state prisons
Assignment 4. Characteristics of state prisoners in NJ. Information needed for this assignment is found in a 2015 report at the New Jersey Department of Corrections website page on offender statistics: http://www.state.nj.us/corrections/pdf/offender_statistics/2015/Entire%20Offender%20Characteristics%202015.pdf If you have trouble opening the above link, then use the link below and choose the 2015 report: http://www.state.nj.us/corrections/pages/offender_stats.html Answer the following questions (some of the answers to the questions below are found on the Highlights page; for other answers you will need to examine the individuals tables): Question Set 1: What is the total number of inmates in all NJ state correctional institutions and satellite units? What is the number in prison complexes only? Question Set 2: What is the percentage of men (male offenders in other facilities) incarcerated for violent offenses? What is the percentage of women offenders incarcerated for violent offenses (the women’s facility is called Edna Mahan)? Did you think that the violent percentages would be similar or different for men and women? Why? Question Set 3: What is the total percentage of offenders incarcerated for drug offenses? Were you surprised by this? Did you think this percentage would be higher or lower and why did you think that? Are most of the drug offenses for possession of drugs or are they for sale and distribution? Is that what you thought? Why? Question Set 4: With regard to the term inmates are sentenced to, what length of time is the most common prison sentence for men and what length of time is the most common prison sentence for women? What is the total number of inmates serving a life without parole sentence (LWOP)? Were you surprised by the number of LWOP inmates? Why? Question Set 5: What is the percentage of inmates that are serving mandatory minimum terms? What is the most common term (years?). How do mandatory minimum sentences lead to prison overcrowding? Question Set 6: What is the racial breakdown (percentages) of white and black inmates? View the census information for the entire state of NJ at: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/34000.html –What is the black and white racial breakdown for the state and how does this compare with the racial breakdown for inmates that you determined in 6a? What is the term used in your book and in the lecture to describe the fact that black inmates, (and in particular, young, African American males), are incarcerated at much higher rates than white inmates? Label your responses 1 a, 1b, 2a, etc. and include part of the question in your response. You must respond to each part of the question and you must use complete sentences.