C&D- Crime Control, Surveillance, Prevention And Punishment, And The Role Of The CJS and Other Agencies Flashcards
What is crime control?
Crime control is a form of formal social control that reflects society’s norms and values, which may change over time.
Left Realists: How do Left Realists believe crime can be prevented?
Left Realists argue that crime prevention can be achieved by addressing the causes of crime, such as marginalisation, relative deprivation, and social exclusion.
Left Realists: What is Lea and Young’s main argument for reducing crime?
Lea and Young argue that tackling social problems like inequality and exclusion will lead to a decrease in crime rates.
Right Realists: What do Right Realists criticise about Left Realist approaches?
Right Realists claim that Left Realists are too lenient on crime and that their prevention strategies are costly and time-consuming.
Right Realists: What do they believe causes crime?
Right Realists argue that crime stems from individuals making a rational decision to commit an illegal act, often due to weak social control.
Right Realists: What is their solution to prevent crime?
Right Realists advocate for reinforcing social control through institutions like the family and employing situational crime prevention strategies.
What is situational crime prevention?
A Right Realist approach focused on reducing crime by designing out opportunities for it to occur and increasing the risk of being caught.
What assumption underpins situational crime prevention?
Right Realists assume everyone is potentially likely to commit crime if the risk is deemed worth taking.
How does situational crime prevention work?
It reduces opportunities for crime by changing the physical environment, such as installing CCTV or improved lighting.
Chaiken et al (1974): What criticism do they raise about situational crime prevention?
Chaiken et al argue that situational crime prevention does not reduce crime but displaces it to areas without these measures.
What are the limitations of Right Realist approaches?
•They ignore the social causes of crime, such as inequality.
•They fail to account for selective policing of certain groups (e.g., ethnic minorities).
What criticism is raised against situational crime prevention?
It may simply lead to crime displacement, where offenders commit crimes in less secure locations rather than stopping altogether.
How do Left Realists propose improving police-public relations?
•Build positive, trusting relationships between the police and the public.
•Public involvement in choosing senior police personnel.
•Organize public meetings to discuss community issues.
What role does police accountability play in Left Realist strategies?
Left Realists emphasize making the police more accountable and transparent, ensuring they are perceived as fair and effective.
What policies do Left Realists suggest to address deprivation?
•Initiatives like Sure Start to reduce cultural and material deprivation.
•Encourage better parenting to tackle social exclusion and increase social mobility.
What is the role of community building in Left Realist strategies?
•Foster collaboration between the police and communities through schemes like Safer Neighbourhoods.
•Encourage Neighbourhood Watch programs to promote local reporting and surveillance.
What is the Left Realist approach to multi-agency collaboration?
The police should work with social workers, schools, and doctors to address the social issues of offenders and victims and encourage vulnerable people to report crimes.
How do Right Realists view the role of the police?
•Ensure a greater police presence to deter crime
•Emphasise the importance of police efficiency and toughness, demonstrated through performance statistics.
What parenting policies do Right Realists advocate?
•Encourage stricter parenting to prevent delinquency.
•Impose fines on parents who allow their children to truant from school.
What community strategies do Right Realists support?
Encourage local communities to watch and report suspicious activities through programs like Neighbourhood Watch.
What is the focus of situational crime prevention strategies?
•Introduce measures to make crime more difficult, such as:
•Installing CCTV.
•Using anti-climb paint.
•Implementing other deterrent tools to secure properties.
Comparison of Left and Right Realist Strategies
Similarities:
•Both value police-community collaboration.
•Support community initiatives like Neighbourhood Watch to involve locals in crime prevention.
Differences:
•Left Realists: Focus on addressing social causes like deprivation and inequality.
•Right Realists: Emphasize individual responsibility, tough policing, and deterrence measures.
ECP: How can crime be prevented through the environment?
Crime can be prevented by making criminal behavior less acceptable or normal in the environment. By taking a tough stance on all crimes, even minor ones, it deters others from thinking they can get away with committing crimes.
ECP: What is the ‘broken windows’ theory?
•Theory: Developed by Wilson and Kelling (1982), it suggests that visible signs of decay (such as broken windows) in an area show weak social control, making criminal behavior seem acceptable.
•Implication: If these signs are left unrepaired, it signals that deviance is tolerated, potentially leading to more crime.
ECP: What are the consequences of the ‘broken windows’ theory?
•The theory argues that signs of decay can make the police feel less capable of addressing small issues.
•Communities may feel fearful and powerless to improve the situation.
ECP: What solution do Wilson and Kelling propose?
They advocate for zero tolerance policing, where visible signs of crime are addressed immediately, and any form of criminal behavior is tackled without delay. This approach aims to reduce overall crime by preventing the normalization of criminal behavior.
ECP: Has the ‘broken windows’ theory been successful?
Yes, the approach has been successful in some cases, such as the implementation of antisocial behavior orders (ASBOs) in the UK, which helped to reduce minor offenses and antisocial behavior.
Punishment: What are the different views on punishment?
There are various perspectives on what form punishment should take, ranging from rehabilitation to retribution. Each view has its own approach to addressing crime and its causes.
Punishment: What does overcrowding in prisons suggest?
The prison system in England and Wales has been overcrowded each year since 1994. As of March 2014, 77 out of 119 prisons were overcrowded. This suggests that either the number of crimes is rising or that prison does not effectively serve as a deterrent to crime.
Punishment: What is Durkheim’s functionalist view on punishment?
Durkheim argued that punishment plays a vital role in maintaining societal boundaries and social solidarity. Punishment allows people to express their views on crime, reinforcing shared values. He believed that a small amount of crime in society helps reinforce social cohesion and value consensus.
Punishment: What is the Marxist view on punishment?
Marxists argue that punishment serves to maintain capitalist society by punishing those who challenge the system. They claim that the ruling class creates laws that protect their interests, avoiding punishment for their own crimes. According to Althusser, prisons are part of the Repressive State Apparatus, ensuring that capitalism remains unchallenged.
Punishment: What is the Right Realist view on punishment?
Right Realists agree with Durkheim’s functionalist view, seeing punishment as crucial for social control. They believe that weak social control leads to crime. They argue that prison is effective as a deterrent, and support zero-tolerance policies, which focus on punishing small crimes to prevent further offenses. They also propose alternatives to prison, such as curfews and electronic tagging, due to the high costs of incarceration.
Punishment: What is the Left Realist view on punishment?
Left Realists focus on rehabilitation, arguing that punishment should address the root causes of crime, such as material and cultural deprivation. They believe that re-educating offenders can reduce recidivism. They support alternatives to imprisonment, such as community service orders, to tackle underlying social issues.
Punishment: What does Foucault say about the evolution of punishment?
Foucault argued that punishment has evolved over time, shifting from physical punishment to a focus on the mind. He believed that modern punishment relies heavily on surveillance as a form of social control, emphasizing the regulation of behavior rather than direct physical punishment.
Retributive justice
Is the idea that someone who commits an offence actually tried to make up for the crime they committed
How do sociologists measure crime?
Sociologists measure crime through various methods to understand the types of crimes occurring and the number of crimes. These methods include police recorded statistics, victim surveys, and self-report surveys. The aim is to build an accurate picture of crime, including both recorded and unrecorded crimes.
What is the importance of measuring crime for sociologists?
Measuring crime is important for sociologists to explain crime patterns and understand the practices of policing. Sociologists are interested in both crimes reported to the police and crimes that go unreported, offering insight into public perceptions and policing effectiveness.
What are Police Recorded Statistics (Official Crime Statistics)?
Official crime statistics are drawn from police records and are published biannually by the Home Office. These records are used to understand crime trends, police efficiency, and to determine areas in need of resources to reduce crime.
What are the strengths of Official Crime Statistics?
Positivists argue that official crime statistics are valuable for:
•Understanding large-scale crime patterns over time.
•Assessing police efficiency through clear-up rates.
•Identifying areas where police should focus resources.
•Educating the public about crime patterns and warning them about criminal behavior.
•Revealing police assumptions and stereotyping, and explaining what is and isn’t reflected in the data.
What can sociologists learn from Official Crime Statistics?
Sociologists can use official crime statistics to explore crime trends, analyze police practices, understand public perceptions of crime, and evaluate the effectiveness of policing. These statistics help identify areas for policy change and social intervention.
Victim Surveys: What are some criticisms of Official Police Statistics?
•Not All Crimes Are Reported: Many crimes are not reported to the police due to various factors, such as lack of trust or embarrassment.
•Incomplete Recording: An estimated 57% of crimes reported to the police are not included in official crime statistics.
•Police Discretion: Police decisions to record a crime can be influenced by factors like the seriousness of the crime, their own biases, and the social position of the person reporting the crime.
•Social Factors in Court: Court outcomes may reflect gender, ethnicity, or social class, which can impact crime statistics.
•Changing Definitions of Crime: What is considered a crime can change over time, influenced by cultural shifts and media, making historical crime comparisons difficult.
Victim Surveys: Why are crimes not always reported to the police?
•Lack of Trust: Victims may fear the police will not take the crime seriously.
•Embarrassment: Some victims may feel ashamed to report the crime.
•Perceived Insignificance: Victims may believe the crime isn’t serious enough to report.
Victim Surveys: How does police discretion affect crime statistics?
Police interpretation plays a major role in whether a crime is recorded. Factors such as how serious the crime is, the officer’s discretion, and the social status of the person reporting the crime can all influence the decision.
