🚫| 8. Prisons & Alternatives Flashcards
1
Q
Purposes of Prisons
A
- Public Safety
- Punishment
- Rehabilitation
2
Q
Ineffectiveness of Prisons
A
- Overcrowding
- Short Sentences
- Drug Smuggling
- Lack of Safety
3
Q
Alternatives to Prisons
A
- Community Payback Orders
- Restriction of Liberty Orders
- Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
- Fines
4
Q
Effective Prison Alternatives
A
- Commnunity Payback Orders
- Restriction of Liberty Orders
5
Q
Ineffective Prison Alternatives
A
- Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
- Fines
6
Q
Purpose of Prisons:
Public Safety
A
- One purpose of prisons is public safety.
- The most basic function of prisons is to keep dangerous offenders away from the public so they cannot harm others - this applies to crimes like murder, assault and terror-related offences.
- For example, as of The 30th June 2023 there were 234 people in custody for terror-related offences in the UK.
7
Q
Purpose of Prisons:
Punishment
A
- One purpose of prisons is punishment.
- Many believe that morally people who commit crimes should face consequences, with prison being the punishment.
- For example, a 2019 poll found that 70% of British people think prison sentences are not harsh enough.
8
Q
Purpose of Prisons:
Rehabilitation
A
- One purpose of prisons is rehabilitation.
- Prisons should provide education, training and support to prevent criminals from re-offending after they are released.
- For example, the UK Government offer guidance on their website for rehabilitation in prisons.
9
Q
Ineffectiveness of Prisons:
Overcrowding
A
- One way that prisons are ineffective is overcrowding.
- Overcrowding in Scottish prisons is a major issue, and means that there is little time for rehabilitation and an increase in tension and violence.
- For example, in an interview with the BBC in Februrary 2024 the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service said that emergency powers to release prisoners early may be required due to overcrowding.
10
Q
Ineffectiveness of Prisons:
Short Sentences
A
- One way that prisons are ineffective is short sentences.
- Prison sentences that are under 6 months are ineffective at preventing re-offending as this time frame does not allow for rehabilitation and can often disrupt relationships, addiction treatments and housing arrangements.
- For example, in June 2019 MPs voted to extend the presumption against short sentences due to their lack of effectiveness.
11
Q
Ineffectiveness of Prisons:
Drug Smuggling
A
- One way that prisons are ineffective is drug smuggling.
- Drugs can be smuggled into prisons by visitors or even guards, which prevents rehabilitation as prisoners are able to engage in addiction - this is a cause of crime in itself.
- For example, Police Scotland worked with HMP Perth in March 2024 to tackle illegal drug supply in the prison.
12
Q
Ineffectiveness of Prisons:
Lack of Safety
A
- One way that prisons are ineffective is a lack of safety.
- A rise in death rates in Scottish Prisons has shown that safety standards are not what they should be in prisons - this decreases their effectiveness.
- For example, in 2022 there was a 60% increase in the number of inmate deaths from the previous year.
13
Q
Alternatives to Prison:
Community Payback Orders
A
- One alternative to prison is community payback orders.
- Community payback orders involve offenders undertaking a set number of hours of unpaid work which can involve clearing graffitti, picking up litter, helping in charity shops and more.
- For example, Scottish Courts can sentence someone to between 20 and 300 hours of unpaid work under a community payback order.
14
Q
Alternatives to Prison:
Restriction of Liberty Orders
A
- One alternative to prison is restriction of liberty orders.
- Restriction of liberty orders use electronic tags to restrict an offenders movement. The tag sends a signal to the police if the offender leaves a designated area.
- For example, the Scottish Government’s sentence guidance for restriction of liberty orders is restricting an individual to a specified place for up to 12 hours a day and/or from a specified place for up to 24 hours.
15
Q
Alternatives to Prison:
Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
A
- One alternative to prison is drug treatment and testing orders.
- Drug treatment and testing orders provide treatment to tackle addiction through social and addiction workers and test offenders regularly to ensure that they make progress.
- For example, drug treatment and testing orders can be given in sheriff and high courts, and are mostly given in cases where drug misuse is a significant factor behind the offence.
