AC3.4 evaluate the agencies of social control Flashcards
Strength of the Police
There only is one
- One strength of the police is they can issue a range of punishments. For example the police have the power to arrest, fine, search, interview and give out formal warnings to offenders. This is a strength as it provides an individual detterent, preventing the offender from reoffending in the future.
Weaknesses of the Police
There are two
- One weakness of the police is that cases are not always handled properly. For example in the Stephen Lawrence case, there was institutional racism which prevented the police from investigated the case thoroughly. This is a weakness because it prevents the offender from being found and punished for the offence, in the case of Stephen Lawrence the offenders were missing for thirty years before they were prosecuted.
- Another weakness of the police is they have a tendancy to focus on high profile cases. For example when certain cases gets loads of media coverage it becomes prioritised over others. This is a weakness as suggested by the Broken Window Theory if crime goes unreported or unpunished it encouarges more serious crime therefore they do not act as an effective agency of social control.
Strengths of the CPS
There are two
- One strength of the CPS is the full code test. This is a test that puts cases through two stages; the evidential stage and the public interest stage. This is a strength because it provides a uniform and fair approach to each case, which allows for a due process model to be implimented.
- Another strength of the CPS is how it has contributed to the increase in cases being prosecuted. It was recorded that in a typical three months the CPS prosecute 80,000 crown court cases and 450,000 magistrate court cases. This is strength because it highlights the importance of the CPS’s role in the Criminal Justice System.
Weaknesses of the CPS
There are two
- One weakness of the CPS is it has been accused of downgrading charges. This is so that they can prosecute cases in the magistrates courts which makes it quicker and cheaper than the crown court. This therefore is a weakness because it prevents offenders from being punished accordingly, which prevents the victims and their family from receiving justice.
- Another weakness of the CPS is how ineffective they are at reducing crime. In 2018 the head of the CPS stated that the organisation were critically short of the skills and resources needed to combat crime. This is a weakness because it limits how effective they are to achieve social control
Strengths of the Judiciary
There are two
- one strength of the judiciairy is that it ensures that everyone has access to human rights. For example it ensures that whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty, they are given a fair trial. This is a strength because it prevents an innocent person from being wrongfully imprisoned.
- Another strength of the judiciary is there a certain rules in place to protect cases. For example if the judge(s) know the victim or defendant they will be prevented from judging their case. This is a strength because it prevents the judge’s bias from being harsher or more lenient with sentencing.
Weaknesses of the Judiciary
There are two
- One weakness of the judiciary is there is a suggested there is a lack of effectiveness within the agency. This is due to the increased number of appeals following lenient sentencing by judges. This is a weakness because it suggests it does not effectively initiate social control.
- Another weakness of the judiciday is they have been described as ‘being out of touch’ with real society. This prevents them from applying relevant knowledge to a case and subsequent suitable sentence. This is a weakness because the sentence they give out will not successfully rehabilitate the offender and therfore does not invoke social control.
Strength of prisons
There only is one
One strength of prisons is there is evidence of rehabilitation. It is recorded that 75% of ex-offenders do not relapse back into criminal behaviour after serving a long prison sentence, whereas 40% of ex-offenders are found not reoffend after serving a short sentence. This is a strength because it demonstrates that prisons are effective at achieving social control.
Weaknesses of prisons
There are two
- One weakness of prisons is it can be argued that it does not successfully rehabilitate offenders. This is due to the recidivism rates increasing to 25% for long term prison sentences and 60% for a sentence consisting of less than twelve months. This is a weakness because it suggets that this agency cannot successfully instill social control.
- Another weakness of prisons is it does not reduce violent tendencies. As of last year it was recorded that in one prison there were 9,800 assaults on staff, five homicides, 76 suicides, and 65,000 incidents of self harm. This is a weakness because it suggests that prisons do not act as an individual deterrent and are therefore ineffective at achieving social control.
Strength of the National Probation Service
There only is one
- One strength of the NPS is it provides essential support for offenders to reintegrate back into society. This can be very crucial for offenders who did not have family visiting them during their time in prison and therefore do not have a support system of their own to prevent them from reoffending. This is a strength of the NPS because the support and resources provided by the NPS decreases the likihood of them reoffending.
Weaknesses of the National Probation Service
There are two
- One weakness of the National Probation Service is that the majority of probation services are privately owned outside of the criminal justice system. It was recorded that within the Community Rehabilitation Companies’s contract with the Ministry of Justice, 19 out of the 21 probation services failed to meet their target of rehabilitating offenders. This is a weakness because it demonstrates how ineffective they are at achieving social control.
- Another weakness of NPS is there is a significant amount of recidvism occuring within the ex-offenders that are on license. It has been recorded that recidivism has increased to 25%. This is a weakness as it demonstrates that the NPS is not doing its job efficiently.
Strengths of charities
There are two
One strength of charities is they are seen to effectively reduce reoffending compared to other agencies. This is due to them investing resources and research on in a specific area/minority group within the law, making them experts in their chosen field. This is a strength because it makes it easier to campaign and enact safeguarding measures or rules that protect and ensure the wellbeing of ex-offenders which further reduces their need to reoffend.
Another strength is they are voluntary and seperate from the government. This means their members are strongly motivated to help and so may be more inclined to spend more time and energy than government agencies can afford to. This is a strength because it means they can successfully instill social control.
Weaknesses of charities
There are two
One weakness of charities in achieving social control is the public are concerned with protecting victims or potential victims. As charities are likely to reflect the interest of the public they are more likely to set up for victims but not for offenders. This is a weakness because it therefore does not contribute to rehabilitation.
Another weakness of charities in achieving social control is some charities can demonise other categories of offending. This makes it harder for other charities to form and get support for victims for these types of crime. This is a weakness because it increases the amount of time for a change to occur or for social control to be inflicted.
Strengths of pressure groups
There only is one
One strength of charities is they are seen to effectively reduce reoffending compared to other agencies. This is due to them investing resources and research on in a specific area/minority group within the law, making them experts in their chosen field. This is a strength because it makes it easier to put pressure on the government with their research to support them in order for safeguardes and measures to be put in place to protect and ensure the wellbeing of ex-offenders.
Weaknesses of pressure groups
There are two
One weakness of pressure groups is they only have the power to place pressure on the government. This means they cannot force the government to change the law. This is a weakness as it means their social control is very limited
Another weakness of pressure in achieving social control is the public are concerned with protecting victims or potential victims. As pressure groups to reflect the interest of the public they are more likely to set up campaigns to help victims but not offenders. This is a weakness because it therefore does not contribute to rehabilitation.
Strengths of NACRO
There are two
One strength of NACRO is they have a far reach. This is a strength because it means they can enforce social control on a large scale.
Another strength of NACRO is their aid is focused on improving the lives of ex-offenders. They do this by offering a range of services to reduce their problems whilst being reintroduced back into society such as housing. This is a strength because it aids in the rehabilitation of offeners and effectively enforce social control.
