Mays and Winfree, Essentials of Corrections, 5Th Edition

Mays and Winfree, Essentials of Corrections, 5th edition

Web Resources/Sites by Chapter

Web Resources

There are a vast number of sites on the internet that can provide additional information in support of the materials you have read in the textbook and the discussions you have in class. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it is designed to point you in the direction of some of the most reliable and up-to-date resources related to the topic of corrections as it is broadly defined. Your professor may be able to provide additional sources of information, and your college or university library is another place you may look for resources beyond what we have listed.

Chapter 1

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

Most of the data cited in this chapter and throughout this book dealing with the number of correctional clients and similar items are accessed through this site. Some of the documents available here are also on the NCJRS website.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service—

The National Criminal Justice Reference Service is somewhat like the federal government’s online library for all types of publications on criminal justice topics. Some of the older publications are available only in print and must be ordered. Newer publications are available in electronic format and can be downloaded.

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention—

While this book focuses primarily on adult offenders, the OJJDP website provides interesting and useful information on topics such as deinstitutionalization and disproportionate minority contact. It is also a helpful place to begin comparisons between juvenile and adult offenders.

Theories of Punishment and Mandatory Minimum Sentences—

This is an overview presented before the US Sentencing Commission that summarizes the various theories of punishment presented in the text and provides recent data (as of 2010) on the impact of sentencing changes on correctional populations.

Chapter 2

American Correctional Association—

The American Correctional Association grew out of the National Prison Association. The ACA is one of the leading professional organizations in the field of corrections and it includes several sources relating to the history of corrections in the United States.

Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility—

This site belongs to an organization that works for “peace, environmental protection ... and social justice.” It provides a brief history of prisons in England and the United States.

John Howard Society—

John Howard was one of the early English reformers in the area of prisons and punishments. This website links to the John Howard Society of Canada, but there are separate Howard Societies in many places in the English speaking world. A little looking will help you find others.

Pennsylvania Prison Society—

The Society of Friends (Quakers) was one of the early prison reform groups in the United States. They were especially influential in Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Prison Society became (and continues to be) active in the area of prison reform. They publish The Prison Journal, a scholarly refereed journal dedicated to correctional research.

Chapter 3

American Civil Liberties Union—

The American Civil Liberties Union is concerned with a number of issues related to sentencing and criminal sanctions. Their website contains a variety of articles dealing with questions of equity and proportionality.

Amnesty International—

Amnesty International monitors correctional institutions and punishments in the United States and around the world. They are particularly concerned with, and critical of, the approach the United States takes to the death penalty.

Death Penalty Information Center—

While the Bureau of Justice Statistics and the NCJRS provide many publications in the area of the death penalty, there are also privately sponsored sites such as this one that contain a great deal of up-to-date information on the status of the death penalty in the United States.

Death Penalty Resource and Defense Center—

This is another source of death penalty information, especially as it relates to the legal defense of capital cases.

National Center for State Courts—

This is one of the most comprehensive sites available for court processing information. Anyone interested in the number of cases processed by state courts (for example, felony cases processed per year) should explore this site.

The Sentencing Project—

This organization is dedicated to a “fair and effective criminal justice system by promoting alternatives to incarceration, reforms in sentencing law and practice, and better use of community-based services and institutions.” Their site provides a treasure trove of information related to the topics covered in this chapter.

Uniform Crime Reports—

This is the source for the most recent crime statistics for the United States. While there are a number of flaws in the UCR system, it remains one of the places that criminal justice officials and members of the general public can go to see for example, the latest crime, arrest, trends in the United States.

Chapter 4

American Probation and Parole Association—

The APPA is the leading professional organization for people working in community supervision in corrections. The website provides links to a number of publications along with the goals of the organization and ways in which to become a member.

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

National Center for Institutions and Alternatives—

This organization was founded by Jerome Miller who was responsible for closing most of the secure juvenile institutions in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The organization promotes alternatives to secure incarceration for a wide variety of correctional clients.

Office for Victims of Crime—

Much has been made of the way the criminal justice system often ignores the needs of crime victims. This agency, located in the US Department of Justice, was created to address the needs of crime victims and to provide ways to mitigate the pain and suffering that resulted from their victimization. In particular, attention is paid to preventing a “second victimization” at the hands of agents of the criminal justice system.

Urban Institute—

The Urban Institute is a Washington, DC-based “think tank” that carries out research on a number of contemporary social problems, among them juvenile justice and criminal justice issues (such as the reintegration of inmates back into the community).

US Probation and Pretrial Services—

This is the home website of the federal Probation and Pretrial Services Office. It provides an overview of the history and mission of this agency, along with the workload handled by federal probation and pretrial services officers.

Chapter 5

American Jail Association—

The American Jails Association was formed as a result of the realization that much of institutional corrections focuses on prisons, while jails are much more pervasive. The AJA has become a leading advocate for professionalization of jail employees and certification of jail facilities. It publishes American Jails magazine to keep its members abreast of the latest developments in the field.

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

National Criminal Justice Reference Service—

National Institute of Corrections—

The National Institute of Corrections provides a wealth of information for corrections practitioners including information on jails, prisons, and community corrections.

Chapter 6

American Correctional Association—

Correctional Education Association—

This organization represents those individuals who provide educational opportunities for correctional clients, especially those housed in secure prisons.

National Prison Project (American Civil Liberties Union)—

The National Prison Project is a component of the American Civil Liberties Union. It has been instrumental in bringing lawsuits in a number of states challenging the conditions of confinement found in prisons (as well as jails, in some cases).

US Bureau of Prisons—

The USBOP (or sometimes just BOP) is responsible for the management of the federal prison system in the United States. This site contains a great deal of information on the number and location of federal prisons, as well as an up-to-date count on the number of federal prison inmates. It is useful to compare this site to the individual state sites provided at the end of this document.

Vera Institute of Justice—

This is another private organization devoted to criminal justice issues broadly defined. It regularly produces reports, including one in 2012 that examined the actual costs of prisons that are borne by taxpayers.

Chapter 7

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

National Criminal Justice Reference Service—

National Prison Project (American Civil Liberties Union)—

US Bureau of Prisons—

Chapter 8

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

National Center for Juvenile Justice—

The National Center for Juvenile Justice provides a wealth of information on the youngsters processed by the justice systems of the various states.

National Criminal Justice Reference Service—

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention—

Chapter 9

American Probation and Parole Association—

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

Correctional Education Association—

This organization represents those individuals who provide educational opportunities for correctional clients, especially those housed in secure prisons.

Chapter 10

The Corrections Connection—

This is a privately operated website that allows individuals to search for corrections jobs around the United States, as well as allowing them to post their resumes in order to have them seen by potential employers.

CorrectionsOne—

This is one of the most popular sites for correctional officers. It has news items, videos, products, and job listings.

Federal Government Job Site—

This site lists all of the jobs in all of the career fields that are currently available in the federal government. A subsection of the jobs relate to the criminal justice field, including those in corrections.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics—

This is an important source of information when choosing any career. The BLS provides employment data (number of jobs and salary range) for various occupations in the United States. It also provides predictions on the job vacancies that can be expected in the future.

US Bureau of Prisons—

Chapter 11

American Correctional Association—

The Corrections Connection—

Chapter 12

Death Penalty Information Center—

Death Penalty Resource and Defense Center—

This is another source of death penalty information, especially as it relates to the legal defense of capital cases.

National Prison Project (American Civil Liberties Union)—

Chapter 13

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

National Criminal Justice Reference Service—

Chapter 14

Bureau of Justice Statistics—

National Criminal Justice Reference Service—

RAND Corporation—

The RAND Corporation is a private, non-profit organization that carries out research on a broad range of topics, including several related to corrections. Its reports are widely disseminated and they often can be influential with policymakers in many government agencies.

Urban Institute—