Crim Theories In Informing Policy Development

Question 1

Biological: Neurochemicals AO1

Answer 1

Enrich diet of offender can reduce violent behaviour.
Serotonin=lower aggression.
Virkkunen: violent offenders=lower avg serotonin.
Therefore boosting diet could improve criminal behaviour

Question 2

Neurochemicals AO3 positive?

Answer 2

All prisons aim to provide nutritionally balanced and health diets.
Gesch= 36% reduction in disciplinary offences after taking supplements

Question 3

Neurochemicals AO3 negative?

Answer 3

Only useful for violent crime. Doesn’t explain how it could be useful for treating non violent crime.

Offenders may not continue healthy diet once released. Poverty=not access nutrient rich diet

Question 4

Biological: Eugenics AO1?

Answer 4

Lower reproduction of people with undesirable traits.

1920s & 1930s USA and Germany used execution and sterilisation of those with criminal tendencies.

Question 5

Eugenics AO3 negatives? (2)

Answer 5

Moral and ethical issues.

Often used to discriminate against those who are labelled as ‘diff’ in society or minority groups

Question 6

Death penalty AO1?

Answer 6

Ending life=No more crim activity and reproduction of criminal genes, acts as a deterrent for others.
Still used in USA and China.
Criminals cannot change

Question 7

Death penalty AO3 negative?

Answer 7

Not an effective deterrent because since abolished in the UK in 1965 murders did not rise.

Question 8

Sociological: Informal policy making (Restorative justice)

Answer 8

Restorative justice (supported by left realism.)
According to restorative justice the response must address those who have been harmed as well as the offence itself. 
Key ideas= repair the harm and justice done, victim and offender speak to each other

Question 9

Sociological: Formal policy

Penal populism

Answer 9

Supported by right realism.
Government put forward laws that punish offender and be popular with public.
Tough on crime (zero-tolerance policing)

Question 10

Formal policy: Zero tolerance policing?

Answer 10

Supported by right realism.

All crimes are acted upon no matter the severity of them

Question 11

Formal policy making: CCTV?

Answer 11

Supported by right realism.
Acts as a deterrence.
Designed to change the environment within which crime occurs.