Mass Incarceration and Crime Overview
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Questions and Answers

What is the total number of individuals under correctional supervision in the U.S.?

  • 5,425,000
  • 6,536,500 (correct)
  • 4,371,800
  • 3,492,900

    • Which demographic is primarily affected by mass imprisonment according to current trends?

  • Older, Black, non-college men in rural areas
  • Young, Black, non-college men in large urban centers (correct)
  • Middle-aged, Hispanic women in metropolitan areas
  • Young, white, college-educated men in suburban areas

    • What is meant by 'sheer abnormal size' in the context of mass imprisonment?

  • Significantly lower rates compared to historical data
  • A prison population size exceeding historical norms (correct)
  • A concentration of prisoners from rural areas
  • A normal rate of imprisonment by international standards

    • At peak rates, what proportion of Black men aged 20-29 were under correctional supervision?

    <p>1 in 3 (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role does socioeconomic status play in mass incarceration?

    <p>Lower socioeconomic status increases the likelihood of incarceration (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes the 'social concentration of effects' related to mass imprisonment?

    <p>Imprisonment impacting entire demographic groups systematically (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does community supervision differ from traditional incarceration?

    <p>Community supervision allows individuals to serve sentences outside of jail or prison (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary consequence of mass incarceration on communities?

    <p>Reduction in crime rates and community trust (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What trend in imprisonment rates was observed starting around the early 70s until the late 90s?

    <p>Imprisonment rates steadily increased. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What relationship drew attention regarding crime rates and imprisonment rates?

    <p>Imprisonment rates began climbing about a decade after crime rates. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    By how much did crime rates decline after 1991?

    <p>Crime rates kept declining for two decades. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which period saw a consistent increase in both crime and imprisonment rates?

    <p>Mid-70s to early 90s. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What phenomenon is often debated in relation to the causes of mass incarceration?

    <p>Rise in violent crime. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What cumulative risk remained consistent for certain birth cohorts by 1999?

    <p>Risk of imprisonment. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can be inferred about crime rates from the late 70s to the early 90s?

    <p>They experienced a consistent rise. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which period did imprisonment rates not align with the trend of crime rates?

    <p>From early 70s to late 90s. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately reflects the relationship between crime rates and imprisonment rates?

    <p>Imprisonment rates increased significantly after 1991 despite falling crime rates. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is indicated as a major contributor to the rise of American imprisonment rates?

    <p>The political will of American politicians to implement punitive policies. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a factor leading to the adoption of punitive policies?

    <p>Public health concerns (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What evidence suggests that crime alone does not explain mass incarceration in the U.S.?

    <p>Crime rates fell even as imprisonment rates continued to grow. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which period did crime and imprisonment rates rise together?

    <p>From 1980 to 1991 (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about the U.S. penal system is correct according to the provided information?

    <p>Partisan competition has influenced punitive policy decisions significantly. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the information suggest about the role of crime in shaping public policy?

    <p>Crime serves as a context for the establishment of punitive laws. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which issue is NOT connected to the rise of punitive policies in American society?

    <p>The public’s decreasing trust in law enforcement (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Flashcards

    Mass Incarceration

    A significantly high rate of imprisonment and a large prison population, exceeding historical and comparative norms for similar societies.

    Crime's role in mass incarceration

    Crime is a contributing factor to the increase in incarceration rates but not the sole cause.

    Defining characteristics of mass imprisonment

    Includes sheer abnormal size (high imprisonment rate) and social concentration of effects (systematically impacting specific groups).

    Social Concentration of Effects

    Mass imprisonment disproportionately affects particular social groups, like young, Black, non-college men in urban areas.

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    Local Jail

    Facility for holding individuals awaiting court action or serving misdemeanor sentences (under a year).

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    Prison

    Facility for holding individuals serving felony sentences (over a year).

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    Community Supervision

    Methods of monitoring individuals outside of jail or prison, like probation and parole.

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    Historical Trends

    The study of how crime rates and imprisonment rates have changed over time in the US.

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    Imprisonment Rates

    The number of people imprisoned per 100,000 people in a population, over time.

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    Crime Rates

    The number of crimes committed per 100,000 people in a population, over time.

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    Crime & Imprisonment Correlation

    Relationship between changes in crime rates and imprisonment rates.

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    1970s-1990s Trends

    Increased crime and imprisonment from mid-70s to 90s, but imprisonment rates rose more steadily than crime rates did.

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    Crime Rate Decline (1990s)

    Crime rates decreased from early 90s into the 2000s.

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    Imprisonment Lag

    Imprisonment rates continued to rise even after crime rates started falling. Imprisonment rates did not fully align with the trend of crime rates.

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    Cumulative Risk of Imprisonment

    The overall probability of being imprisoned across different age groups and periods.

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    Crime and Imprisonment Relationship

    Crime rates and imprisonment rates are not directly correlated, especially after 1991. While they were linked for a time, later crime rates declined while imprisonment rates continued to rise.

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    Mass Incarceration Cause

    Mass incarceration wasn't solely caused by rising crime rates, but rather by specific policies and political motivations.

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    Post-1991 Trend

    After 1991, violent crime rates fell, but imprisonment rates continued to increase.

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    Contributing Factors to Mass Incarceration

    A combination of racial politics, partisan competition, and societal views on crime influenced punitive policies leading to increased imprisonment.

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    Crime as Context

    Crime was a factor used as a pretext in later punitive law creation.

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    Imprisonment Rate Trend (1960-2016)

    Imprisonment rates escalated throughout the 1990s and 2000s, although this wasn't directly linked to rising crime rates.

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    Crime Rate Trend

    Violent crime rates rose until around 1991, then started to significantly decline.

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    Punitive Policies

    The specific laws and practices that punished individuals more harshly, contributing to mass incarceration.

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    Study Notes

    Mass Incarceration and Crime

    • Mass incarceration is a significant issue, characterized by unusually high rates of imprisonment.
    • The number of prisoners under state and federal jurisdiction significantly increased between 1980 and 2016.
    • Key defining characteristics include sheer abnormal size (significantly higher rates than historical averages) and social concentration of effects (targeting specific groups, notably young Black men in urban areas).
    • The contemporary American penal system encompasses local jails (for misdemeanors and those awaiting court action), prisons (for felonies), probation (an alternative to incarceration), and parole (conditional release).
    • In 2020 (using 2019 data) a total of 6,536,500 people were under correctional supervision (incarceration + community supervision).
    • Imprisonment rates often climb a decade after crime rates increase.
    • However, crime and imprisonment rates have become largely disconnected since the 1990s.
    • During this period, punitive policies replaced rising crime rates as an important factor.

    Defining characteristics of mass imprisonment

    • Imprisonment affects a larger portion of the population than typical.
    • This disproportionately affects specific demographic groups such as young adults, Black individuals, and those without a college degree, who are usually located in urban areas — based on age, race, class, and gender (among other factors).
    • These effects are amplified at particular geographic locations or geographical regions, often urban centers.
    • Incarceration rates, measured per 100,000 U.S. residents, rose significantly from the 1980s through the mid-2010s.
    • State-level incarceration rates differ substantially.
    • Some states have much higher incarceration rates than average
    • The high rates of incarceration can disproportionately affect certain demographics.
    • For example, one in three Black men aged 20 to 29 were under correctional supervision, at peak rates of imprisonment.

    International comparative perspective

    • The United States has a significantly higher incarceration rate compared to other founding members of NATO.
    • The data in 2018 shows that the rate per 100,000 population is 693 for the U.S. while other members had much lower incarceration rates.

    State Variation

    • There is significant variation in incarceration rates across U.S. states.
    • Top 5 states in 2016: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Arizona
    • Bottom 5 states in 2016: Vermont, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Maine

    Numbers in Context

    • The scale of the U.S. correctional system is substantial. If the population under correctional supervision were a U.S. state, it would be exceptionally large, similar to major urban centers.
    • This visualizes the sheer size of the correctional footprint of the U.S. and its overall impact.

    Social concentration of effects

    • This focuses on how mass incarceration disproportionately impacts specific groups within a population.
    • Risk of imprisonment varies significantly depending on age, race, and education level. For instance, Black men in specific age groups have vastly higher rates of imprisonment.
    • Specific demographics are disproportionately affected by high incarceration rates compared to other demographic groups.

    Did crime cause mass incarceration?

    • Crime rates and imprisonment rates are not always closely aligned.
    • Imprisonment rates rose after crime rates, but they diverged in the 1990s.
    • Punitive policies played a significant role in the rise of incarceration rates, not just crime rates alone.

    Examples of policies

    • Sentencing guidelines, abolishment of parole, three-strikes laws, and truth-in-sentencing laws implemented over specific periods had a profound impact on imprisonment.
    • These policies were adopted at different rates depending on the state.

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    Related Documents

    Mass Incarceration and Crime PDF

    Description

    Explore the critical issue of mass incarceration in the United States and its profound effects on society. This quiz delves into the statistics, characteristics, and evolution of imprisonment rates from 1980 to 2016. Understand the interplay between crime rates and imprisonment trends, with a focus on specific demographic impacts.

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