Throughout this semester we have discussed numerous aspects of the American correctional system, including aspects of mass incarceration, institutional corrections, prison management, and evidence based practice. This weeks content focuses on women in the correctional system with additional emphasis on specialty populations. To receive credit for this assignment, you must first respond to the following questions. At a minimum, your response should answer all components of each question and should be close to a single page response (i.e., 400 words). Please upload your answer either directly to Webcourses or on a separate word document. Note: Please feel free to rely on course material from Chapter 15 and any previous class notes/PowerPoints to answer the questions.
Over the past decade, the United States correctional system has seen a consistent and steady decline in jail and prison incarceration rates. However, despite an overall decline, females represents the fastest growing correctional population. Identify two possible explanations that might account for the increase in female correctional population.
Prisoner reentry has emerged as a major concern in recent years. Accordingly, many states have developed reentry programming. First, identify the primary goal of reentry programming. Second, describe how a program might be organized to achieve the stated goal while also taking into consideration responsivity factors (e.g., sex/gender) as applied to this weeks readings. This can be both in-prison and post-release correctional programs/interventions.
Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) are considered a special population in the corrections system. Why has the proportion of the correctional population with SMI grown during the era of mass incarceration? What administrative and management challenges are posed by this group within prisons? What are some negative consequences that may result from the incarceration of offenders with SMI?
