Crime and the Law Flashcards
Roles of the Police:
Control Traffic
Prevent Crime
Investigate/Catch Criminals
Control Traffic example:
For example, on average, 7000 people are killed each year in the UK as a result of drink driving.
Prevent Crime example:
For example, every year, police monitor TRNSMT to provide a presence and discourage drug use.
Economic Causes of Crime:
Poverty
Unemployment
Greed
Poverty example:
For example, North Lanarkshire saw a 40% increase in shoplifting in 2018 due to “destitute shoplifting.”
Unemployment example:
For example, a former high court judge claims a huge increase in joblessness caused by Covid-19 will lead to more people becoming desperate and breaking the law, leaving overstretched courts unable to cope.
Greed example:
For example, former SNP MP Natalie McGarry was jailed for 18 months in 2018 for embezzling money from pro-independence groups.
Social Causes of Crime:
Peer Pressure
Drugs and Alcohol
Peer Pressure example:
For example, people that are part of gangs may be more likely to commit a crime due to the others’ expectations and actions.
Drugs and Alcohol example:
For example, in over 42% of all homicide cases, the person committing the crime was drunk at the time of the offence.
Biological Causes of Crime:
Sex
DNA
Sex example:
For example, a male is more likely to commit a crime than a woman, although women still commit crimes.
DNA example:
For example, there is a gene called the “warrior gene” that is common in psychopaths. It causes a lack of empathy and, when paired with a negative childhood/upbringing, can cause people to commit crimes.
Consequences of Crime for the Perpetrator:
Being locked up in jail (physical)
Separated from family and friends (social)
No income (economic)
Locked in jail example:
For example, their physical health could decline which could therefore impact their mental health and wellbeing.
Separated from family/friends example:
For example, 60% of all offenders in Scotland had mental health problems whilst in jail.
No income example:
For example, this could lead to them ending up homeless or stealing to survive.
Consequences of Crime for the Victim:
Severe injuries/death (physical)
Poor mental health (social)
Having to take time off work (economic)
Severe injuries/death example:
For example, if a victim of violent crime died, it would impact their loved ones’ mental health and if they are disabled after the crime, this may impact their ability to work.
Poor mental health example:
For example, 31% of all rape victims will develop PTSD throughout their lives.
Having to take time off work example:
For example, every year, nearly a million victims lost wages, 180,000 moved home and 32,000 changed their jobs as a result of crime in Scotland.
Consequences of Crime on Society/Communities:
Businesses losing money (financial)
‘Environmental Poverty’ (social)
Stereotyping (economic/social)
Businesses losing money example:
For example, in 2013, the cost of business crime in Scotland was over £5 billion.
Environmental poverty example:
For example, in 2008, 574 people in Scotland died of a drug related causes. Over a third of these deaths were in the Glasgow area.
Stereotyping example:
For example, London saw a 27% decrease in burglaries and a 41% increase in house prices.
Police Methods of Tackling Crime:
Campus Cops
Violence Reduction Unit (VRU)
Stop and Search
Campus Cops examples:
For example, crimes in schools decreased due to campus cop presence. (Scot Gov 2010)
For example, cost-effectiveness of campus cops has been questioned because of some schools using their funding to pay for campus cops, rather than spending it on educational purposes.
Violence Reduction Unit example:
For example, violent crime involving knife use in Glasgow decreased from 15 deaths in 2006-2011, to 0 in 2011-2016.
Stop and Search examples:
For example, Police Chief constable Andy Cooke stated that “because there are less police officers, criminals know that they’re more reluctant to engage in stop and searches- therefore criminals feel safe carrying knives and guns around.”
This shows that the use of stop and searches means criminals are less likely to carry knives around.
OR
This shows that police cuts mean stop and searches have decreased.
Alternatives to Prison:
Community Payback Order (CPO)
Tagging
Fines
Community Payback Order examples:
For example, Scottish Government research shows that CPOs are more effective in reducing reoffending rates than short prison sentences.
For example, only 68% of CPOs are finished.
Tagging examples:
This is effective because it is cost-effective. For example, the cost of imprisonment for 1 year is £34,000 and the cost of an electronic tag for 1 year is £2,000.
This is ineffective because it doesn’t ‘stop’ restricted behaviour. For example, the tag provides a curfew for the perpetrator to be home at but doesn’t stop people from still committing a crime when wearing it.
Fines examples:
For example, fines save prisons from overcrowding.
For example, in 2019/20, the Scottish courts estimated only 64% of fines were paid in full.
Aims of Prisons:
Protect Society
Punish Criminals
Deter Crime
Protect Society example:
For example, Sentencing Council (2019) found that victims of crime feel safer knowing that the criminal is in prison.
Punish Criminals examples:
For example, prisoners cannot vote in UK general elections.
For example, for prisons in the UK, some people have argued that having television in cells, access to games consoles etc. has made prisons too ‘soft’.
Deter crime examples:
For example, in Scotland the reoffending rate dropped from 32.4% in 2006/7 to 27% in 2015/16.
For example, research suggests that almost two-thirds of offenders who have served a short-term prison sentence re-offend within a year of being released.
Scottish Court System:
Justice of the Peace Courts (JP Courts)
Sheriff Courts
High Court
Justice of the Peace Courts example:
For example, the maximum sentence this court can give is 60 days in prison and the maximum fine they can give is £2,500.
Sheriff Courts example:
For example, the maximum fine this court can give for a summary procedure is £10,000 and a maximum sentence of 12 months. For a solemn procedure, there is no limit to the fine that they can give and the maximum custodial sentence they can give is 5 years.
High Court example:
For example, this court has unlimited sentencing powers.
Government policies to tackle crime:
Lowering the drink drive limit.
The Alcohol and Minimum Pricing (Scotland) Act 2012.
The Alcohol (Scotland) Act 2010.
Lowering the drink drive limit example:
For example, Strathclyde University research found that the new drink-drive limit has had little impact on road deaths/accidents.
The Alcohol and Minimum Pricing (Scotland) Act 2012 example:
This policy is effective because it benefits communities. For example, there has been a decrease of ‘public nuisance’ since the introduction of minimum unit pricing.
This policy is ineffective because it has done little in preventing crime. For example, there has been ‘little’ impact on alcohol related crime since the introduction of minimum unit pricing in Scotland.
The Alcohol (Scotland) Act 2010 example:
For example, this is effective because this law puts responsibility on bars, clubs, etc. to reduce alcohol served to customers becoming ‘too drunk’, therefore reducing crime in and around the venue.
How does the Children’s Hearing System work?
Through a referral basis.
How the Children’s Hearing System works example:
For example, in 2019/20, 12,849 referrals were made to the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration.
Reasons for being referred to a Children’s Hearing:
If a child is not attending school regularly without a reasonable excuse.
If a child is misusing drugs or alcohol.
If the child has committed a crime.
Reasons for referral examples:
For example, in 2019/20, 12,849 referrals were made to the Scottish Children’s Reporters Administration (SCRA).
For example, most referrals are made by the police (75% in 2019/20), social work departments and education.
Arguments for the Children’s Hearing Panel:
It keeps children out of the court system.
It addresses the family’s behaviour as well as the child’s.
Keeps children out of the court system example:
For example, jobs are more likely to hire people if they don’t have a criminal record.
Addresses the family’s behaviour as well as the child’s example:
For example, this creates a better chance of success in life for the child.
Arguments against the Children’s Hearing Panel:
It is not a real ‘deterrent’.
The system is ‘outdated’.
Not a real ‘deterrent’ example:
For example, 60% of referrals are welfare/protection which could be referred elsewhere.
System is ‘outdated’ example:
For example, this can negatively impact the child as they may not get the help they need because of this.
What is the purpose of a Children’s Hearing?
To decide whether compulsory supervision is needed for the child.
What conclusions can the Children’s hearing panel make?
They can either ‘discharge’ the case or offer a ‘supervision order’ to the child.
