Discussion 1

"Corrections: An Overview" Please respond to the following:

• Examine the concept of professionalism in corrections. Provide your opinion as to whether or not professionalism in the workplace is a worthwhile area for training. Support your response with one (1) example of professionalism in corrections.

• Analyze two (2) types of punishment that were previously used to deter crime. Determine whether or not these types of punishment would be effective means by which to deter crime today. Provide a rationale for your response.

Tony GutierrezRE: Discussion 1

According to our text, in 1987, Bob Barrington, executive director of the International Association of Correctional Officers, said in a discussion about prisons, "correctional facilities. . . run smoothly and efficiently for one basic reason: the professional and forward-thinking attitudes and actions of the correctional officers employed."

Professionalism is always an area that is worthwhile for training. In corrections, when the staff and correctional officers are acting professionally, then the work is being done more effectively. This means that safety and control are more likely being achieved along with many other positive outcomes.

Unprofessional behavior can lead to problems with inmates, other staff members, and cause a sense of distrust and bitterness in the correctional department. One example of professionalism in corrections is to treat the inmates with a certain level of respect and dignity, even when they may not deserve it. Inmates will often taunt and disrespect correctional officers, a true professional will still do their job to the highest standard and maintain order and safety in the facility.

Two types of punishment that were previously used to deter crime are:

1. Branding- Branding is a type of mutilation that was used by Roman society. Criminals would be branded with a mark or letter that signified their crimes, and they would be placed on the forehead or another part of the face. This would be used to warn others that the offender has a criminal history.

2. Public humiliation- Public humiliation was used to humiliate the criminal. Some received corporal punishments is public or they had to sit in the stocks were they could be ridiculed, hit with eggs or rotten fruit, and whipped. This also served as a deterrent to other people who may try and commit the same crimes.

I don't believe that either of these types of punishments would be an effective means to deter crime today. Our society thinks much differently today than societies that used these methods in the past. I believe that most people today would consider these to be "cruel and unusual" punishments. Most past societies sought to just punish the criminal, and they did not seek to try and reform him. Our current society believes in punishment and reform, not just punishment. If you are trying to reform a person, branding and humiliation is generally not going to help with that as the branding will make it harder for an individual to obtain work, and humiliation often brings shame and bitterness.

Discussion 2

"Measuring and Comparing Crime" Please respond to the following:

• Discuss two (2) sources of data upon which your personal knowledge of transnational crime is based, such as personal experience, conversations with others, academic courses or books, newspapers or TV news, movies and TV shows, or Internet materials. Debate the degree to which you can trust each source to provide accurate, unbiased data. Support your response with at least one (1) example of transnational crime from each source.

• You have been appointed head of a United Nations agency tasked with collecting transnational crime statistics. Determine the strategy that you would utilize for collecting, compiling, and disseminating the transnational crime data that you are seeking. Explain two (2) reasons why your strategy would be most effective.

RE: Discussion 2

Hello professor and class!

The two sources of data I chose to use for this discussion are:

1. Personal knowledge

2. Internet materials

My personal knowledge of transnational crime was formed after I ordered a wrist watch from a online retailer, but the shipped/received product was a counterfeit item. I can trust that this source is accurate, (because it's me) but now that I have been a victim of transnational crime I tend to have a bias view about shopping online for expensive items.

Internet materials have plenty of information about transnational crime and can be an asset when learning about this topic. After typing "transnational crime" in a search engine thousands of articles popped up in my browser. One drawback to the Internet is the vast amount of information that is displayed for all to see. Some of this information is false and some is true, so you have to do your own independent research to find out if the site is reputable or not.

If I were appointed the head of a United Nations agency that was tasked with collecting transnational crime statistics I would use a mixture between International victimization surveys, and a country's uniform crime reports (if available).

Using international victimization surveys would help me gather non-biased information, that otherwise would be vulnerable to government screwing, in order to make a country look safer than it is. I would then compare both UCR data and IVS data to come up with a true value of that country's crime data.