AC 3.4

Question 1

Evaluate effectiveness of the Police at achieving social control

Answer 1

Strength 1)
Effective at working in the community to prevent crime & keep public safe. Also issuing notices and having specialist teams to deal with particular issues.

Weakness 1)
Police have been labelled institutionally racist by the media following the Stephen Lawrence case.

Weakness 2)
Police closes almost half of offences with no suspect identified. This suggests a lack of effectiveness of social control.

Weakness 3)
Police believe crime is on the increase through statistics i.e. 20% increase in gun and knife crime, however statistics have to be used cautiously due to validity issues.

Question 2

Evaluate effectiveness of the CPS at achieving social control

Answer 2

Strength 1)
Is an independent agency in charging and prosecuting individuals.
It is a fair agency that allows a due process model of justice to occur.

Weakness 2)
☹Occasions when the CPS has failed to bring about social control
due to funding problems and the amount of bureaucratic ‘red tape’.

Weakness 3)
There has at times been a lack of effort to take formal action
against known offenders i.e. Abu Hamza.

Question 3

Evaluate effectiveness of the Judiciary at achieving social control

Answer 3

Weakness 1)

Suggested lack of effectiveness of the judiciary due to the increased number of appeals following lenient sentences by judges/courts.

Weakness 2)
The media portray judges as being ‘out of touch’ with real society so cannot apply relevant knowledge to a case and subsequent suitable verdict.

Weakness 3)
Judges have at times made inappropriate comments during trials, leading to sentences thought to be unsuitable given the circumstances. For example: Judge lets off a thief and commends his ‘enterprise’ or a model caught stealing from Harrods is spared jail after judge praised her ‘TALENTS’

Question 4

Evaluate effectiveness of Prisons at achieving social control

Answer 4

Weakness 1)
Many statistics show that the prison service is limited in achieving social control, prisons have a poor record for reducing reoffending with almost half of all offenders reoffending within one year.

Weakness 2)
Within prisons, there are questions over social control due to the rising numbers of prison disturbances. Riots are becoming more common within the UK prison system.

Weakness 3)
Drug use and their availability is increasing inside prisons, again suggesting a lack of social control.

Weakness 4)
Assaults on prison staff by prisoners are rising.

Question 5

Evaluate effectiveness of the Probation Service at achieving social control

Answer 5

Strength 1)
In certain areas, probation has been shown to be of good quality with strong leadership.

Weakness 1)
Reports suggest probation staff spend too much time and focus on
paperwork and targets at the expense of prisoners.

Weakness 2)
Too many prisoners have been released without knowing where they would sleep that night effectively sending them into homelessness.

Weakness 3)
Lack of mentors for offenders released from prison & risk assessments not always being carried out adequately.

Question 6

Evaluate effectiveness of Charities / Pressure groups at achieving social control

Answer 6

Strength 1)
Champion many campaigns to work towards an effective penal system.

Strength 2)
Many campaigns designed and promoting topics on mental health and vulnerable individuals.

Strength 3)
Work with other agencies of society such as police & the NHS on
campaigns.

Weakness 1)
Effectiveness can be limited by only being able to put pressure on
governments, they cannot force them to take action.