AC2.2 The aims of punishment

Question 1

What are the 5 aims of punishment?

Answer 1

Deterrence,
Retribution,

Rehabilitation,
Reparation,
Public protection,

Question 2

What does deterrence aim to do? and the 2 types?

Answer 2

Aims to dissuade the offender, or anyone in society, from committing crime through fear of punishment.

Individual deterrence = Aims to ensure that an offender does not re offend.

General deterrence = Aims to prevent potential offenders from committing a crime.

Question 3

What does retribution aim to do?

Answer 3

Punish the offender for their crime e.g. imprisonment.

Question 4

What does rehabilitation aim to do?

Answer 4

Aims to alter the offender’s mindset so that future re offending can be prevented. E.g. community service.

Getting offenders life back on track.

Reform offenders and reintroduce them into society.

Question 5

What does reparation aim to do?

Answer 5

Aims to ensure that the defendant pays back to the victim or society for their wrongdoing.
Offender has to give something back, e.g. community service, fines, restorative justice.

Question 6

What does public protection aim to do?

Answer 6

Takes dangerous offenders away from the public so they cannot harm them e.g. sending dangerous offenders to prison.
This is the idea that punishment must serve a useful purpose for society as a whole by protecting us from dangerous criminals.

Question 7

What are the 4 types of punishments?

Answer 7

Imprisonment,
Community service,

Fines,
Discharge.

Question 8

What is a fine?

Answer 8

A fine is the most common type of punishment. It’s given to low level crime. The amount that is paid depends on the severity of the crime and the financial situation of the offender.

Question 9

What is discharge?

Answer 9

Discharge is given for the least serious crimes. It means that no punishment is given for the crime but the crime still goes on the individuals criminal record. No punishment is given because the experience of going to court is punishment enough.

Question 10

What is community service?

Answer 10

A punishment given which combines punishment with activities carried out in the community. Community service aims to tackle the reasons why people have committed a crime. It helps to rehabilitate people.

Question 11

What is imprisonment?

Answer 11

Imprisonment is the most severe punishment so it is saved for the most serious crimes. It is imposed if the offender is deemed unsafe to the public. They’re 4 types of prison sentences - suspended, determinate, extended and life sentences.

Question 12

What aims of punishment do fines meet?

Answer 12

reparation and deterrence.

Question 13

What aims of punishment does community service meet?

Answer 13

reparation, retribution, rehabilitation and deterrence.

Question 14

What aims of punishment does discharge meet?

Answer 14

retribution, deterrence.

Question 15

How does retribution link to right realism?

Answer 15

Believe crime is a rational choice, offender weighs up cost v benefit, therefore punishment will deter people and protect the victim

Question 16

How does retribution link to functionalism?

Answer 16

Durkheim, crime is inevitable, harsh punishment can act as a general deterrent, boundary maintenance reminds us of whats right and wrong

Question 17

How does Eysenck’s personality theory link to rehabilitation?

Answer 17

favor the use of aversion therapy to deter offending behavior

Question 18

How do left and right realism link to rehabilitation?

Answer 18

Left realism favors rehabilitation as they want to tackle the root cause of crime and stop reoffending

right realist favor punishment and believe if a person if a person has committed a crime they should be punished

Question 19

How do statistics show that prison does not act as a deterrent?

Answer 19

46% of adults are re convicted in the year increased to 59% for sentences more than 12 months

Question 20

How do the sentences and the 2011 London riots link to deterrence?

Answer 20

Four times longer sentences for property crimes more convictions in the summer of 2010, Ursula Nevis jailed for five months for accepting looted pair of shorts

Question 21

How does deterrence link to Marxism?

Answer 21

Used to control the working class, doesn’t act for the upper class as law enforcement is selective

Question 22

How does deterrence link to Right Realism?

Answer 22

Crime is a rational choice therefore can be deterred, situational crime prevention strategies, making an area harder to commit crime in e.g. CCTV and bollards

Question 23

How does social learning theory link to deterrence?

Answer 23

Would be offenders see a model of their peers being punished therefore are less likely to imitate that behavior (vicarious reinforcement)

Question 24

What are the criticisms of deterrence?

Answer 24

High recidivism rates, assumes that offenders know the punishment, assumes offenders are always rational, people follow the law because they believe it is right to do so

Question 25

How does reparation link to labeling theory?

Answer 25

Favors restorative justice as a way of integration, by showing genuine remorse this stop secondary deviance

Question 26

How does reparation link to functionalism?

Answer 26

Durkheim, argues reparation helps put things back to how they were before crime was committed