Discussion Questions

  1. How are the outlined philosophical underpinnings incorporated throughout various aspects of the U.S. justice system?
  2. Why is incarceration not found to be consistently an effective deterrent?
  3. What are potential examples of mitigating factors? Aggravating circumstances?
  4. Discuss factors that contribute to sentencing disparities and how they undermine rehabilitation and deterrence goals.
  5. How does social learning theory apply to prisons and their deterrence affect?
  6. Discuss examples of conflict theory in the U.S. justice system today.
  7. With which philosophical underpinnings do you most align? How does the U.S. justice system currently incorporate this philosophy? How could it do a better job of incorporating it?