Final answer:
Mandatory sentencing is a policy that requires judges to impose pre-determined penalties for certain offenses. This approach was prominent during the law-and-order movement of the 1990s with policies like the 'three strikes' law and remains controversial in its effectiveness within the justice system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for a policy that involves set punishments for serious offenses is known as mandatory sentencing. Mandatory sentencing laws require judges to impose predetermined penalties for certain crimes, often disregarding the individual circumstances of the case. This approach was part of the larger law-and-order movement and gained popularity in the 1990s with the implementation of policies like the "three strikes" law.
In the context of the justice system, these policies have sparked debate. They aim to serve as a deterrent to crime and reduce recidivism. However, the effectiveness of such strategies remains controversial, as they can lead to overcrowded prisons and may not support the rehabilitation of offenders effectively. Furthermore, these policies do not uniformly contribute to reductions in crime rates across different regions and types of offenses.