AC2 Flashcards
What is social control?
The enforcement of conformity by society upon its member, either by law or by social pressures
What are internal forms of social control?
Aspects of an individual’s character, background and morals that influence their levels of social conformity
What theorist refers to internal social control?
FREUD
- the ID and the development of the superego
What are the limitations to internal forms of social control?
Tradition & Culture
- Ones culture becomes part of their personality and they accept the norms and values
(e.g religion)
What are some agencies of external social control?
Family
Educational institutions
Religion
Mass media
Law & criminal justice
Health care
How do the Police produce external forms of control?
- fines
- cautions
- stop + search
- arrests
- being intimidating overall
How do the CPS produce external forms of control?
- prosecution
How do Judges and magistrates produce external forms of control?
- sentences
- bails
How does the prison service produce external forms of control?
- token economy
(privileges and punishments)
What is coercion?
The action or practice of persuading someone to do something/stop doing something by using force or threats
How is coercion used within criminal justice agencies?
Negative sanctions –> the threat of being forced into prison to stop reoffending
What are deterrents? (overall)
‘frightening’ the defendant or the public of punishment
What are specific deterrents?
Applies to an individual defendant
- theoretically less likely to commit another crime due to fear of another similar or worse punishment
What are general deterrents?
Applies to the public
- theoretically less likely to commit a crime bc of a fear of punishment the defendant experienced
(vicarious reinforcement)
What are the 4 conditions in Hirschi’s bond theory? (explained)
ATTACHMENT
- more attached = care abt opinion = more likely to respect norms
COMMITMENT
- more committed to conventional lifestyle = more to lose if commit crime
INVOLVEMENT
- more involved = less time to get involved with crime
BELIEF
- ideological agreement = less likely to disobey
How does control theory link to parenting?
PARENTS SHOULD
- spend time with their teenagers (involve themselves in their lives)
- be interested in their lives (school, friends, hobbies)
- show disapproval of criminal behaviour + explain the consequences
How does control theory link to containment theory?
RECKLESS argued that people have internal containment (self-control) and external containment (discipline)
- Attachment/ Belief(?)
How does control theory link to Sex role theory?
HEIDENSOHN argued that we live in a patriarchal society
- harder for women to commit crimes as they are involved in domestic duties
(involvement)
CASE STUDY for control theory
SINGAPORE: ‘CITY OF RULES’
- society of saints
- uses external fsc to push generational ideologies (e.g only being able to get a house if you are married or over 35)
- effective at reducing crime but no internal fsc
A method of reducing crime through control theories
Pre-paid benefit cards
- less likely to spend money on non-essentials like drugs and alcohol (works as a deterrent)
BUT could increase theft
Limitations with control theory
- only benefits the ruling class
- justifies increased force
- labelling theory –> crime is a response to social control
- could create a society of saints
When did prisons focus on retribution?
18th century
- capital punishments (death penalty)
- corporal punishment (branding)
- trial-by-ordeal (hot iron)
- deportation
When did prisons focus on deterrence?
19th century
- removed arbitrary punishments aimed at the body - focused on punishing the mind (panopticon)
- (prisons were centralised + there was democracy in law making)
When did prisons focus on rehabilitation?
Early 20th century
- sentencing started taking individual circumstances into consideration
(Gladstone report 1895)
