Verified Test Bank Burns Corrections Personnel

Test Bank

Criminal Justice: The System in Perspective

Ronald G. Burns

Module 30: Corrections Personnel

Multiple Choice

1. Which of the following is correct with regard to parole boards?

a. Parole board members are appointed for life terms.

b. Corrections officials determine the size of parole boards.

c. In most states, governors appoint parole boards.

d. Most parole boards consist of 20–25 members.

2. The mean annual salary for correctional officers and jailers is roughly

a. $28,400.

b. $46,700.

c. $63,100.

d. $76,200.

3. An assessment found that correctional officer training academies in almost all states trained officers in firearms basics, cell and body searches, use of force, and

a. controlling contraband.

b. report writing.

c. technology.

d. multiculturalism.

4. Which of the following is correct with regard to corrections and the mentally ill?

a. Recent legislation prohibits the incarceration of the mentally ill.

b. Mentally ill inmates face few challenges because the structured life associated with incarceration helps control their behavior.

c. It is estimated that just under one-quarter of all prison and jail inmates have a mental health problem.

d. It is estimated that over half of all prison and jail inmates have a mental health problem.

5. Within the institution, wardens are typically assisted by deputy wardens who oversee specific areas of the facility, such as management, custody, industry, and

a. treatment programs.

b. communications.

c. personnel.

d. advancement.

6. Which of the following is correct with regard to diversity among correctional staffs?

a. African Americans are largely underrepresented.

b. Hispanics are largely overrepresented.

c. Asians are underrepresented.

d. The percentages of racial and ethnic minorities among correctional staffs reflects the percentages in society in general.

7. Amended in 1972, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act does which of the following?

a. It requires drug screening for all public employees.

b. It prohibits sex-based discrimination by public employers.

c. It mandates that public employees receive a specified number of training hours.

d. It sets an age limit at which individuals can no longer work for state agencies.

True/False

8. The American Probation and Parole Association established a probation case-to-staff ratio of 200:1 for minimum supervision, 50:1 for medium supervision, and 20:1 for intensive supervision.

9. While states vary widely with regard to their requirements for the number of classroom hours of preservice training for correctional officers, the trend since the 1970s has been toward decreased training and professionalism in the field.

10. Many individuals who enter jails have not been medically screened or psychologically evaluated, which means inmate behavior may be more volatile or dangerous compared to what exists in prisons.

11. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 78% of state prison and jail inmates who met the criteria for drug dependence or abuse noted that they had received drug treatment or participated in a related program since their admission to jail or prison.

12. The high turnover rate and limited numbers of new substance abuse counselors in jails and prisons have been attributed to poor compensation for the work, emotional exhaustion, and the low prestige associated with the position.

13. The correctional workforce increased from roughly 27,000 in 1950 to an estimated 714,000 full-time employees in 2016.

14. Females are very underrepresented among the ranks of probation officers and correctional treatment specialists.

Essay Questions

15. Identify and discuss the roles of the primary personnel who work in corrections.

16. Why is diversity important with regard to correctional personnel? Is greater diversity needed within the various areas of corrections?