ac3.4: evaluate the effectiveness of agencies in achieving social control Flashcards
The police
The police are the main agency for the detection, investigation and prevention of crime. Their work results in a huge volume of cases being brough to trial every year, along with many out of court disposals by the police using Thier powers to issue fixed penalty notices, cautions and reprimands. Police forces have specialist departments, units and sections dealing with serious and complex cases such as terrorism
Public concern of the police
The police have made progress in prioritising some of the offences of concern to the public such as domestic abuse having an increase in reporting and recording. However the arrest rate has been falling. The police are not using bail conditions to protect victims. There are staff shortages which are causing delays in responding to incidents which is putting victims at risk. Body worn video cameras are not always being used to gather evidence.
What did the 2017 annual report of HM inspector of police show
That 2 thirds of domestic abuse practitioners felt the polices approach had improved in the previous 3 years
Current trends police
According to polices own statistics, crime appears to be increasing. For example the number of offences recorded by the police rose from 4.5 million in 2016 to 5.8 million in June 2020.
Dropped cases- the police
There is evidence that the police are failing to investigate largen numbers of offences reported to them, including some serious ones. According to the ONS:
- 2018- metropolitan police service dropped 2.9x as many cases on the day they were reported as they had done in 2013. Over the 6 year period 2013-18, the metropolitan police screened out a total of 525000 crimes on the same day as they were reported
Financial circumstances of the police
Fro the government 2010 made major cuts in police budgets and this has been a cause of police decisions to drop investigations. With limited budgets and fewer officers, some investigations and prevention measures AVE had to be pritoritised over others.
Accuracy of statistical evidence
One reason for an apparent increase into he total number of crimes could simply be because the police have become better at recording them. In 2014 police recorded statistics. Since then, the police have made some efforts to improve crime recording for example in the area of domestic abuse, and this has led to a greater proportion of offences now appearing in the statistics
CSEW counter evidence
The overall number of crimes may not in fact be increasing. According to the survey for England and Wales, a survey of victims shows that the overall crime rate has generally been falling in recent years. In the year ending march 2020, the rate fell by 9%.
Racism and bias in the police
The macpherson report in 199 into the murder of Stephen Lawrence found the metropolitan police to be institutionally racist. Since them there has been considerale interest in the relationship o fthe police to minority ethnic groups and concerns continue.
Media reporting of the police
