Final answer:
The typical American prison today is often a minimum or medium custody facility with varying levels of freedom and opportunities for rehabilitation. Private prisons are also prevalent due to the 'get tough on crime' era. Prisons and jails are considered total institutions where individuals are isolated and must follow strict rules.Option B is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
The typical American prison today varies in the level of custody but most are not the extreme types like maximum custody facilities or Administrative Maximum (ADMAX) prisons, which are designed for the most dangerous inmates and have the strictest controls. Instead, many fall under minimum or medium custody levels, where inmates have more opportunities for activities and programs aimed at rehabilitation. There is also a significant number of private prisons in the U.S., which emerged from the get tough on crime era and have financial incentives linked to incarceration rates.
Regarding the concept of a total institution, jails and prisons fit this definition as they are places where people are largely cut off from the wider society and must follow strict rules. High schools, political parties, and gyms do not meet the criteria of a total institution as they do not completely isolate individuals from society or require total control over their day-to-day lives. In contrast, a jail serves as a temporary holding facility, while a prison is for serving longer sentences; both are institutions where individuals must follow a strict regime imposed by the authority, thus fitting the definition.