AC3.3 - Examine The Limitations Of Agencies In Achieving Social Control Flashcards
Why is Recidivism a limitation of achieving social control
If offenders fail to rehabilitate then social control will never be achieved
According to the Prison Reform Trust:
- 1993-2015 - the prison population doubled with an extra 41,000 behind bars
Bromley Briefings 2016:
- Prison has a poor record for recidivism
(46% of adults are arrested within a year)
- Over 2/3 (68%) of teenagers are reconvicted within a year of release
Civil Liberties and Legal Barriers on limiting social control
Civil Liberties limits agencies from achieving social control
Abu Qatada:
- fled to London because he was being tortured
- he was suspected of terror affiliation
Due to Civil Liberties, he couldn’t be deported
If he was deported it would go against the Freedom of Arbitory Arrest
Marxists Would Argue:
These laws are necessary to protect the w/c
Access to Resources/Support limits social control by?
(Bromley Briefings)
Limited access to resources limits prisoners from being able to rehabilitate
- Prevents achieving social control
Bromley Briefings:
- In 10 of 34 male prisons inspected in 2015/16 didn’t have access to education throughout the week
- Prison standards are deteriorating.
3/4 prisons were judged as requiring improvement.
THEY ALSO STATE THAT SHORT SENTENCES ARE NOT ENOUGH TIME TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT CAUSE CRIME
How Does Finance limit Social Control (Police, Prisons, CPS, Charities)
Adequate finance allows for all agencies to fund operations
The Police:
- Some crimes are ignored due to prioritisation
- police stations are being closed due to cuts - (Police Budget was cut by 19%)
LINK: The Police can’t afford to keep offenders for long, nor chase up on lower level offences - this limits social control
HM Prisons:
- Between 2010/18 the prison budget fell by 16%
- staff fell by 15%
- Rising levels of assaults on inmates and officers
- Overcrowding
LINK: Cuts in Prison budget means offenders are released earlier and prevent rehabilitation programs due to a lack of funding
The CPS:
- 2010/18, the CPS budget was cut by 1/4
- they fail to address thousands of cases
- They have been accused of downgraded charges as it is cheaper
LINK: Cuts in budget highlight a lack of social control as low level crime will not be charged
Charities/Pressure Groups - 🤓:
- they focus on social control, but are funded by voluntary donations
- Inadequate funding means they can’t serve their intended function
- Charities have lost £3.8 billion from the government in the last decade
LINK: Budget cuts leads to charities not being able to serve a purpose such as rehabilitation - meaning offenders can’t turn to them for support
How does Local and National Policies limit social control
New laws can make a particular crime a priority — other offences are neglected
Alison Saunders - “CPS must crack down on social media hate crime”
There is a 20% rise in all forms of hate crime
National Government Policies:
- The Gun, Knife and Gang Initiative (2010-15)
A dedicated £1.2 million funded this policy
- This lead to heavy focus on this and other crimes were ignored
Local Policies:
- Terror Squad (2017)
Sadiq Kahn launched policies to tackle hate crime
He boosted Armed Anti-Terror squad
- This proved unessecary
How does the environment limit social control
(Friends and Family)
According to the Prison Reform Trust:
- Offenders are less likely to reoffend when they receive family visits
- However only 1/4 had a job to go to after release
- Only 12% had employed someone with a criminal record
Can criticise with Marxism
How do Moral Imperatives limit social control - (crime that they believe is morally correct to do so)
This is a limitation in achieving social control as it is defined as a crime but those who believe it is morally correct will never stop committing it
Assisted Suicide - Kay Gilderdale
- Administered drugs to her daughter to help her die
- because her daughter was seriously ill and she wished on her own death
- Kay believed it was the right thing to do
Anti-Vivisection Protestors:
Luke Steele has twice been imprisoned on attacks and harassment to stop animal testing
