1)
1.
Do you think the methodology used to complete this study was valid?
No, because they only used data that comes from the police records. Because the research showed that most shooting was off duty officers the different explanations for the use of deadly force varies so much. I don’t think you would very be able to get any real accurate numbers.
2.
What limitations do you see, if any, in the way the study was conducted?
The data for the study came primarily from police department records. This is a huge limitation, it doesn’t show true numbers. The data isn’t researchable.
3.
Do you think that the amount of variation in the number of police shootings revealed in the study is as significant today as it was in 1977? Why or Why not?
That is the only thing I agree with, is it leads to the amount of variation in how it’s studied. It is a good topic for a study, I just don’t think it’s valid, and there is much better research out today than in 1977.
2) I do feel that todays outlook on the treatment of convicted people has progressed and is classified under classical criminology. Torture has been abolished and the accused has the right to a speedy trial. Of course, that does not always happen in the real world due to the rise in crime. The growth of treatment leans towards more realistic punishment for an offender based off of the crime committed. Punishment is not looked at as a "pay back" for society but more of a deterrence. Although, district attorney's do take the victims opinions into account before offering plea deals. Facilities are categorized by severity of crime and gender. They offer meals to every inmate and work opportunities to criminals who have shown they deserve the opportunity. There will always be some members of society who believe that punishments should be harsher and in some cases they should be but there has to be a balance in our criminal justice system.
Chapter 3: What lesson's can today's correctional professionals learn from the historical punishment practices covered in this chapter? Which practices should we not reinstate? Which practices should we consider adopting?
I believe that in order to reform a criminal, brutal punishment is not the answer. In the 1800s correctional professionals relied on punishments that physically brutal. This included flogging, being hit repeatedly with a whip or stick and branding, where a mark or symbol is burned into the skin. Once penitentiaries were introduced, the United States began building these in many different states and punishment moved to more of confinement. I feel that this was the beginning of better understanding how to successfully handle convicted criminals. The lease system seems to be a practice that could be beneficial to the United States if the offender and the contractor could be trusted. This could be a positive way to help the country complete projects and allow the offender the opportunity to understand the working world while not being confined for as many hours. It has been researched that so much confinement can cause harm to mental health and may be some of the reason that criminals reoffend once released. The Medical Model is another positive aspect to the criminal justice system. Not all criminals commit crimes due to mental health, social status or biological deficiencies but a large number of offenders have trouble in these categories and without treatment, there is a higher chance of reoffending. The practice of brutal punishment in any form should not be reinstated besides the death penalty when appropriate.
Reference:
Clear, T. Reisig, M. Cole, G. (2018). The History of Corrections in America, Chapter 3. American Corrections.