AC3.3 limitations of agencies in achieving social control Flashcards
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Repeat offenders
If an offender has spent two or more days in custody, they are now required to serve a minimum of twelve months under supervision in the community. As a result, the number of people recalled into custody following their release has increased dramatically. This is highlighted by the Bromley Breifings Factfile for 2021 which highlights that reconviction rates within a year of release from prison are very high at 48%. While those serving a short sentence of less than twelve months have even higher reconviction rates at 63% for adults suggesting that there is less time for rehabilitation. Furthermore, it implies that there is not enough incentive to not commit another crime. The social learning theory may explain some of the statistics due to the offenders learning and copying skills from others in the prison system which can aid them in becoming ‘better’ criminals.
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Civil Liberties
ECHR
These are the laws that are established for the good of the community such as the freedom of speech or freedom of religious worship. The case of Abu Qatada demonstrates the issue of civil liberaties being a limitation to achieving social control, as in 2012 the European Court of Human Rights established new, unprecedented legal grounds for blocking his deportation to Jordan, on the grounds that he would be tried on evidence obtained by torture. Therefore Civil Liberties can be seen as a restriction on agencies such as the police in achieving social control. However the Marxists theory of criminality would suggest that these laws are necessary to protect the working class from the ruling elite making arbitrary judgements against them.
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Resources and Support
The lack of support or resources available may mean that prisoners are tempted to return to crime. According to the social injustice charity NACRO, out of 38,000 people they helped between 2016 and 2017 48% of those housed had a primary or secondary support needed to manage the risk of offending. Without access to resources and support it limits prisoners from being able to rehabilitate and therefore bring about social control. Upon release from prison an offender will face problems with finance, accommodation, and employment or training opportunities and without the support from charities and the National Probation Service the ex-offender will turn back to a life of crime as a source of income. Left realists would place emphasis on the need to increase resources and support in all agencies in order to successfully rehabilitate offenders.
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Finance: Prison
POA
Without adequate funding for their operations, agencies, such as the police, prisons, and CPS will be unable to achieve effective social control. According to the PrisonPhone Website between 2011 and 2015 The HM Prison Service’s budget has decreased by a quarter which equated to £900 million. This decrease in the prison service has had a significant impact on the prison population, which has lead to incidences of suicide, self harm and attacks on staff. The Prison Officer’s Association has warned that inmates with mental health problems are in extra danger without a boost in funding. Functionalists state that institutional issues such as funding lead to dysfunctions in society which can be seen in the increase in recidvism rates over the recent years and therfore reduces social control
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Finance: police
Without adequate funding for their operations, agencies, such as the police, prisons, and CPS will be unable to achieve effective social control. According to the House of Commons Briefing Paper, police forces have decreased by 25% from 2010 to 2015 due to a decrease in funding. These cuts in budget has impacted the effectiveness of the police in providing social control as it has faced further cuts in its budgets such as resources over the recent years and sees no sign of money being increased over the next few years. Functionalists state that institutional issues such as funding lead to dysfunctions in society which can be seen in the increase in recidvism rates over the recent years and therfore reduces social control.
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Finance: CPS
LSG
Without adequate funding for their operations, agencies, such as the police, prisons, and CPS will be unable to achieve effective social control. According to The Law Society Gazette ‘staff cuts at the Crown Prosecution Service have led to a decline in its performance with inadequate case progression and preparation’. The CPS budgeting problems can lead to miscarriages of justice and therefore decreases the effectiveness of social control. Functionalists state that institutional issues such as funding lead to dysfunctions in society which can be seen in the increase in recidvism rates over the recent years and therfore reduces social control
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Local and National Policies
There has been allegations against the police suggesting that they focus on ‘trivial crime’ instead of serious offences, in order to meet government targets. For example in 2017 the Mayor of London launched policing plans outlining a series of policies aimed at tackling hate crimes. The CPS aided in the crackdown specifically on social media hate crimes. Their policy related to all the different types of hate crime; racist and religious, disability, homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic. Official figures shows a 20% rise in all forms of hate crime reported to the police in the first quarter of 2017. However hate crimes are believed to be signficantly under-reported. Local police forces prioritisation of certain crimes in preferances to others inevitably would mean that some crimes are not investigated and leads to a boost in other crimes. However this is in favour of functionalists who believe that multiple institutions working together leads to a functional society across the nation.
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Environment
When prisoners are released from custody their home environment has a substantial impact on whether or not they stay out of prison. All too often offenders return to the same social circle involving drug taking or reoffending or where a lack of employment is unavailable or a lack of focus to lead them away from crime. According to the Prison Refrom Trust people are less likley to reoffend if they recieve family visits while they are in prison, yet 68% of prisoners had no such visits. Also offenders are less likely to reoffend if they live with their immediate family on release, however only 61% do so. To reduce the negative impacts of the environment, purposeful activities such as education, work, and other activities is needed to aid rehabilitation while in prison, to further reduce the risk of reoffending. From a Marxists perspective it could be argued that the bourgeoisie construct the rules of society to prevent the proletartiat from acheiving in life, so they have no other option but to commit crimes.
Explain, Evidence, Implications, theory
Moral imperative
Moral imperatives are strongly felt principles that compels a person to act. In other words, offenders can commit crime as they believe they are doing the right thing from their moral viewpoint. Cases such as Kay Gilderdale who administrated drugs to her daughter to help her die, show that such drastic action can be taken out of a sense of sympathy or a feeling of being morally right to commit the crime. From a functionalists viewpoint some crimes can be positive and serve a function in society. The case of Kay Gilderdale may produce boundary maintenance by showing what is acceptable within society.
