AC 3.3- Limitations of agencies in achieving social control

Question 1

List the 6 limitations of agencies in achieving social control.

Answer 1

1) Repeat offending (Recidivism)
2) Civil Liberties and legal barriers
3) Access to resources and support
4) Finance
5) Local and national policies
6) Crime committed by those with moral imperatives.

Question 2

What are recidivism rates?

Answer 2

Repeat offending rates

Question 3

What were the overall recidivism rates in 2017?

Answer 3

-28%.

Question 4

Give examples of groups who are more likely to reoffend.

Answer 4

-If they have more serious previous convictions.
-Males are more likely than females.
-Drug/alcohol addiction offenders.

Question 5

Which theory can repeat offending (recidivism) be linked to?

Answer 5

-Can link to the Marxists theory of crime because unemployed offenders have no choice but to reoffend if they rely solely on their benefits.

Question 6

What is an example of a legal barrier and why does this act as a limitation?

Answer 6

The Human Rights Act, acts as a limitation because police have few restrictions on their power to enforce citizens to behave as the state wishes them to.

Question 7

Give examples of Civil Liberties.

Answer 7

-Freedom of speech
-Freedom of movement
-Freedom of assembly
-Freedom of association

Question 8

Explain how access to resources and support limits social control.

Answer 8

Difficulties faced by newly released prisoners, such as:
-Inadequate resources for education and training.

Question 9

Explain how finances limit social control.

Answer 9

There have been staff cuts in prisons which has led to prisoners lacking opportunities for activities to help them rehabilitate (e.g. education).

Question 10

Outline 2 ways in which the Probation Service has been affected by finance.

Answer 10

-Staff shortages
-Failures by the private CRCs

Question 11

Explain how the prison service has been affected by staff shortages.

Answer 11

There is not enough staff to monitor the prisoners.

Question 12

Explain how the police have been affected by staff shortages.

Answer 12

The police have to work away from the front line crime fighting.

Question 13

What are local and national policies responsible for?

Answer 13

-Local policies are responsible for understanding the needs of their local populations.
-National policies are responsible for settling and allocating funding.

Question 14

Give an example of a National Policy.

Answer 14

The Home Secretary.

Question 15

Give an example of a Local Policy.

Answer 15

Increased stop and search in areas with high knife crime.

Question 16

Explain how local and national policies limit social control.

Answer 16

Local policies limit the police investigating other crimes that may be occuring in other areas, also causes moral panics.

Question 17

What is a moral imperative?

Answer 17

A strongly felt principle that compels a person to act. Offenders can commit crime as they believe they are doing the right thing from a moral viewpoint.

Question 18

Give examples of moral imperatives.

Answer 18

-KAY: assisted the suicide of her daughter who had been seriously ill for 17 years.

-THE STANDARDISED 15: 11 who were due to be deported were later given the leave to stay in the UK.