What recent factors have contributed to correctional growth in the United States?

What will be an ideal response?


Box 1.1 shows the latest government statistics regarding the number of people currently on some form of correctional supervision. As of December 31, 2006, there were 4.2 million offenders on probation, and nearly 800,000 on parole, which is considerably more than the 2.3 million offenders incarcerated in jail and prison. Over the last seven years, there was an average increase of 2.4% of prisoners and 1.7% of those on community supervision each year in the corrections system (Bonczar, 2008; Glaze & Bonczar, 2008). The number of female offenders has grown as well, although women have always been underrepresented in the criminal justice system in comparison to their numbers in the general population. Sources say that, in the last 15 years, the number of women on probation and parole has doubled. Although this sounds like a lot, women still comprise only 12% of all parolees and 23% of probationers today.

Although the increase is showing signs of slowing down some, the increase in convicted offenders is directly related to a number of factors, including changes in sentencing laws, an increase of probation and parole violators returning to prison, a decreased rate of release on discretionary parole, and differential police responses to drug offenses (Beck, 2000).

Criminal Justice

You might also like to view...

All of the following are limitations of retrospective research except

a) memory distortion. b) biases. c) missing records. d) expense.

Criminal Justice

Why is there a resource cost associated with inflation?

A) because most workers end up working fewer hours during periods of inflation B) because consumers, workers, and firms devote resources to protecting themselves from the financial costs of inflation C) because unemployment increases when there is inflation D) because the existence of inflation discourages people from placing their savings in interest-bearing accounts, where it is needed to fund capital investment

Criminal Justice

The _______________________ theories tie delinquency rates to socioeconomic conditions and cultural values; areas that experience high levels of poverty and social disorganization will also have high delinquency rates

a. social structure c. social traits b. social process d. social learning

Criminal Justice

The system known as "ethics of virtue" is associated with:

a. Kant. b. Aquinas. c. Aristotle. d. Hobbes.

Criminal Justice