Custodial sentencing

Question 1

How is deterrence a response to crime

Answer 1

Threat of an unpleasant experience serves to prevent the behaviour in the future
Form of individual deterrence and general deterrence

Question 2

Individual deterrence

Answer 2

Preventing the offender from committing the same crime in the future

Question 3

General deterrence

Answer 3

To deter the rest of the population from committing the same crime

Question 4

How is incapacitation a response to crime

Answer 4

While a person is incapacitated they are not free to commit crimes
Some offenders are seen as a danger to the public and this well prevent future crimes
The level of incapacitation will be dependent on the severity of the crime

Question 5

How is retribution a response to crime

Answer 5

Focuses on the feelings of the victim, their family or society generally
so i can crack my fingers but cant finger my crack
we live in a society
Society is enacting revenge for the crime by punishing the offender
A crime has been committed and should receive a suitable punishment

Question 6

How is rehabilitation (reform) a response to crime

Answer 6

Prison should reform prisoners so that upon release they will not reoffend
Counselling and offender programmes are sometimes offered in prison so the offender has the opportunity to learn skills
They are then in a position to lead a crime-free life upon release

Question 7

What are some worrying statistics of recidivism (reoffending)

Answer 7

Ministry of Justice 2013 stated that 57% of UK offenders will reoffend within a yr of release

Question 8

What are the psychological effects of prison

Answer 8

Stress and depression - suicide, self-harm, self-mutilation
Institutionalisation - inmates become accustomed to life inside prison and cannot operate normally outside
Prisonisation - prisoners socialised into adpting ‘inmate code’ where antisocial behaviour is encouraged or rewarded

Question 9

Why r the homeless likely to reoffend

Answer 9

Might like routine of prison
Have bed, roof over their heads, and food available to them

Question 10

What did Crighton and Towl 2008 suggest abt the number of suicides among offenders in prison increasing as a result of

Answer 10

Overcrowding
Low staff-to-offender ratio
Lack of access to medical services and exercise
Increased risk of physical assault
Settling in new environment

Question 11

+ve effects of imprisonment

Answer 11

Remorse
New opportunities
Treatment available

Question 12

What did Dooley 1990 find about depression and suicide risk in prison

Answer 12

Case notes of 295 of the 300 suicides that happened in prison between 1972-1987 were studied
Risk groups: prisoners serving life sentences and those convicted of violent or sexual offends
Association between suicide and guilt
History of psychiatric problems in about 1/3 of cases

Question 13

How is suicidal effects of prison a +ve evaluation

Answer 13

Bartol 1995 - “prison can be brutal, demeaning and generally devastating”
Suicide rates of prisoners are around 15x higher than those within the general population (in last 20 yrs)
Young, single men in the first 24 hrs of confinement are most at risk
Prison Reform Trust 2014 found 25% of women and 15% of men reported symptoms indicative of psychosis
Psychological vulnerability

Question 14

How is suicide and self-harm a +ve evaluation
controversial but ok

Answer 14

Snow 2006
Examined characteristics of prisoners who self-harm compared to those who are suicidal
Both showed psychological effects of being in prison
She found that the offenders who self-harm are qualitatively different to those who take their lives or attempt suicide, in that the self-harmers display high levels of anger and stress whereas the ones who are suicidal withdraw and show signs of depression
Both are clearly show signs of the psychological effects of incarceration and a decline in mental health

Question 15

How is institutionalisation a +ve evaluation

Answer 15

Hollin 1992
Hollin stated in his research that there was evidence to suggest that prisons became ‘home’ to some prisoners
Received 3 meals a day together w bed and companionship was preferable to them, than what they had to deal w outside of prison

Question 16

How is prisonisation a +ve evaluation

Answer 16

Cheeseman 2003
Many aggressive incidents occurred in prison due to the need to relieve stress
Suggests aggressive incidents could be a result of the surroundings

Question 17

-ve evaluation regarding universities for crime-rehabilitation

Answer 17

Alongside learning legitimate skills in prison, young offenders may learn from more experienced criminals
Undermines attempts to rehabilitate younger inmates, making reoffending more likely

Question 18

Why can’t we just say in general prisons cause mental health problems

Answer 18

Difficult to know whether this is a result of prison or whether this was already part of the individual
e.g. aggressiveness could b the reason people are in prison
Correlation rather than causation
Individual differences between offenders based on length of time in prison, type of prison and type of offence

Question 19

-ve evaluation regarding individual differences

Answer 19

Whilst prison may be psychologically challenging for some, we cannot assume all offenders will behave in the same way
Length of sentence, reasons for incarceration and previous experience
Different prisons = different regimes

Question 20

How are the recidivism rates of mental health a +ve evaluation

Answer 20

Coid 2007
The mental health of prisoners has a direct impact on recidivism rates
Those who received treatment for mental health problems in prison were 60% less likely to reoffend than untreated prison inmates
They were also 80% less likely to commit violent acts

Question 21

How is recidivism rates - drugs and rehabilition -ve evaluation

Answer 21

Malott and Fromander 2010
Conducted a survey w 102 Australian male offenders asking them about their release and potential to reoffend
Offenders felt unsupported upon release - a greater level of accessible resoirces, treatment and/or support services would help them not to reoffend
Cartier 2006 - researched drug abuse and recidivism rates. Found a clear relationship between substance abuse and reoffending

Question 22

What is a +ve and -ve evaluation regarding opportunities for training and treatment rehabilitation

Answer 22

Access to education and training whilst in prisons allows offenders to better themselves and lead a crime free life
Employment after release is a factor for rehabilitation (Gillis et al 1998)
Anger management and social skills training - reduce the likelihood of repeat offending
However: many prisons may lack the resources to provide these programs and evidence is not conclusive

Question 23

How is alternatives to custodial sentencing a -ve evaluation

Answer 23

Davies and Raymond 2000
Government ministers exaggerate the benefits of prison in a bid to appear tough on crime
In reality, does little to benefit or deter others
Community service and restorative justice - lower rates of reoffending
Open prisons - HMP Ford - have lost 90 prisoners due to absonding