8: Corrections 
Learning Objectives 
Up to this point, we have spent much time on understanding crime, how it is policed, and how it is prosecuted in 
the courts. This section will cover the last third of the justice system, corrections. This section will focus on a brief 
history of corrections, to include the philosophical underpinnings of why and how we punish people. After reading 
this section, students will be able to: 
• 
Understand where the basic concept of punishment comes from 
• 
Recognize the different ideologies of why and how people are punished 
• 
Understand how punishment has evolved in the world, and how that has shaped punishment in the 
United States 
Critical Thinking Questions 
1. 
Why are we more punitive at times than others? What changes our punitive values? 
2. 
What are some of the pros/cons of each of the four correctional ideologies? 
3. 
Does crime change depending on our collective correctional ideology, or practice? 
4. 
Does punishment change, based on our correctional ideology? How? 
5. 
What are some key explanations for the rise in the prison population in the U.S.? 
 
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