ac3.1 describe the contribution of agencies not achieving social control Flashcards
Agencies involved in social control
Social control involves getting people to confirm to society’s norms and laws. There are a range of agencies involved in maintaining social control. Some are sponsored are controlled by the gov including the police, CPS, judicarys, prisons and probation service
Police philosophy
The philosophy of the police was summed up by sir Robert peel in 1829 founded the metropolitan police, the first modern professional police force in britain. According to peel
- the basic missions of the police is to prevent crime and disorder
- the polices ability to perform their duties depends on the publics cooperation and approval.
- the use of physical force is a last resort
- the polices duty is to impartially serve the law
- the police are the public and the public are the police. The police are just citizens in uniform, paid to do full-time what all citizens must do which is uphold the law.
Police code of ethics
Stressed that the police are public servants who need to maintain the respect and support of the public in order to perform their duty
Funding of the police
In 2020-21, the police total budget was £15.2 billion. This comes from 3 resources
- 2 thirds comes from the central government
- majority comes from the local council tax
- a small amount comes from charging for services such as policing football matches.
The polices funding fell by 19% between 2010 and 2018. This led to a fal of 20,000 in police numbers during the same period. By 2020, there were 123,000 police officers in England and Wales
Aims and objectives of the police
According to the association of chief police officers, the aims of the police are to:
- keep the peace and maintain order
- protect life and property
- prevent, detect and investigate crime
- bring offenders to justice
The police seek to achieve these aims using the powers. They have specific legal powers to stop, question, search and arrest, detain in a police station and interview a member of the public in relation to crime. Most of these powers are given under the police and criminal evidence act
National and local reach
In the UK, there are
- 39 regional police forces in England and 4 in Wales, e.g. the metropolitan police, south Wales police
- one police force for Scotland and one for northern ireland
There are also specialist police organisations within the UK-wide reach, such as the national crime agency, the British transport police and the boarder force
Types of criminality and offender
The police deal with virtually all types of offence and offender, although some specialist law enforcement agencies do deal with certain kinds of crime and criminals. For example, HM revenue and customs deals with tax evasion and tax fraud
Police duties
Most police have general duties, including patrolling a [articular area or beat, working with the local community, responding to the publics calls for assistance, securing crime scenes, gathering evidence from witnesses and apprehending offenders.
Specialist policing
There are also departments with specialist duties, nclduing the work of detectives in the CiD, fraud and drugs squads, and special branch. Some police forces also have other specialist units, such as covert operations and surveillance teams, traffic and mounted police, air support, river police underwater search teams and dog handler units.
Unarmed policing
With the exception of certain specialist units, the police in Britain are largely unarmed. This reflects peels philosophy that use if force is a last resort in upholding the law. This is unlike the position of the police in most other countures, who are generally armed
special constables
Are unpaid, part-time volunteers who underage the same training and have the same legal powers as paid officers.
Police community support officers
Have more limited powers, often dealing with antisocial behaviour on the streets, e.g. issuing fixed- penalty notices for littering or confiscating alcohol from underage drinkers they can also ask a police officer to arrest a person.
Police and crime commissioners
Are elected representatives of the people of the area covered by a police force. They give the local population a voice in policing by directly accountable to the electorate =. Their aim is to cut crime and ensure efficient and effective policing. They set the local forces policing priorities and their budget and they hold the chief constable to account for the forces performance- including dismissing him or her where necessary
CPS aims and objectives
Main public prosecutor in England and Wales. It was set up in 1986 under the prosecution of offenders act 985. It took over the prosecuting role from the policed because there was a high risk of bias in allowing the police both to investigate and prosecute cases. The police still prosecute some very minor offences
