AC2.3

Question 1

What are the 4 forms of Punishment

Answer 1

• Imprisonment
• Community Sentences
• Fines
• Discharges

Question 2

What is imprisonment

Answer 2

Mandatory and Discretionary life sentences

Question 3

What are community sentences

Answer 3

Combination of unpaid work, cerfuw and supervision

Question 4

What are Discharges

Answer 4

• Conditional where defendant reoffends up to 3 years after sentencing the courts can impose a different sentence
• Absolute no penality imposed as defendant is guilty but morally blameless

Question 5

Does imprisonment meet the aims of punishment

Answer 5

• Retribution - prison punishes people for their crime by taking away their freedom.
• Deterrence - the risk of being sent to prison should deter people from committing crimes alone. However high reoffending rates by ex prisoners doesn’t supporter this. Nearly half of adult prisoners are reconvicted within a year of release
• Public protection - protects the public by taking offenders out of the circulation.
• Rehabilitation- although this is a goal of imprisonment prisons have poor record of reducing re offending Rates.

Question 6

Do community sentences meet their aims

Answer 6

• Retribution - curfews and exclusions restrict offenders freedom. Unpaid work will include wearing high visibility vests which is a form of retribution as it is public shaming.
• Reparation - it can include doing unpaid work to repair damages that they caused to victims. It could also be doing work for the whole community such as removing graffiti
• Public protection - community sentences don’t achieve this as they don’t lock up offenders away from the public
• Rehabilitation - community sentences aim to rehabilitate offenders by enrolling them in drug therapies or address homelessness.

Question 7

Do financial penalties work

Answer 7

• Retribution - hitting someone in the pocket can be a good way to make them suffer the harm they’ve done
• Deterrence - a fine May make an offender fear further punishment. Fines may be used as a symbol worse will follow up

Question 8

Do Discharges work

Answer 8

Deterrence - lowest level of punishment and are a warning. There’s a low rate of re offending following a discharge possible because going to court for first timers is enough for them to mend their ways. And so discharges do meet their aims