Think About Our Prison Systems

question 82

Essay

Think about our prison systems. Many folks think the role of the prison system is to punish people who break the law, and that we should have more prisons to punish more people. But let's look at what happens to the average burglar. If (s)he is caught, (s)he will probably not go to trial for a year or two and then is likely to get probation or a light sentence. If (s)he does go to prison, (s)he is unlikely to learn any useful skills and will meet other criminals who will probably not be good role models. Additionally, (s)he may not end up serving his/her entire sentence due to overcrowding conditions in prisons. Given what you know about operant learning principles, reinforcement, and punishment, critique the way our current prison system works and suggest some better ideas. Be sure to be specific about the principles that you have learned from our textbook.

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Definitions:

Church-Sect Typology

A classification system developed by sociologists to distinguish between different types of religious organizations, ranging from formal, established churches to informal, dissenting sects.

Universalist Unitarians

is a liberal religious movement characterized by a pluralistic and inclusive approach to spiritual beliefs and practices.

Atheistic Beliefs

The conviction or position that there is no deity or deities, rejecting the concept of a supernatural god or gods.

Level Of Religiosity

Indicates the intensity or degree of religious beliefs, practices, and involvement of an individual or group.