Final answer:
Attica Correctional Facility is widely recognized for its ambitious reform efforts, especially following the 1971 prison riot. A 'total institution' refers to a place like a jail, where residents live under strictly controlled conditions, exemplified by prisons such as San Quentin.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the New York prisons, Attica Correctional Facility is often cited as being the most ambitious in reform efforts, especially in the wake of the notorious 1971 riot. The Attica riot brought national attention to prison conditions, leading to advocacy for improvements and reform policies. While Sing Sing, Rikers Island, and Alcatraz (which is not in New York but in California) have also been known for reform efforts at various times, Attica's response to the uprising specifically highlighted substantial and systemic criminal justice reforms.
To address the question "Which of these is an example of a total institution?" the final answer is a) Jail. This is because a total institution, as defined by sociologist Erving Goffman, is a place where people are isolated from the rest of society and lead an enclosed, formally administered round of life. Prisons, like the overcrowded San Quentin depicted in the provided figure, are quintessential examples of total institutions where the lives of inmates are controlled and structured by the administration.
In two lines: The most ambitious New York prison in terms of reform efforts is Attica Correctional Facility. It became a focus for reform following the 1971 riot.