practices of Corrections 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit I
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Define terms related to corrections.
1.1 Define all relevant vocabulary related to the correctional system within
the unit.
1.2 Define and understand professionalism in corrections.
2. Assess the purpose, implementation, and effectiveness of corrections.
2.1 Identify standards, training, and skills of correctional officers.
2.2 Identify what organizations exist that set standards in the field.
3. Trace the historical evolution of the correctional system.
3.1 Identify key people that have helped to reform the correctional system
over time.
Unit Lesson
The statistics currently indicate that crime has declined since the 1990s; however, the
number of people incarcerated or under some sort of correctional supervision has
continued to steadily increase. There are four reasons behind this phenomenon:
1. The tough on crime laws like three-strikes-laws have kept repeat offenders
incarcerated for extended lengths of time.
2. The War on Drugs has led to many arrests and convictions that have
increased incarcerated populations in every jurisdiction in the country.
3. Parole authorities now fear liability for inmates released early that re-offend.
4. Those that are out of jail and prison and on probation are more likely to violate
probation.
As the incarceration rate rises, it is important to realize that employment rates of
correctional officers and support staff will also continue to rise. In 1950 there were
approximately 27,000 people employed as correctional officers. Current statistics
indicate that number is now at 490,000 correctional officers. If you were to factor in the
increase in juvenile detention centers, probation and parole officers, administrators,
and other professionals in the correctional field, the number jumps to 748,000 people
employed in the correctional field (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015).
Corrections Place in the Criminal Justice System
Once a person is arrested, he or she is booked into jail. Law enforcement must then
present evidence to the prosecutor and the decision will be made to file formal
charges or release the person from custody. If a person is charged with a crime, he or
she must go before a judge in an initial, or first, appearance in court. At this time he or
Reading
Assignment
Chapter 1:
Corrections: An Overview
Chapter 2:
Punishments: A Brief
History
Learning Activities
(Non-Graded)
See information below.
Key Terms
1. Adjudication
2. Arraignment
3. Community
corrections
4. Corporal punishment
5. Cost-benefit analysis
6. Criminal law
7. Evidence-based
corrections
8. Hedonistic calculus
9. Institutional
corrections
10. Mores
11. Nolo contendere
12. Noninstitutional
corrections
13. Penal law
14. Sustainable justice
15. Utilitarianism
...
BCJ 2002, Theory and Practices of Corrections 1 Cour.docx
1. BCJ 2002, Theory and Practices of Corrections 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit I
Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
1. Define terms related to corrections.
1.1 Define all relevant vocabulary related to the correctional
system within
the unit.
1.2 Define and understand professionalism in corrections.
2. Assess the purpose, implementation, and effectiveness of
corrections.
2.1 Identify standards, training, and skills of correctional
officers.
2.2 Identify what organizations exist that set standards in the
field.
3. Trace the historical evolution of the correctional system.
2. 3.1 Identify key people that have helped to reform the
correctional system
over time.
Unit Lesson
The statistics currently indicate that crime has declined since
the 1990s; however, the
number of people incarcerated or under some sort of
correctional supervision has
continued to steadily increase. There are four reasons behind
this phenomenon:
1. The tough on crime laws like three-strikes-laws have kept
repeat offenders
incarcerated for extended lengths of time.
2. The War on Drugs has led to many arrests and convictions
that have
increased incarcerated populations in every jurisdiction in the
country.
3. Parole authorities now fear liability for inmates released
early that re-offend.
4. Those that are out of jail and prison and on probation are
more likely to violate
probation.
As the incarceration rate rises, it is important to realize that
employment rates of
correctional officers and support staff will also continue to rise.
In 1950 there were
3. approximately 27,000 people employed as correctional officers.
Current statistics
indicate that number is now at 490,000 correctional officers. If
you were to factor in the
increase in juvenile detention centers, probation and parole
officers, administrators,
and other professionals in the correctional field, the number
jumps to 748,000 people
employed in the correctional field (Schmalleger & Smykla,
2015).
Corrections Place in the Criminal Justice System
Once a person is arrested, he or she is booked into jail. Law
enforcement must then
present evidence to the prosecutor and the decision will be
made to file formal
charges or release the person from custody. If a person is
charged with a crime, he or
she must go before a judge in an initial, or first, appearance in
court. At this time he or
Reading
Assignment
Chapter 1:
Corrections: An Overview
Chapter 2:
Punishments: A Brief
History
Learning Activities
(Non-Graded)
4. See information below.
Key Terms
1. Adjudication
2. Arraignment
3. Community
corrections
4. Corporal punishment
5. Cost-benefit analysis
6. Criminal law
7. Evidence-based
corrections
8. Hedonistic calculus
9. Institutional
corrections
10. Mores
11. Nolo contendere
12. Noninstitutional
corrections
13. Penal law
14. Sustainable justice
15. Utilitarianism
UNIT I STUDY GUIDE
An Overview of the Correctional System
5. BCJ 2002, Theory and Practices of Corrections 2
she will be advised of all current charges being brought against
him or her as they
relate to the arrest. This starts the adjudication process.
If a person is found guilty of a crime, there are several options
for sentencing and
sanctions. These options range from restitution all the way to
the death penalty. Let’s
talk about these options. Everyone is familiar with the death
penalty, the debate
behind it, and the pros and cons of utilizing this method of
punishment. What about
restitution? Do you think that paying a fine or money toward
damaged property
teaches the offender anything in the long run?
Recently, the concept of garnishing inmates’ funds for their
commissary account has
come into play as a method of restitution. To further explain
this concept, commissary
is a privilege that inmates receive with good behavior. Inmates
are allowed to have an
account, similar to that of a bank, at the institution they are
incarcerated in that they
may draw money from to pay for things like postage,
photocopies, certain legal work,
fees, or additional food. In the state of Florida, a group of law
enforcement widows
petitioned the court to garnish the commissary account of the
inmate who killed their
6. husbands during a traffic stop. What about garnishing inmate
accounts for lesser
crimes, such as stolen vehicles, vehicle crashes with damage,
burglary, or criminal
mischief? Do you teach the offender anything about his or her
crime, and does the
victim feel a sense of closure? Do offenders learn anything from
community service, or
is this form of punishment simply a means for them to give back
to the state in the
form of labor in exchange for court costs?
The overall purpose of the correctional system is to enhance
social order and public
safety. Societal expectations are occasionally formed into law.
The correctional
system is an important part of the criminal justice system
because the system of
punishment has a defined role in societal control of those who
refuse to conduct
themselves within the boundaries of American law.
Professionalism in Corrections
The field of corrections has just recently achieved professional
status in the criminal
justice process and system. This was achieved by developing a
set of professional
standards by a governing body. The American Correctional
Association Commission
on Accreditation established a set of standards in the late 1970s.
Today, every state
complies with a standard of minimum training for both
correctional officers and
probation and parole officers. Additionally, a standard test was
developed as an entry
7. exam. Through research, traits were also established that now
determine if a person
can be an effective correctional officer. There are also several
standard-setting
organizations that now develop models of professionalism.
Education is a topic that previously was never discussed in the
corrections field. As
the standards have increased, so have the options for education.
Colleges and
universities have embraced this train of thought and developed
associate and
bachelor degree programs. Recently, there have been several
colleges and
universities that have developed graduate course concentrations
in correctional
management as well. Classes tailored specifically to corrections
officers and their
specific job duties are popping up at colleges and universities,
both traditional and
online. The graduate level of education is also seeing a mild
increase in course
offerings related to correctional leadership.
Another aspect of the correctional profession that has emerged
in recent years is that
of diversity. The inmate population is a very diverse one in the
21st century. Therefore,
correctional personnel also must be diversified to be able to
understand the needs of
the population that they serve. As the lines between race and
ethnicity become
neutral, other issues begin to arise, and one of those is the
emergence of women in
the correctional workforce. Statistically, this aspect of the
criminal justice system has
8. BCJ 2002, Theory and Practices of Corrections 3
been dominated by a male presence in facilities and institutions.
It is estimated that
35% of the correctional workforce is comprised of women as
compared to 13% of law
enforcement officers being female (Schmalleger & Smykla,
2015). As the inmate
population shifts and moves in different directions, one issue
that you will see in the
future is that of women in incarceration. The fact that the
correctional profession has
seen an increase in the amount of female applicants to fill
officer positions is no
coincidence. It is proven that having women officers reduces
liability and tension
between officers and inmates. Additionally, women working in
corrections tend to
provide a diverse method of dealing with issues that arise in the
facility, and generally
speaking have an ability to calm situations that their male
counterparts may in some
cases escalate.
The History of Punishment
Large prisons were not built until the 17th Century in Europe.
Prior to that, there were
four major punishment models based on culture of the time that
included the Code of
9. Hammurabi, which originated in what we know as Iraq and parts
of Iran, along with
ancient Greece, ancient Israel, and early Rome’s standards.
Next, physical
punishment consisted of flogging, branding, mutilation, instant
death, lingering death,
torture, and exile. In addition, other punishments included
public humiliation and
confinement.
Finally, incarceration as punishment started in the 6th Century
with church-run prisons.
Several different styles of punishment developed from the
origins of Canon Law. The
concept of the House of Correction originated in 1550 and
lasted until 1700
(Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). The emergence of the prison as
we know it began
when European society began to shift from physical punishment
of the body to
punishment of the spirit and the soul.
As the method of punishment evolved, several people became
champions of reform.
William Penn wrote the “Great Act” of 1682. John Howard
wrote a book titled The
State of Prisons in England and Wales. Cesare Beccaria wrote
“On Crime and
Punishment” in 1764, which was one of the most important
essays of the 18th century
(Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Jeremy Bentham developed the
two concepts of
utilitarianism and hedonistic calculus. Sir Samuel Romilly
reformed the death penalty,
which was carried out for minor felonies and misdemeanors. He
also addressed the
10. Penitentiary Act of 1779 that led to major reforms in the prison
system (Schmalleger &
Smykla, 2015). Sir Robert Peel reformed the criminal justice
system by advocating for
a separation between law enforcement and the judicial system.
Sir Robert Peel also
created the Gaol Act of 1823 that separated women and men in
prisons (Schmalleger
& Smykla, 2015). Elizabeth Fry reformed the incarceration
methods and conditions of
women in prison. Mary Belle Harris was the first warden of a
federal institution for
women. Sanford Bates was the first Director of the Federal
Bureau of Prisons from
1930 to 1937 (Schmalleger & Smykla, 2015). Finally, George
Beto is known as the
father of the Texas Department of Correction. He developed the
Texas control model.
As we look at the people that had the most influence on the
correctional system, we
need to look at what Sir Robert Peel accomplished as a reformer
in his time. He is
responsible for advocating for the separation of law
enforcement and the judicial
process.
Let’s consider the following scenario. You are a law
enforcement officer during the
time of Robert Peel in the 1800s. You have the authority to
arrest “on the spot.” You
arrive on the scene of a homicide, and through investigation you
determine who the
guilty party is, and you arrest him or her. Could you decide the
punishment and carry it
out objectively? In the same scenario, you sentence that person
11. to death, and an hour
after that sentence is carried out you find evidence that suggests
the person you
sentenced to death was not the person that committed the crime.
Now what? How
BCJ 2002, Theory and Practices of Corrections 4
would you handle this situation in the 1800s if your family
member was either a victim
or a perpetrator of a crime? Do you think that you would be
objective? Do you think
that objectivity was a problem during that time period?
As you work through this textbook, you should understand the
importance of the role
that the judicial and correctional systems have in the criminal
justice process. When
we look at some of the key people responsible for reform of the
correctional system,
we also need to think about where the correctional system is
headed in the future.
Reference
Schmalleger, F., & Smykla, J. O. (2015). Corrections in the 21st
century (7th ed.).
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
12. Learning Activities (Non-Graded)
Flash Cards
For a review of the Key Terms of the unit, click here to access
the interactive Unit I
Jeopardy in PowerPoint form. (Click here to access a PDF
version.)
Non-graded Learning Activities are provided to aid students in
their course of study.
You do not have to submit them. If you have questions, contact
your instructor for
further guidance and information.
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/courses/Emer
gency_Services/BCJ/BCJ2002/14I/UnitI_Jeopardy.ppsx
https://online.columbiasouthern.edu/CSU_Content/courses/Emer
gency_Services/BCJ/BCJ2002/14I/UnitI_Jeopardy.pdf
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