Agencies/methods of social control, Flashcards
What are the aims of the prison service?
Keep them sentenced to prison in custody
Lead law-abiding
Protect the public
How is the prison service funded?
Government funded with taxes being raised
What are the working practices of the prison service?
4 categories
Category A - high rick/maximum security
Category B - high risk to others
Category C - lower risk but not allowed in the public
Category D - very low risk and due for release soon
What are the aims of the probation service?
Works with 30,000 offenders a year and supports rehabilitation
Serves the offenders out of prison; unpaid work, complete education, regular meetings
How is the probation service funded?
Funded by the National Offender Management Service
What are the working practices of the probation service?
Communicate with victims
Pre sentence reports
Prepare the offender for when they are released
What are the aims of the Judiciary?
Make decisions in court
Sentence offenders
Give a summing up of evidence to the jury
How are the Judiciary funded?
SSRB
Independent from the government
What are the working practices of the Judiciary
Take 2 oaths/affirmations
Be independent
Sum up to the jury
What are the aims of the CPS?
Prosecute offenders
How is the CPS funded?
Government funded
What are the working practices of the CPS?
Complete the evidential stage and public interest stage
If both are successful then the prosecution takes place
What are the aims of the police?
Reduce crime
Maintain law
Protect public
Detect crimes
How is the police funded?
Government grants
Council tax
What are the working practices of the police?
Arrest
Detain
Search
What are the aims of charities (Prison reform trust)?
Reduce unnecessary imprisonment
Improve prison conditions
How are charities funded (Prison reform trust)?
Volunteers and donations
What are the working practices of charities (Prison reform trust)?
Research
Provide advice
Campaign
What are the aims of pressure groups (Howard League)?
Less crime, safer communities
Fewer people in prison conditions
How are pressure groups funded (Howard league)?
Membership subscriptions and donations
What are the working practices of pressure groups (Howard league)?
Campaigns
Works with parliament, media and agencies to attain aims
What are the strengths of the police?
Coercion
Fear of punishment
Deterrence
What are the weaknesses of the police?
Internal social control not changes
Funding shortage
Staff shortages
What are the strengths of the CPS?
Prosecute offenders
Public protection
Deterrence
Fear of punishment
What are the weaknesses of the CPS?
Tests to prosecute can be hard to follow
Funding shortage
What are the strengths of the Judiciary?
Retribution
Fear of punishment
Public protection
What are the weaknesses of the Judiciary?
Appeals
Ineffective at achieving social control
Can be seen as out of touch with society
What are the strengths of prisons?
Retribution
Fear of punishment
Deterrence
Rehabilitation
What are the weaknesses of prisons?
Overcrowding
Reoffending rates are high
Rioting
What are the strengths of the Probation service?
Public protection
Rehabilitation
Reparation
What are the weaknesses of the Probation service?
Hard to maintain and control offenders
Difficult to change someone’s internalisation
What are the strengths of charities?
Rehabilitation
Help others in need
What are the weaknesses of charities?
Funding shortages
Hard to get recognition
What are the strengths of pressure groups?
Reduce criminalisation
Protect public
What are the weaknesses of pressure groups?
Funding shortages
What is CPTED?
Crime prevention through environmental design.
Focuses on tactical design and effective use of built environment, which reduces crime and fear of crime
What is the aim of CPTED?
Reduce/remove the opportunity for crime to occur in an environment.
It is a preventative, proactive model.
How does CPTED work?
In conjunction with other social, environmental and community based-strategies
What are the 5 main principals of CPTED?
Physical security, Surveillance, Movement control, Management and maintenance, Defensible space
What is physical security?
The measures which are used on individual dwellings to ensure that they they withstand attack
What is surveillance?
Design ensuring that residents are able to observe the areas surrounding their home
What is movement control?
The restriction of access and through movement. High levels of through movement allow offenders to access and leave an area
What is management and maintenance?
The process are in place to ensure that a development is free from signs of disorder. This signals that the area is cared for
What is defensible space?
Ownership of space in a neighbourhood should be clearly defined.
For example:
Public = pavement
Semi public = front garden
Semi private = rear garden
Private = inside the home
What are the 3 ways in which CPTED can be managed?
Natural, Organised, Mechanical
How does natural reduce crime?
Basic security, behavioural provisions. Such as borders and windows
How does organisation reduce crime?
Formal, human security. Such as the police and patrols
How does mechanical reduce crime?
Incorporation of security hardware. Such as CCTV, locks and lighting
How is a panopticon prison designed?
Watchtower in the middle of a circular design, prison guard in the tower, prisoners around the outside
How is a supermax prison designed?
Maximum security, separate units, minimal movement, rural areas
What is a similarity between panopticon and super max prisons?
Increased numbers of guards maintaining behaviour
What is a difference between panopticon and super max prisons?
Panopticon prisoners are all around
Super max prisoners are isolated
How do panopticon prisons help to create social control?
Prison guards in the watch tower so prisoners maintain good behaviour
How do super max prisons help to create social control?
Increased security of worse type of criminals
Minimal movement - 23 hours a day in their cell
What are the limitations of achieving social control in panopticon prisons?
Watchtower always needs someone there
What are the limitations of achieving social control in super max prisons?
23 hours a day in their cell
What are gated lanes?
Alleyways that have had a gate put in them to prevent crime and deviant acts from happening
What are the advantages of gated lanes?
Attempts to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour
Makes communities a safe place to live in
Prevents drug addicts from loitering
Not getting rubbish dumped in lanes
What are the disadvantages of gated lanes?
Restricts access to the rear of properties
Costs approximately £4,000
Dog fouling, drug paraphernalia and fly tipping
What are the strengths of CPTED?
Reduction in crime due to visibility
Lack of hiding places
Sense of ownership
What are the weaknesses of CPTED?
Not all crimes are committed in hidden places
Visibility doesn’t put people off
For example, domestic violence
What are the strengths of prison design?
Fear of punishment
Retribution
Most likely to behave when visible
What are the weaknesses of prison design?
Expensive
Social controls inmates inside but not when released
Cant watch people 24/7 when outside the prison
What are ASBOs?
Anti-Social Behaviour Orders
Stops anyone aged 10 or over from harassing, causing alarm or distress to other people
What does behaving antisocially include?
Drunken or threatening behaviour
Vandalism and graffiti
Playing loud music at night
What does getting an ASBO restrict people to do?
Going to particular places
Spending time with people who are known as trouble makers
Drinking in the street
How long will an ASBO last for?
At least 2 years. It can be reviewed if behaviour improves
What happens when an ASBO is not obeyed?
A criminal offence, which can be taken to court. The sentence that is given will be dependent of your age and the circumstance
What are CBOs?
Criminal Behaviour Orders.
Used for antisocial offenders who have committed behaviour that has caused harassment, alarm and distress
How long can you be sentenced for if you breach a CBO?
Up to 5 years in prison
What are the benefits of ASBOs/CBOs?
Helps find and solve the problem
Helps to understand behaviour in youths
What are the limitations of ASBOs/CBOs?
Expensive
Breached a lot
What are the 4 stages of an ASBO?
Stage 1 - letter is sent home
Stage 2 - another letter is hand delivered
Stage 3 - meeting with the offender
Stage 4 - ASBO is imposed
How is token economy designed?
Increase good behaviour
Decrease bad behaviour
What are the advantages of token economy?
Behaviour awarded immediately
Simple to understand
Avoids labelling
Used to shape behaviour
What are the disadvantages of token economy?
Management and training of staff
Not empowering for the individual
Deals with symptoms not the cause
Seen as dehumanising
Why is token economy considered unethical?
Makes the inmates think that its like that when they are released
What are the desires results when using token economy?
Rewarded for good behaviour - hopes to be reformed when released back into society
What was criminal punishment like before the 18th century?
Public execution and corporal punishment
What is meant by discipline?
The body’s operation can be controlled. Works by coercing and arranging the individuals movements and experience of space and time
How is discipline monitored?
Hierarchal observation, normalising judgement, examination
How does discipline allow new norms to develop for offenders?
Processes and human sciences
How is discipline enforced by panopticon prisons?
Deprive the individual of their freedom and reform them
What is rule making?
Process of setting out expected behaviour in an institution
What are staged/phased procedures?
The idea of building upon disciplinary action and following procedures to discipline someone in an institution
What are the strengths of disciplinary procedures?
Removing freedom and outside controls means behaviour can be controlled easier
Rules allow people to make rational choices
Stage procedures mean an appropriate sanction can be chosen for the behaviour
What are the weaknesses of disciplinary procedures?
Rules can be ignored
Staged procedures mean people can get away with more
Rules aren’t sanctioned consistently - for example, teachers don’t follow the same sanction policy
