(2) AC 3.1 - Explain the roles of agencies in social control

Question 1

Agencies in social control.

Answer 1

Government sponsored - police, CPS, judiciary, prisons probation.

Non - government - charities / pressure groups.

Question 2

Police philosphy.

Answer 2

Sir Robert Peel said : the basic mission of the police is to prevent crime and disorder, this depends on the public’s cooperation and approval. The use of physical force is the last resort. Police must be impartial. Police and the public share the role.

Question 3

Aims and objectives of the police

Answer 3

Association of Chief Police Officers - aims are to: keep the peace and maintain order, protect life and property, prevent and investigate crime, bring offenders to justice.
Most powers are given to the police by the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (1984)

Question 4

Funding of the police

Answer 4

2020/21 - £15.2 billion. 2/3 from central government, some from local council tax and some charging for services, (football matches)

Question 5

Police reach

Answer 5

Today - 39 regional police forces in England and Wales (local reach)
Specialist police forces with UK-wide reach = National Crime Agency, Border Force.

Question 6

Types of criminality and offenders police deal with

Answer 6

Police deal with all types of offender.
Some specialist law enforcement agencies deal with specific types of crime (HM Revenue and Customs deal with tax evasion and fraud.)

Question 7

CPS philosophy

Answer 7

Values - independence and fairness, honesty and openness, treating everyone with respect, behaving professionally, equality and inclusion

Question 8

Funding of the CPS

Answer 8

1/2 billion per year.
Mostly from the government.
2018 - budget fallen by 25% and 1/3 staff lost.

Question 9

Aims and objectives of the CPS.

Answer 9

Advises police in their investigations, independently assesses evidence submitted to it by police, decides whether to prosecute and charges, prepares and presents prosecution cases, supports victims and witnesses.

Question 10

CPS reach

Answer 10

National body in England and Wales.
14 regional area teams prosecuting cases locally.
CPS direct is a ‘virtual’ 15th area providing 24/7 service.

Question 11

Types of criminality and offenders that the CPS deal with.

Answer 11

Except some very minor offences. CPS deals with wide range of offences and criminals, including serious cases.

Question 12

Further information about the CPS

Answer 12

decisions to prosecute - prosecutors must apply evidential test and public interest test. The threshold test may also be applied in certain circumstances.

Question 13

Philosophy for judiciary

Answer 13

6 principles in the Guide to Judicial Conduct : judicial independence (free from government interference), impartiality, integrity, propriety (upholding society’s accepted standards), ensuring equal treatment, competence.
Judges swear to 2 oaths - allegiance and judicial

Judge cannot me fired from their role - only happened once and must be fired by the monarch.

Question 14

Aims and objectives of the judiciary

Answer 14

Interpret and apply law.
Crown court - judge must manage trial, explaining legal issues and procedures to jury.
Court of Appeal - judge makes rulings on appeals that come before them from lower courts in hierarchy.

Question 15

Funding of the judiciary

Answer 15

Based on advise of an independent body, which makes recommendations to Prime Minister on how much judges should be paid.
In 2020 - the most senior judge received £262000 while district judges earned £112000.

Question 16

Reach of judiciary.

Answer 16

Supreme court - nation wide
lower courts (crown) - local

Question 17

Types of criminality / offender that the judiciary deal with

Answer 17

All types of crimes except less serious which are usually dealt with magistrates or by cautions/penalties from police.

Question 18

Further information about the judiciary

Answer 18

The position of judges reflects the importance of maintaining their dependence.
They have security of tenure - cannot be removed from the office unless a petition to the Queen/King passes through both houses.
Salary is guaranteed.

Question 19

Philosophy for prisons

Answer 19

Preventing victims by changing lives of offenders

Question 20

Aims and objectives of prisons

Answer 20

Protect public from harm, help offenders to rehabilitate so they can contribute positively to society, hold prisoners securely and implement sentences of courts.

Question 21

Funding of prisons

Answer 21

Paid for by the government out of general taxation.
2018 - £3 billion, 16% lower than 2010 which led to staff cuts.
Average cost of keeping a prisoner in public sector prisons in 2019 was £41136 per year.

Question 22

Reach of prisons

Answer 22

Prison service is nationally organised.
When sentenced, prisoner is placed in a local prison, given security classification then may be moved.

Question 23

Types of criminality/offender that prisons deal with

Answer 23

Deals with high risk offenders who are deemed unsuitable to serve sentence in community.
Range of seriousness varies.

Question 24

Further information about prisons

Answer 24

In 2019 - 121 prisons holding around 80000 prisoners, 106 were public sector.
Use incentives and earned privileges to encourage prisoners to follow rules

Question 25

Philosophy of National Probation Service

Answer 25

Core values : offenders can change for the better, worth and dignity of individual, commitment to social justice, inclusion, equality and diversity.

Question 26

Aims and objectives of the National Probation Service.

Answer 26

A statutory criminal justice service that supervises high risk offenders released into the community.
Priority is to protect public by rehabilitating offenders by tackling the cause of offending.
Supervises offenders released on licence from prison.

Question 27

Funding of National Probation Service

Answer 27

Part of HM Prison and Probation Service - 2018 budget was £4.6 billion.
Provided by government and general taxation

Question 28

Reach of National Probation Service

Answer 28

National service, but also delivers service regionally and locally. They prepare pre-sentence reports for the courts and advise on appropriate sentence.

Question 29

Types of criminality/offender the National Probation Service deals with

Answer 29

Around 250000 offenders on probation at once - offenders who are deemed safe enough to serve their sentence in the community.

Question 30

Philosophy of charities and pressure groups.

Answer 30

Nacro (National Association for the care and Resettlement of Offenders)

Social justice charity seeking to change lives and prevent crime.
Supports ban the box campaign - aims to enable people with criminal convictions to compete for jobs by removing the tick box on criminal convictions.

Question 31

Aims and objectives of charities and pressure groups

Answer 31

Overcome the ex-offender stereotype.
Provides services including : housing (houses over 3000 tenants, 2018 - over 2600 people left in custody with permanent accommodations). Education (2018 - 4900 people studied through Nacro’s services). Resettlement advise. Outreach projects (prevent young people reoffending).

Question 32

Funding for charities and pressure groups

Answer 32

Income of £50m per year.
Public donations, government grants and contracts for providing services.

Question 33

Types of criminality/offender that charities and pressure groups deal with.

Answer 33

Range of ex-offenders.
Works with young people at risk of offending - those excluded from mainstream school.
Concerned with needs of disadvantaged young people and adults.

Question 34

Reach of charities and pressure groups

Answer 34

National organisation
Local activities around 50 parts of England and Wales.