Crime and Law Flashcards
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What is the explanation for: A group more likely to commit crime is young people.
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Young people are less mature and often act without thinking of the consequences and may also be influenced by peer pressure.ung people often engage in vandalism as a way to vent out their frustrations.ung people will also frequently engage with drug use and dealing due to peer pressure or as a way to escape or cope with stress, challenges, or emotional pain in their lives.
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Provide an example for: A group more likely to commit crime is young people.
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In Scotland 3 out of 4 vandalism crimes are committed by young people.
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What is the explanation for: A Groups more likely to commit crime is men.
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Almost all violent crime is committed by men.his can be because of man trying to look tough and man up, but it can also be linked to hormones.n have higher levels of testosterone which make them more aggressive and prone to risk taking and to act rashly.is aggression or risk taking makes them more likely to take part in violent crimes.
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Provide an example for: A Groups more likely to commit crime is men.
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For example, 93% of killers in England and Wales are men (2021).
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What is the explanation for: People who live in deprived areas are most likely to commit crime.
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People in poverty might struggle to get by.r those who cannot afford the basics to survive in life they may have little option but to turn to crime to provide what they can’t afford for them or their families out of desperation.is often leads to shoplifting or dealing drugs to make money.
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Provide an example for: People who live in deprived areas are most likely to commit crime.
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In London, three-quarters of the boroughs with the highest levels of violent crime are also in the top 10 most poor.
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What is the explanation for: One category of crime is non-sexual violent crimes.
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These are crimes that are very serious in nature, violent but have no sexual element to them. includes crimes such as robbery, assault and murder.
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Provide an example for: One category of crime is non-sexual violent crimes.
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For example, Andrew Wallace was jailed for the brutal murder of Julie Reilly in her flat in Govan.
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What is the explanation for: Another category of crime in Scotland is sexual crimes.
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Also known as Sexual Crimes of violence, these crimes are often some of the most brutal and devastating and include crimes such as rape and sexual assault.
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Provide an example for: Another category of crime in Scotland is sexual crimes.
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For example, actor Kevin Guthrie was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman in a flat in Glasgow.
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What is the explanation for: One type of crime is murder.
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This is when someone deliberately takes the life of another human being and this is included in the category of non-sexual violent crime which are crimes that are very serious in nature.
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Provide an example for: One type of crime is murder.
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For example, Andrew Wallace was jailed for the brutal murder of Julie Reilly in her flat in Govan.
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What is the explanation for: One type of crime in Scotland is sexual assault.
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This is one of the devastating types of crime and is included in the category of Sexual Offences and include crimes such as rape and sexual assault.
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Provide an example for: One type of crime in Scotland is sexual assault.
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For example, actor Kevin Guthrie was jailed for sexually assaulting a woman in a flat in Glasgow.
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What is the explanation for: One group more likely to be a victim of a crime is women.
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This can be because women are often physically smaller which makes them preferential targets for mugging. is also because women are often targeted for sexual crime with surveys showing that most women have at some point been victim of sexual offense from harassment to rape.
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Provide an example for: One group more likely to be a victim of a crime is women.
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For example, over 90% of sex crime is committed against women.
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What is the explanation for: Ethnic minorities are more likely to be victims of crime because of racism.
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Often ethnic minorities such as Scottish Asians and Black Scots are victims of crime because of the perpetrator has an issue with people from different ethnic groups or races living in Scotland and choses to act in an abusive way.
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Provide an example for: Ethnic minorities are more likely to be victims of crime because of racism.
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For example, half of hate crimes reported in Scotland in 2022-23 were race related.
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What is the explanation for: One way that highlights why crime is an increasing problem is the fact that non-sexual crimes of violence have increased.
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In recent years the number of crimes in society that are violent in nature but not sexual such as common assault, murder etc have increased.
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Provide an example for: One way that highlights why crime is an increasing problem is the fact that non-sexual crimes of violence have increased.
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For example, according to the government non-sexual violent crime has increased around 10% in recent years.
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What is the explanation for: One way that highlights why crime is an increasing problem is that crimes of dishonesty have increased.
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In the latest statistics on crime in Scotland it shows that crimes such as fraud, embezzlement, and shoplifting have been going up.
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Provide an example for: One way that highlights why crime is an increasing problem is that crimes of dishonesty have increased.
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For example, in recent years these kinds of crimes have gone up around 5%.
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What is the explanation for: One way that highlights why crime is a decreasing problem is the fact that crimes against society has decreased.
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In recent years crimes such as drug and weapon offences included in this category have fallen.
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Provide an example for: One way that highlights why crime is a decreasing problem is the fact that crimes against society has decreased.
For example, this category of crime has fallen by around 15% in recent years.
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What is the explanation for: One way that shows that crime is a decreasing problem in Scotland is the fact that crime is at a near record low.
Scotland used to have a reputation as one of the most violent and dangerous countries in the developed well has now seen major decreases in level of crime.
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Provide an example for: One way that shows that crime is a decreasing problem in Scotland is the fact that crime is at a near record low.
For example, since the 1990s crime has fallen from over 600,000 to less than 300,000 by 2021/22.
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What is the explanation for: One biological reason for crime is brain development.
Recent research suggests that some people are more likely to commit crime, particularly violent crime, because brain development issues or brain damage make them more likely to get angry or have no empathy (e.psychopaths).is means they are less likely to feel guilt or regret for committing crimes so may be more likely to do so.
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Provide an example for: One biological reason for crime is brain development.
For example, Aaron Campbell who killed 6-year-old Alesha MacPhail on the island of Bute has been labelled a psychopath by experts who have warned he should never be let out of prison.
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What is the explanation for: One biological reason for crime is hormones.
Hormones in our body affect our growth and also our brains.n have higher levels of the hormone testosterone than women which often make them historically more aggressive and prone to higher risk taking.is aggression or risk taking could make them more likely to take part in violent crimes.
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Provide an example for: One biological reason for crime is hormones.
For example, around 90% of all prisoners in a Scottish prison are male compared to 10% who are female.
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What is the explanation for: One biological reason for crime is the warrior gene.
The warrior gene (MAOA gene) affects neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine in the brain.is makes a person more likely to be aggressive and impulsive leading to criminal behavior, in particular violent crime.wever, it is important to note that many factors contribute to violent behavior, and having the “warrior gene” does not necessarily mean that someone will become violent.
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Provide an example for: One biological reason for crime is the warrior gene.
Those with the warrior gene are 10 times more likely to have a history of repeated violent behavior.
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What is the explanation for: One economic cause of crime is poverty.
People in poverty might struggle to get by.or those who cannot afford the basics to survive in life they may have little option but to turn to crime to provide what they can’t afford for them or their families out of desperation.his often leads to shoplifting or dealing drugs to make money.
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Provide an example for: One economic cause of crime is poverty.
For example, known as “survival shoplifting”, around 25% of all crimes of dishonesty are when people steal from shops items such as food and clothing.
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What is the explanation for: One economic cause of crime is Greed.
Greed is when someone has the very selfish desire to get more and more of something and this is often money. person may have a comfortable life but still has a selfish desire to have access to luxuries that it cannot afford.
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Provide an example for: One economic cause of crime is Greed.
For example, the former SNP MP Natalie McGarry was jailed for embezzling more than £25,000, including donations intended for a foodbank.
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What is the explanation for: One social cause of crime is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Experiences such as physical abuse, neglect, growing up in households where drugs are used or where someone has been jailed make people more likely to become a perpetrator of crime themselves.his is because they may not have the right upbringing to learn how to be a responsible citizen or even care about wider society rules so commit crimes.
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Provide an example for: One social cause of crime is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
For example, the BBC reports that people with adverse childhood experiences are 15x more likely to commit an act of violence and 20x more likely to be in prison in their life
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What is the explanation for: One social cause of crime is addictions.
Alcohol and drug addictions can lead to crime for two reasons.omeone may commit a crime like stealing to fund their addiction.thers might commit a crime while under the influence of substances because they can make people reckless or aggressive and affect their understanding of what is right and wrong.
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Provide an example for: One social cause of crime is addictions.
For example, the Scottish Government found just under two thirds of violent crime is committed while someone is under the influence of alcohol.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the victim could be death.
Consequences of crime often involve harm, damage or loss to a person’s body or property and when serious crimes like murder happens this results in the ending of a victim’s life.ometimes this was the intention of the perpetrator, other times not.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the victim could be death.
For example, Julie Reilly was murdered in Govan by Andrew Wallace who was later jailed for his crimes by the High Court.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the victim could be depression.
Crime can be traumatic and cause psychological impact.ictims of crime may lose their ability to trust in others, suffer from low mood and feel isolated.he victim of Kevin Guthrie, who was sexually assaulted, could now suffer from depression as a consequence of his crimes against her will.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the victim could be depression.
In 65% of crime incidents, the victim or someone else in their household had an emotional reaction.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the victim could be unemployment and loss of income.
For some victims of the impact of the crime committed against them may result in physical injury or mental harm that stops them being able to continue in their job or turn up to work.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the victim could be unemployment and loss of income.
For example, the Cara Haston who was domestically abused by the rugby player Rufus McLean may have struggled to work and earn money due to the abuse she faced.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the perpetrator might be loss of freedom.
This is when a person who has committed a crime such as murder, assault or other serious crimes might be given the custodial sentence of jail.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the perpetrator might be loss of freedom.
For example, the High Courts sentenced Andrew Wallace to prison for Julie Reilly's murder in Govan.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the perpetrator might be social exclusion.
This is when a person who has committed a serious crime, like murder will be isolated by other people who will want nothing to do with them leaving them lonely.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the perpetrator might be social exclusion.
For example, if the child rapist and murder, Aaron Campbell is ever released from prison it is unlikely people will want to be his friend or associate with him.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the perpetrator might be unemployment.
This is when a person who has committed a crime might lose their job because they have to go to jail or complete another punishment that might stop them working.lso, people are less willing to trust criminals.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the perpetrator might be unemployment.
For example, the Aberdonian Grandmother Coleen Muirhead lost her job at the metal recycling plant because she embezzled from them and will likely never be trusted in work again.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the family could be loss of home.
Sometimes when a crime has occurred the family home may be temporarily or permanently damaged in a way that they family can no longer live in the family home.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the family could be loss of home.
For example, when the Celtic CEO cars were set alight the house was also physically damaged in the fires.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the family could be grief.
Often when a serious crime such as murder, in the category of non-sexual violent crime, has happened the family will suffer significant emotional trauma as a result of their loved one’s death.ometimes the victim’s family might feel guilty that they were unable to prevent the crime from happening.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the family could be grief.
For example, Julie Reilly was murdered in Govan by Andrew Wallace leaving her mum, sister and daughter suffering pain and loss as a consequence of this crime.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the family could be funeral costs.
There is often a financial cost of crimes that families have to pay as a result of crime such as paying to repair or replace damaged property.n the case of serious crime such as murder they may have to pay to bury loved ones killed.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the family could be funeral costs.
For example, the family of Alesha McPhail will have paid thousands of pounds for her coffin, service and burial after being murdered by Aaron Campbell.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on a community could be a loss of community space.
Many communities will have a centre, religious space or meeting space where they will come together to connect with people like them and usually be safe though some crimes can result in these being damaged or lost.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on a community could be a loss of community space.
For example, when Ryan Haggerty burned down the church in Partick the local Christian community lost their place of worship.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the community could be fear.
This is when a community may experience worry or concern because of crimes that have happened in the area and when there is a more serious crime then the levels of fear are likely to increase in that community.eople will avoid going outside especially in what they feel are crime hotspots.f people just want to stay at home then that creates less neighbourliness.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the community could be fear.
For example, when Julie Reilly was murdered in Govan it took a while for the police to find the killer, Andrew Wallace and so the people of that community will have experienced fear that the murderer was still in the area and could strike again.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on the community could be loss of tourism.
When a crime takes place in a community that often receives a large number of tourists, then the people who might visit that community and spend money in hotels, shops and restaurants etc may stay away which has a terrible financial effect on the community.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on the community could be loss of tourism.
For example, when Alesha McPhail was murdered by Aaron Campbell on the Isle of Bute, many tourists stayed away from the island which cost many businesses in the community a lot of money.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on wider society is the introduction of security infrastructure.
Due to crime and in particular property crimes, there are many ways that the whole countries physical infrastructure has been changed with the introduction of security cameras, street lighting and anti-car street furniture.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on wider society is the introduction of security infrastructure.
For example, many pedestrian areas such as Buchannan Street and the royal mile have had special blocks added to stop cars being used to attack pedestrians.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on wider society could be fear of men.
There are certain crimes such as domestic abuse, rape, sexual assault etc that most often have a male perpetrator and so when a crime happens and gains a lot of media attention it can make women fearful of men around the country.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on wider society could be fear of men.
For example, many women would look at the case of famous Hollywood actor Kevin Guthrie who sexually assaulted a woman in Glasgow and think about how if someone so famous thought he could get away with it, what might a less famous man think they could do to women.
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What is the explanation for: A consequence of crime on wider society could be higher taxes.
There is a significant cost to wider society because of crime through the need to pay for police, courts, prisons as well as care and support for victims of crime.ll of this requires governments to spend taxes on dealing with crime.oney that the wider society could have better spent on education and healthcare.ess money available for programmes to help those in poverty could actually lead to an increase in crime.
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Provide an example for: A consequence of crime on wider society could be higher taxes.
For example, it costs around £40,000 a year to keep someone in a Scottish prison which is money that comes from taxpayers.
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What is the explanation for: Victims of crime will often experience mental health issues particularly in cases of violent crime or sexual violence.
Victims of crime often feel its consequences for years after the event causing them emotional distress and mental illness.his is more likely when crime was so traumatic that caused them to be traumatised, have PTSD or depression.exual crime and serious assault are crimes often linked to mental health issues.
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Provide an example for: Victims of crime will often experience mental health issues particularly in cases of violent crime or sexual violence.
Victims of sexual assault often get traumatized by the event and can have to deal with depression and anxiety for many years, often requiring medical support.his impact can be extended to people close to the family (i.Partner, children) that may experience feelings of anxiety, depression or anger.his can have a huge impact in the victim’s ability to live a normal’ social life afterwards, to trust other people or go to work.
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What is the explanation for: One consequence of crime for the perpetrator is a criminal record.
Having a criminal record could mean that they struggle to a get a job because a lot of employer don’t want to give a job to someone with a criminal past as they don’t trust them.
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Provide an example for: One consequence of crime for the perpetrator is a criminal record.
If they do not get a job and have no way to support themselves, they are more likely to reoffend and commit crime again, perpetuating the cycle.
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What is the explanation for: One consequence of crime on families is that a parent may be put in prison.
This in some cases could be the loss of the ‘breadwinner’ and the family may struggle to survive as a result.ome families may no longer be able to afford their rent or mortgage payments and may lose their family home.
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Provide an example for: One consequence of crime on families is that a parent may be put in prison.
About 16,500 children in Scotland have a parent in prison at any one time.
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What is the explanation for: The financial costs of criminality affects the wider society, even those not involved in crime as victim or perpetrator.
To tackle crime the government has to invest in the police, courts, legal aid, prisons, social workers, etc.s a result, people end up having to pay more taxes so the government can fund these services.
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Provide an example for: The financial costs of criminality affects the wider society, even those not involved in crime as victim or perpetrator.
In the UK, every prisoner costs over £35,000 every year, and there are 80,000 prisoners in prison.
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What is the explanation for: A response of the Scottish Government to Alcohol related crime has been to introduce laws to reduce alcohol consumption.
The hope by the government was this would encourage people to drink less alcohol which would reduce the amount of crimes that are committed while under the influence of alcohol.
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Provide an example for: A response of the Scottish Government to Alcohol related crime has been to introduce laws to reduce alcohol consumption.
For example, they introduced the Minimum Unit Pricing Act in 2018 which has led to a reduction in the consumption of alcohol by around 4%.
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What is the explanation for: A response to crime is that the Scottish Government has funded the Violence Reduction Unit to address Scotland and Glasgow once infamous gang problem.
The VRU is funded to tackle gang crime as if it was a disease which means the team target the causes of gang crime before it happens rather than just waiting to punish people.e VRU in Glasgow has employed former offenders to help them turn other gang members away from crime and get them the education, training and support they needed to get away from being in a gang.
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Provide an example for: A response to crime is that the Scottish Government has funded the Violence Reduction Unit to address Scotland and Glasgow once infamous gang problem.
For example, according to the BBC in 2022 murder rates in Scotland are at the lowest rate ever.
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What is the explanation for: One government response to knife crime has been to fund the No Knives Better Lives programme.
Scotland used to be known as the knife crime and murder capital of Europe so NKBL is funded up to try and tackle knife crime by tackling the reasons why people carried a knife.he programme educates young people about both the legal and physical consequences of knife carrying in order to try and deter them from taking a knife out with them. has used a mix of hard-hitting videos, competitions and peer educators to promote discussions about the dangers and consequences of carrying a knife and the impact of knife crime.
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Provide an example for: One government response to knife crime has been to fund the No Knives Better Lives programme.
For example, since 2009 it has worked with 11 local authorities with high levels of knife crime.etween 2011 – 2016 no one under 20 died in an incident involving a knife in Glasgow.
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What is the explanation for: Arguably the government have had some success in tackling alcohol related crime because of the introduction of alcohol restriction laws.
In recent years the Scottish Government has introduced a range of new laws designed to try and reduce alcohol consumption and related crime.his is because there is a strong link between drinking alcohol and violent crime.
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Provide an example for: Arguably the government have had some success in tackling alcohol related crime because of the introduction of alcohol restriction laws.
For example, since introducing the Minimum Unit Pricing Act alcohol consumption (heavily linked to violent crime) has fallen 4%.
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What is the explanation for: Arguably the government had had some success in tackling crime because of its change to treating violent crime like a public health problem.
The Scottish Government as introduced some world leading changes such as the Violence Reduction Unit designed to treat crime like a disease and so try to deal with the cause of violent crime rather than wait for the crimes to happen.
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Provide an example for: Arguably the government had had some success in tackling crime because of its change to treating violent crime like a public health problem.
For example, according to the BBC in 2022 murder rates in Scotland are at the lowest rate ever.
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What is the explanation for: Arguably the government has been successful because of its anti-knife crime campaigns.
This campaign worked with young people to address the reasons for carrying a knife.KBL has worked with local authorities with high levels of knife crime like Glasgow and used a mix of hard-hitting videos, competitions and peer educators and there has been decrease in knife carrying offenses.ue to this, the rate of knife related crime as fallen.
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Provide an example for: Arguably the government has been successful because of its anti-knife crime campaigns.
For example, according to the BBC in 2022 murder rates in Scotland are at the lowest rate ever.
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What is the explanation for: Arguably the government still has more to do more because alcohol related crime is a big problem.
Despite some reductions in the amount that people drink in Scotland there continues to be a very large amount of crime that is committed by offenders who are under the influence.
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Provide an example for: Arguably the government still has more to do more because alcohol related crime is a big problem.
For example, 2/3rd of violent crimes in Scotland are linked to the consumption of alcohol.
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What is the explanation for: Arguably the government has been ineffective in eliminating violent crime in Scotland because it continues.
Though there has been an overall decrease in violent crime over the last few decades, and recently due to the VRU, crime in Scotland is now more average to comparable countries and there still continues to be many violent high-profile incidents of violent crime such as the murders of Alesha McPhail or the sexual assaults by Kevin Guthrie.
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Provide an example for: Arguably the government has been ineffective in eliminating violent crime in Scotland because it continues.
For example, in 2021-22 around 30% of crimes in Scotland were either non-sexual or sexual violent crime.
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What is the explanation for: Arguably the government has been ineffective because knife crime continues to be a problem in Scotland.
Despite some success there continues to be examples of knives being used in Scotland to commit horrible and sometimes fatal crimes.his suggests the No Knives, Better Lives campaign isn’t doing enough.
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Provide an example for: Arguably the government has been ineffective because knife crime continues to be a problem in Scotland.
For example, James Wright, who had previous knife crime convictions went on to stab father of 3 Craig McLelland in Paisley.herefore, clearly the government’s anti-knife crime campaigns are not enough.
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What is the explanation for: One role of the police is to prevent crime from happing.
In order to be effective, the police will often launch campaigns to make people more aware of crime and criminal behaviours.t either targets the general public to help them prevent becoming a victim or targets potential perpetrators to stop them from committing crimes.
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Provide an example for: One role of the police is to prevent crime from happing.
For example, Police Scotland have been have a couple of campaigns a year with recent ones designed to stop serious crimes such as sexual crime.hese have been called #GetConsent and “That Guy”.
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What is the explanation for: One role of the police is to investigate crimes.
This is where the police will try to find out who committed a crime by gathering evidence and conducting interviews with those involved and in the local area.epending on the crimes that have happened or are suspected to happen, Police Scotland will use the resources that it has.his includes the different departments and the powers that they have.y doing this they should hopefully be able to identify the person or persons responsible and arrest them.
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Provide an example for: One role of the police is to investigate crimes.
For example, the police gathered forensic evidence of the brutal murder of Julie Reilly in Govan as well as interviewed witnesses and the perpetrator Andrew Wallace.
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What is the explanation for: One division of the police is known as Locality Policing (Also known as Community Policing).
This is the branch of the police your most likely to see out and about as they work with the local community to address problems.any police officers belong to this branch and its success depends on the police getting to know the community.
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Provide an example for: One division of the police is known as Locality Policing (Also known as Community Policing).
For example, in many schools around Scotland there is a Campus Cop who is there to build relationships between the police and students as well as deal with any issues
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What is the explanation for: One division of the police is the Specialist Crime Division.
This is a very important department that will work on major crimes such as murder, terrorism or gang related violence.he officers in this team are specialists in dealing with these complex but more rare crimes.
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Provide an example for: One division of the police is the Specialist Crime Division.
For example, the Specialist Crime Division co-ordinated the search for Julie Reilly and her body when she was murdered in Glasgow by Andrew Wallace.
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What is the explanation for: Another division of the police is the Crime and Operational Support Unit.
This department is made up of a range of units that have the tools and knowledge to help the other departments do their job.t includes the air unit, the mounted unit, the dog unit and the diving unit.
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Provide an example for: Another division of the police is the Crime and Operational Support Unit.
For example, the Crime and Operational Support Unit was called in to help search the water next to Margaret Flemings home when they were searching for evidence about her murder.
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What is the explanation for: The police have the power to detain and arrest.
They have this power because they need it to catch criminals and protect the public.his is a very important power that the police have to be able to take away someone's freedom by locking them up until it either they are no longer a threat to people or a court has decided they should be jailed.
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Provide an example for: The police have the power to detain and arrest.
For example, the police used this power when they detained Andrew Wallace and then arrested him for the murder of Julie Reilly – which kept him off the streets and the people of Govan safe.
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What is the explanation for: The police have the power to seize goods.
They have this power because they need it to gather evidence.ne of the key roles of the police is to investigate crimes when they happen which means that they need to have the power to take items that may be evidence of a crime and used in court to solve the case.
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Provide an example for: The police have the power to seize goods.
For example, the police used this power when they seized items from the home of Avril Jones and Edward Cairney who murdered Margaret Fleming and then faked the evidence of her disappearance.
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What is the explanation for: The police have the power to enter properties.
They have this power because they need to be able to search for people and evidence.ith key roles of the police being to protect people and investigate crimes or potential crimes they will need to be able to go into people’s homes and business in order to look for people who might be missing or may even be a perpetrator in order to be effective.
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Provide an example for: The police have the power to enter properties.
For example, police entered the home of Aaron Campbell as part of their investigation into the murder of Alesha McPhail who he had murdered.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that the police are effective is because of prevention strategies like having a community police officer assigned to schools.
Known as “campus cops” these police officers in secondary schools get young people used to the police presence and the police learn about and deal with problems in the community.
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Provide an example for: One argument that the police are effective is because of prevention strategies like having a community police officer assigned to schools.
For example, schools like Prestwick Academy have a community police officer who regularly supports students in the school with their problems.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that the police are effective is because of the investigations they successfully carry out.
A key role of the police is to make sure that those who commit a crime are found and are punished for what they have done so the police will use their departments to investigate and gather evidence so that courts can find someone guilty.
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Provide an example for: One argument that the police are effective is because of the investigations they successfully carry out.
For example, between 2013 and 2023 there were 520 murders and by the end of 2023 only 1 was currently unsolved.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that the police are effective is because they keep the public safe.
The police are effective at protecting people at large scale events such as concert and football games by patrolling the events which deters criminals.
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Provide an example for: One argument that the police are effective is because they keep the public safe.
For example, the police can be seen regularly at the airports such as Edinburgh and Glasgow and there was no significant violence or disorder at the COP26 conference which was the largest ever hosted in the UK and in other countries often sees a lot of violence.
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What is the explanation for: It can be argued that the police are ineffective because not enough has been done to solve older murders.
An important job of the police is to investigate murders and bring justice for the victims but the number of unsolved murders suggests they are somewhat ineffective.
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Provide an example for: It can be argued that the police are ineffective because not enough has been done to solve older murders.
For example, there are around 1000 unsolved murders since 1960 in Scotland.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that the police are ineffective in tackling crime is because some guilty people get away.
A key role of the police is to investigate crimes but the fact that so many go unsolved suggests they are not effective.t is true that many of these are low level crimes like scams or petty theft, but it still leaves victims feel they didn’t get justice and lets criminals get away and commit crime again.olice has been criticised recently for failures in investigating more serious crimes like rape.
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Provide an example for: One argument that the police are ineffective in tackling crime is because some guilty people get away.
For example, the BBC reported that almost 50% of crimes don’t make it to court.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that the police are ineffective in in tackling hate crime is because of their own problems with hateful behaviours.
For the police to effectively tackle crime then people need to feel that they can go to the police and be honest about what has happened and feel safe with officers.f the police can’t get it right for their own then the police won’t be able to get it right with crime in the community who won’t come forward.
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Provide an example for: One argument that the police are ineffective in in tackling hate crime is because of their own problems with hateful behaviours.
For example, there have been many recent investigations into Police Scotland the chief of police in 2023 apologised calling the police institutionally racist with a history of failings.
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What is the explanation for: One way the police responds to crime is through crime prevention.
The police tries prevent crime before it happens.ffective policing isn’t just about enforcement; tackling the causes of crime is more cost effective and leads to greater social benefits over a longer period of time.he police work hard to divert potential perpetrators from committing crime in the first place.uch of this work involves the police and associated agencies working with young people and perpetrators to influence thinking and attitudes.
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Provide an example for: One way the police responds to crime is through crime prevention.
For example, police Scotland has been involved in programmes like No Knives Better Lives and Violence Reduction unit to prevent violent and knife crime.his cut by 50% risk of young people suffering knife attack in last decade.
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What is the explanation for: One way the police responds to crime is through Intensive enforcement.
Intensive enforcement or zero-tolerance policing is a tough approach that involves the police clamping down on minor offences in order to reduce low-level offending and make serious crime less likely.ero tolerance is based on single issues (such as targeting knife crime in the West of Scotland) and the idea that responding forcibly to crime such as street drinking and knife crime will avert a downward spiral of disorder.
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Provide an example for: One way the police responds to crime is through Intensive enforcement.
For example, as part the response to knife crime police in Scotland has stop and search any person suspected and detained those found to be carrying a knife.ore than 300 Stop and Searches happen in Shetland yearly.
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What is the explanation for: One role of prisons is to rehabilitate offenders.
This means to address the reasons why someone committed a crime and make them less likely to re-offend again.rison does this by giving counselling, providing an education and helping prisoners gain skills for the world of work.
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Provide an example for: One role of prisons is to rehabilitate offenders.
For example, Scottish prisons have hairdressing competitions that motivate offenders to develop their employment skills.
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What is the explanation for: One role of prison is to punish offenders.
Prison does this by taking away their freedom which is felt to be a good form of punishment and gives justice for the victims of crimes who are left to deal with the consequences.
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Provide an example for: One role of prison is to punish offenders.
For example, the family of Julie Reilly have spoken about feeling they have justice now that her murderer Andrew Wallace has been put in prison with life sentences.
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What is the explanation for: A final role of prisons is to keep the public safe.
By locking up dangerous criminal’s prison helps to keep people off the streets who might otherwise commit horrific crimes such as serious assault, rape or murder.
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Provide an example for: A final role of prisons is to keep the public safe.
For example, by locking up Aaron Campbell, the murderer of Alesha MacPhail, the police have stopped this potential psychopath from harming others.
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What is the explanation for: One reason that prison can be effective is because it can help people learn to cope with life outside through rehabilitation.
This means to address the reasons why someone committed a crime and make them less likely to re-offend again.rison does this by giving counselling, providing an education and helping prisoners gain skills for the world of work through things such as hairdressing courses.
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Provide an example for: One reason that prison can be effective is because it can help people learn to cope with life outside through rehabilitation.
For example, Scottish Government spends about £60 million every years rehabilitating prisoners.
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What is the explanation for: Another reason that prison can be effective is because depriving someone of their freedom is a good punishment and deterrent.
This is effective because it is a form of justice for the victims of crimes who are left to deal with the consequences.his is important as it can help the victim to achieve closure if they feel that the prison is a fair punishment.
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Provide an example for: Another reason that prison can be effective is because depriving someone of their freedom is a good punishment and deterrent.
For example, the families of Karen Buckley and Julie Reilly have spoken about feeling they have justice now that the murderers have been put in prison with life sentences.
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What is the explanation for: A final argument that the prisons are effective is because they keep the public safe.
Locking up dangerous criminals in prison helps to keep people off the streets who might otherwise commit horrific crimes.
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Provide an example for: A final argument that the prisons are effective is because they keep the public safe.
For example, by locking up Aaron Campbell, the murderer of Alesha MacPhail, the police have stopped this potential psychopath from harming others.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that prison may not be effective is because they are not designed to address the causes of crime.
A lot of time and money is wasted in convicting criminals and housing prisoners, particularly women and young people with adverse childhood experiences, and their time in prisons may not address why they are there.
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Provide an example for: One argument that prison may not be effective is because they are not designed to address the causes of crime.
For example, in 2022 the Scottish government announced it has now decided to close the Polmont Young Offenders institute and instead put them into care-based alternatives and avoid prison for young people whenever possible.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that prison may not be effective is because of the cost of prison which could be better used.
It costs a lot of money to keep someone in prison and that money could be put to better use by being spent on drug rehabilitation care or education, to help address why some people are in prison.
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Provide an example for: One argument that prison may not be effective is because of the cost of prison which could be better used.
For example, according to the Scottish Government it cost around £40,000 a year to keep someone in a Scottish prison in 2022.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that prison may not be effective is because of overcrowding.
Many of Scotland’s prisons are old and Victorian in design.his makes it hard to rehabilitate prisoners and if they don’t feel cared for by society and are treated so poorly then it isn’t surprising that they might commit more crimes in future.he more prisoners in prison will also mean more people to learn criminal activity from.
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Provide an example for: One argument that prison may not be effective is because of overcrowding.
For example, in early 2024 HMP Perth, had a population of 662 prisoners despite the capacity being only 630.
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What is the explanation for: One alternative to prison would be a financial penalty.
Offenders are sometimes ordered to pay a fine or compensation to a victim which means they must pay money from their own income depending on the crime.
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Provide an example for: One alternative to prison would be a financial penalty.
For example, the Justice of the Peace Court can issue a financial penalty of up to £2,500, while the Sheriff Court is limited to £10,000 but the High Court has no limit.
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What is the explanation for: An alternative to prison would be a Home Detention Curfew (HDC).
The offender may serve their sentence but at home under certain curfew conditions.his could be that they have stay within a specific address for around 12 hours every night and this is monitored by an “electronic tag”.
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Provide an example for: An alternative to prison would be a Home Detention Curfew (HDC).
For example, James Wright had been put on HDC after having been found carrying a knife.
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What is the explanation for: An alternative to prison is a Community Payback Order.
Offenders are ordered to carry out up to 300 hours of community service to give back to a community they may have damaged by possibly repairing damage or cleaning up an area.
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Provide an example for: An alternative to prison is a Community Payback Order.
For example, Rufus McLean was issued a Community Payback Order of 120 hours for domestically abusing his former partner.
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What is the explanation for: One reason alternatives would be better is because they can help avoid reoffending.
When someone goes to prison they may lose their job meaning when they get out they may be more likely to commit crimes to survive.n alternative like a fine could let someone keep their job while also paying for their crime.
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Provide an example for: One reason alternatives would be better is because they can help avoid reoffending.
For example, Eric Lavender was given a fine for embezzling, so that he can keep working and pay back the money he stole from his victim.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that alternatives might be better is because they are cheaper than prison.
It costs a lot of money to keep someone in prison so giving someone a punishment like a Home Detention Curfew could save the government money.his is because the offender still can work and earn money to look after themselves, which is money that could be spent on rehabilitation.
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Provide an example for: One argument that alternatives might be better is because they are cheaper than prison.
For example, according to the Scottish Government it costs around £40,000 a year to keep someone in prison.
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What is the explanation for: One argument for alternatives to prison is that it can help reduce and/or prevent of overcrowding and the problems this causes.
Many of Scotland’s prisons are over capacity which can mean that prisoners have more people to learn criminal activity from.ut with a Community Payback Order the offender can make amends for the harm they did.
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Provide an example for: One argument for alternatives to prison is that it can help reduce and/or prevent of overcrowding and the problems this causes.
For example, Janine O’Neil spoke about how spending so much of her youth in prison saw her learn more about committing crimes than being a positive member of society.
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What is the explanation for: Alternatives are less effective because Home Detention Curfew (HDC) Tags can be broken.
The offender may serve their sentence but at home under certain curfew conditions.is could be that they have stay within a specific address for around 12 hours every night and this is monitored by an “electronic tag” unless they break the tag.en HDCs are broken then the offender has not been properly punished for their crime and it can leave victims feel like justice has not been served.
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Provide an example for: Alternatives are less effective because Home Detention Curfew (HDC) Tags can be broken.
For example, James Wright had been put on HDC after having been found carrying a knife14 but went on to murder a father of 3 in Paisley after breaking his tag 6 months before.
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What is the explanation for: Alternatives are less effective because people on a Community Payback Order can still commit crimes.
Offenders are ordered to carry out up to 300 hours of community service but it leaves offenders free to commit more crimes.t when offenders commit crimes while serving a community payback then they have not been properly punished for their crime as they have not learned their lesson. also means the public are not being protected from offenders and could become a victim of a crime.
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Provide an example for: Alternatives are less effective because people on a Community Payback Order can still commit crimes.
For example, Mark McLean was put on a CPO in 2020 for racist assault15 which he did while already on a CPO.
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What is the explanation for: One role of the criminal courts is to determine guilt.
This means that the court will hear all the arguments and evidence to decide if someone has committed a crime.
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Provide an example for: One role of the criminal courts is to determine guilt.
For example, the Aberdonian Grandmother, Coleen Muirhead, was found guilty of embezzlement at the High Court in Edinburgh and the former SNP MP Natalie McGarry was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of embezzlement and jailed.
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What is the explanation for: A second role of the courts is to punish.
This means that after deciding if someone is guilty the judge in the court must decide in what way someone should be punished for the crime.hey will consider a lot of things including previous history.
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Provide an example for: A second role of the courts is to punish.
For example, Edinburgh Sheriff Court issued rugby player Rufus McLean a community pay back order after he was found guilty for domestically abusing his then partner.
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What is the explanation for: A final role of the courts is to provide justice.
This means that the courts have a responsibility to make sure that the right person is convicted and their victims know that the court system has done what it can to do right those who have been harmed by the crimes that have taken place.
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Provide an example for: A final role of the courts is to provide justice.
For example, the family of Julie Reilly said after the trail at the Glasgow High Court that they felt they had justice because the killer Andrew Wallace had been convicted.
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What is the explanation for: One power of the courts is to issue a custodial sentence.
This is when the courts will decide that someone should be imprisoned for the crimes they have committed.t is often the most serious punishment that the courts can issue.
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Provide an example for: One power of the courts is to issue a custodial sentence.
For example, the High Court in Glasgow sentenced Andrew Wallace to jail for the murder of Julie Reilly in Govan.
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What is the explanation for: Another power of the courts is to issue a community sentence.
This is where courts can order someone to complete their punishment in the community through sentences such as community service, a home detention curfew (tag) or an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).
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Provide an example for: Another power of the courts is to issue a community sentence.
For example, Edinburgh Sheriff Court issued rugby player Rufus McLean a community pay back order after he was found guilty for domestically abusing his then partner, Cara Haston.
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What is the explanation for: A power of the courts is to issue a financial penalty.
This is when some perpetrators may receive a financial punishment such as having to pay a fixed penalty for offences such as speeding or something much bigger depending on the crime.he courts can also order criminals to sell property to pay back .
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Provide an example for: A power of the courts is to issue a financial penalty.
For example, the High Court in Edinburgh is deciding how much Coleen Muirhead who embezzled £1.llion from her employer should be ordered to pay.
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What is the explanation for: One court in Scotland is the Justice of the Peace to deal with minor crimes.
This court deals with less serious criminal cases such as well as road traffic cases.t will always follow summary procedure and will give out small punishments such as fines.
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Provide an example for: One court in Scotland is the Justice of the Peace to deal with minor crimes.
For example, the Justice of the Peace court can give out a fine for up to £2,5000 for crimes such as petty theft and breaches of the peace.
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What is the explanation for: A court in Scotland is the Sheriff Court which deals with serious crimes.
This court will use summary or solemn procedure to deal with serious crimes and may issue punishments such as forcing people to do work in their local community to try and make up for their crimes or spend time in jail.
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Provide an example for: A court in Scotland is the Sheriff Court which deals with serious crimes.
For example, the Hamilton Sheriff Court gave a CPO to Rufus McLean after he was found guilty for domestically abusing his former partner, Cara Haston.
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What is the explanation for: The most senior court in Scotland is the High Court.
This court will deal with the most serious crimes using solemn procedure where the jury determines guilt but the judge decides on the sentence such as life in jail.
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Provide an example for: The most senior court in Scotland is the High Court.
For example, the killers of teenager Margaret Fleming were given jail sentences in 2019 for her murder as well as other crimes.
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What is the explanation for: One argument that the courts are effective is because they can imprison perpetrators of crime in Scotland.
All three criminal courts are able to send someone to prison for the crimes that they have committed as a good way of punishing them for their crimes forcing them to consider their actions.
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Provide an example for: One argument that the courts are effective is because they can imprison perpetrators of crime in Scotland.
For example, many will feel that sending Kevin Guthrie to prison after he sexually assaulted a woman in Glasgow is an effective way the courts have responded to this crime.
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What is the explanation for: A second argument that the courts are effective is because they deter people from committing crimes.
A key role of the courts is to punished offenders for what they have done so other potential criminals might be put off committing crimes after seeing how others were punished.
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Provide an example for: A second argument that the courts are effective is because they deter people from committing crimes.
For example, the courts can issue tougher punishments for people who commit hate crimes as a way of deterring people from being racists or homophobic.rime is nearly at its lowest level since 1970.
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What is the explanation for: A final argument that the courts are effective is because they keep the public safe.
By locking up dangerous criminals the courts keep people off the streets who might otherwise commit horrific crimes.
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Provide an example for: A final argument that the courts are effective is because they keep the public safe.
For example, by locking up Aaron Campbell, the murderer of Alesha MacPhail, the courts are stopping this potential psychopath from harming others.
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What is the explanation for: It can be argued that the courts are ineffective due to the high rates of reoffending.
This is where the people the courts punished have not addressed the reasons why they committed the crimes and so go onto commit more crimes meaning the punishment isn’t good enough to stop crime.
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Provide an example for: It can be argued that the courts are ineffective due to the high rates of reoffending.
For example, the Scottish government has had to ban courts from issuing short sentences of less than 12 months as reoffending rates were as high as 30%.
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What is the explanation for: A second argument that the courts are ineffective is because victims become re-traumatised.
One purpose of the courts is to provide justice to victims but many people who go through the experience of rape cases report that they are so badly treated that they wouldn’t recommend to others to report the crimes meaning justice will not be served.
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Provide an example for: A second argument that the courts are ineffective is because victims become re-traumatised.
For example, in 2023 the victims of Logan Doig reported how they felt battered and bruised after the trials by the lawyers and have been working with the leading judges in Scotland to try to make things better
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What is the explanation for: A final argument that the courts are ineffective in tackling crime is because some guilty people get away.
In Scotland conviction rates for rape and attempted rape are the lowest of all crimes where most crimes reported never even make it to court but when they do so few are convicted than with other crimes.
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Provide an example for: A final argument that the courts are ineffective in tackling crime is because some guilty people get away.
For example, 51% of rape / attempted rape cases that go to trial get a conviction compared to 91% for all other crimes.
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What is the explanation for: One role of the children hearing system is to listen and make legal decisions with and for children and young people.
This is when the panel of volunteers will hear information from young people and key adults in an informal setting on which they base their decisions.
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Provide an example for: One role of the children hearing system is to listen and make legal decisions with and for children and young people.
For example, the panel may decide to impose a compulsory supervision order stating where the young person must live.
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What is the explanation for: One role of the children hearing system is to deal with young people who are committing offences.
This is when the panel will hear the concerns about a child who has been breaking the law, and with them and other organisations work to address the reasons the crimes are taking place.
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Provide an example for: One role of the children hearing system is to deal with young people who are committing offences.
For example, 75% of the referrals to the hearing system come from the police.
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What is the explanation for: One role of the hearing system is to protect and support vulnerable children and young people.
Often the hearing system will look into the cases of young people who are at risk of abuse or neglect and consider what steps are needed to protect them and keep them safe.
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Provide an example for: One role of the hearing system is to protect and support vulnerable children and young people.
For example, between 2021-22 the CHS held over 21,000 hearings to protect and support nearly 11,000 children.
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What is the explanation for: One power of the Children Hearing System is to have a child supervised in their home.
This is another form of a Compulsory Supervision Order but means that a child is able to live at home with their parents or carers but that they will face supervision from a social worker who will come and visit.or example, someone who has been truanting from school may face regular visits from a social worker to discuss and monitor their attendance.
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Provide an example for: One power of the Children Hearing System is to have a child supervised in their home.
For example, in 2021 there were over 7,000 Compulsory Supervision Orders in place in Scotland.
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What is the explanation for: A power of the Children Hearing System is to remove a child from their home.
This is one form of a Compulsory Supervision Order but means that a child will be removed from their home to live in a Children's home, Foster home or a residential school for their protection and welfare.or example, someone may be removed from their home if they have been a victim of abuse, beyond parental control or are unsafe.
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Provide an example for: A power of the Children Hearing System is to remove a child from their home.
For example, in 2021, 3,160 children were placed with foster carers provided by a local authority.
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What is the explanation for: A power of the Children Hearing System is to issue a Warrant to Secure Attendance.
This is when the panel and reporter have to issue a warrant because a child may not have attended a hearing or it is believed that they may be in immediate danger.
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Provide an example for: A power of the Children Hearing System is to issue a Warrant to Secure Attendance.
For example, if a child or young person didn’t attend a warrant would allow the police to seek them out and take them into custody.t allows them to break down locked doors to do so.
