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Northern Essex Community College

Module 7: Security Threat Groups, Prisoners’ Rights, and Contemporary Corrections 

Review all module materials and expectations carefully before beginning your work.

Module Overview

This culminating module examines several critical dimensions of corrections while challenging students to synthesize what they have learned across the course. Students will begin by exploring the role of prison gangs—also known as Security Threat Groups (STGs)—within U.S. correctional facilities. Emphasis is placed on their history, organizational structures, operations, and the influence they exert on prison life and community safety.

The module also reviews strategies used to identify, manage, and disrupt STGs, including segregation, intelligence gathering, and desegregation initiatives, highlighting both their effectiveness and their limitations. The module then turns to the evolving rights of incarcerated individuals. While prison is inherently restrictive, courts have consistently upheld constitutional protections for inmates, particularly in areas of medical care, religious practices, and gender identity. Students will examine case law and policy decisions that shape how prisons balance institutional security with the provision of healthcare and religious accommodations. Special attention will be given to current controversies surrounding gender-affirming medical care, access to religious services, and the extent to which correctional authorities must recognize or restrict religious practices behind bars.

Finally, the module concludes with a capstone project that requires students to critically apply knowledge to a real-world correctional issue. Students may choose between a traditional research paper or a creative project, both designed to demonstrate mastery of all six course Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). The assignment emphasizes academic rigor, professional relevance, and ethical reflection, including consideration of how AI tools can and should be used in the learning process.

Important: Carefully review all module materials, instructions, and grading expectations before beginning any activity.

Student Learning Outcomes
  • SLO1: Examine the role of correctional organizations in the criminal Justice system.
  • SLO2: Identify the historical, sociological, and political impact of punishment and incarceration.
  • SLO3: Distinguish the structures of correctional organizations.
  • SLO4: Evaluate sentencing discretion and alternatives.
  • SLO5: Discuss community corrections, probation & parole.
  • SLO6: Elaborate current trends in corrections including “private prisons”, restorative justice, etc.
  • SLO7: Estimate the impact of “prisonization” on inmates.
  • SLO8: Assess offender classification and Direct Supervision.
  • SLO9: Examine both the pros and cons of the death penalty.
What You Will Do
  • Complete assigned readings or instructional materials.
  • Participate in discussions or applied learning activities.
  • Complete written, practical, creative, or problem-based assignments.
  • Review instructor feedback and module expectations.
  • Review all materials carefully before beginning assignments.
  • Follow assignment instructions and grading rubrics closely.
  • Proofread all submissions before posting or uploading.
  • Ask questions early if anything is unclear.