Criminal Justice | Learning Resources | Section 6.2

Criminal Justice: An Overview of the System by Adam J. McKee

Section 6.2: Prisons


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Learning Resources


Learning Objectives
6.2(a) Describe the purposes of today’s prisons.
6.2(b) Describe the size and characteristics of the prison population in the United States today.
6.2(c) Explain the ideas of “just deserts” and “get tough on crime” policies and how they impacted prison populations.
6.2(d) Trace the development of modern prisons, identifying key reformers.

Slide Presentations

For the Classroom: INTRO Section 6.2- Prisons

For Printing: INTRO Section 6.2_ Prisons [PRINTABLE]

Present from the web:


Key Terms

  • American Correctional Association
  • Congregate System
  • Crime Control Model
  • Custody Level
  • Death Row
  • Declaration of Principles
  • Elmira Reformatory
  • John Howard
  • Lease System
  • Maximum-security Prison
  • Medical Model
  • Medium-security Prison
  • Minimum-security Prison
  • Penitent, Penitentiary
  • Pennsylvania System
  • Prison Overcrowding
  • Prison Programs
  • Private Prisons
  • Reception Facility
  • Reformatory Movement
  • Rehabilitation Model
  • Special Populations
  • Super-maximum-security Prison
  • Walnut Street Jail
  • Women’s Prisons
  • Zebulon Brockway

Download a Printable Vocabulary Study Guide [PDF]: Intro_Section_6.2

In your more advanced courses and in your future career, your understanding of many technical and legal terms will be taken for granted.  It is vital that you take the time to really understand the terms presented at the end of each section of this course.  We’ve gone to great lengths to provide you with assistance in mastering this vocabulary.  Don’t forget that there is an extensive glossary that defines all of the bold terms that you will encounter in your reading.  In addition, the vocabulary for each section has been made available on a very useful website called Cram.com.  This site has a wide selection of flashcards for you to study, memorize, test yourself on, and more.  Cram also has a large app store so you can find other mobile flashcards for your Android, iPhone or Windows device, allowing you to take your flashcards on the go. There are even games that add some fun to learning important terms.

Study Flashcards for this vocabulary on Cram.com.

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Last Updated:  04/20/2021

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