Chapter 7 Test Bank
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following areas of the criminal justice system is the least popular in
society?
a. Law enforcement
b. The courts
c. Corrections
d. Each area of the criminal justice system is equally popular
2. Most of the general public has what kind of knowledge about correctional
institutions?
a. Most of the general public has experienced knowledge
b. Most of the general public has conversational knowledge
c. Most of the general public has neither experienced or conversational
knowledge
d. Most of the general public has both experienced and conversational
knowledge
3. Which of the following components of the media is most influential in regards to
the social construction of corrections?
a. Television shows
b. Films
c. Newspaper articles
d. Books
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the narrative staples of characters in the
corrections film genre?
a. Convict buddies
b. Evil wardens
c. Gang affiliates
d. Bloodthirsty convicts
5. Which of the following prison film narratives was popular from 1929-1942 and
presents inmates as victims of injustice?
a. Nature of confinement correctional films
b. Authority and control correctional films
c. Freedom and release correctional films
d. Pursuit of justice correctional films
6. In which of the following prison film narratives are offenders personally
responsible for their own actions?
a. Nature of confinement correctional films
b. Authority and control correctional films
c. Freedom and release correctional films
d. Pursuit of justice correctional films
7. Which of the following prison film narratives is currently popular and can be
exemplified by early era portraits such as The Shawshank Redemption?
a. Nature of confinement correctional films
b. Authority and control correctional films
c. Freedom and release correctional films
d. Pursuit of justice correctional films
8. Which of the following prison film narratives is characterized by extreme
violence?
a. Nature of confinement correctional films
b. Authority and control correctional films
c. Freedom and release correctional films
d. Pursuit of justice correctional films
9. Television representations of corrections imply an inability of the correctional
system to rehabilitate offenders by presenting what ratio of first-time offenders to
habitual offenders?
a. 1:2
b. 1:4
c. 1:10
d. 1:20
10. Which of the following percentages is accurate in regards to news reports of
criminal justice institutions?
a. Approximately 50 percent focus on stories on law enforcement activities
b. Approximately 30 percent focus on court proceedings
c. Less than 5 percent focus on corrections
d. All of the above
11. How often are correctional personnel quoted in news stories?
a. 1 percent of the total
b. 5 percent of the total
c. 10 percent of the total
d. 12 percent of the total
12. Which of the following justifications is available to prison administrators who are
looking to limit media access?
a. Claims of institutional security needs
b. Ongoing investigations
c. Bureaucratic red tape
d. All of the above
13. Which of the following is LEAST likely to leak news information about
correctional conditions?
a. Elected officials
b. Researchers and academics
c. Defense attorneys
d. None of the above
14. Correctional media typically portray correctional officers as which of the
following?
a. Local heroes
b. Bureaucratic flunkies
c. Smug hacks
d. None of the above
15. Which of the following is true of media-constructed criminal justice personnel?
a. Law enforcement personnel are most likely to be portrayed as heroic
personnel
b. Corrections personnel are least likely to be portrayed as heroic personnel
c. Both A and B are true
d. Neither A or B is true
True/False
1. Corrections institutions have contributed to their poor image.
2. Part of correctional films’ popularity comes from the fact that correctional films
are marketed as being based on true stories and/or actual events.
3. In television entertainment programming, shows focused on corrections have been
more numerous than shows focused on courts.
4. Corrections fares well in the news because news media journalists traditionally
have access to numerous corrections sources.
5. The day-to–day administration of punishment as a loss of freedom and attempts to
rehabilitate are common narratives in corrections news and media.
6. When corrections does appear in the news, focus is primarily on the inmates and
not on the staff.
7. As with law enforcement and court news stories, corrections news does not focus
on policy questions.
8. If correctional institutions are constructed as understaffed, underfunded places
where humane correctional officers are trying to supervise large numbers of
offenders, some of whom are redeemable, then public monies for these
institutions and their programs will make more sense.
9. One concern in corrections is that negative portrayals of corrections officers will
result in fewer people wanting to start a career in corrections.
10. Despite negative portrayals of corrections in the media, there is no concern of the
general public losing confidence in the ability of the corrections institution in
deterring, rehabilitating, or retaining criminals.