Dealing With: Custodial Sentencing

Question 1

What are the 4 aims of

Answer 1

1. Deterrence: general (crime will not be tolerated) and individual (won’t reoffend) both working on conditioning through punishment
2. Incapacitation: taking criminal off streets
3. Retribution: revenge, alternatives to prison seen as soft
4. Rehabilitation: training and treatment for drugs

Question 2

3 psychogical effects of custodial sentencing

Answer 2

1. Stress and depression: high suicide rates in convicts
2. Insititudinaisation: accustomed to prison life
3. Prisonation: inmate code

Question 3

The issue of recidivism

Answer 3

1. 57% of Uk offenders within a year
2. In Norway much more focus on rehabilitation: they have much lower recidivism
3. However seen as soft option

Question 4

A01 custodial sentencing

Answer 4

1. Aims (4 aims)
2. Psychological effects (3)
3. Recidivism in UK (57%), much lower in Norway

Question 5

Evidence to support psychological effects

Answer 5

1. Most at risk are young single men during first 24 hours
2. Study found 25% women, 15% men reported symptoms of psychosis
3. Would seem oppressive prison regime promotes psychological disorders in those most vulnerable
4. Suggest more damaging then rehabilitating (especially those most vulnerable)

Question 6

Individual differences between prisons and inmates

Answer 6

1. Diff prisons vary in regime
2. Length of sentence and disposition also effect effectiveness
3. Difficult to make universal conclusions

Question 7

University of crime

Answer 7

1. Younger inmates learn tricks of trade from older so undermines rehabilitation
2. Linked to differential association

Question 8

Provides opportunity for skill acquisition and drug treatment

Answer 8

1. If offenders rehabilitated then less likely to reoffend
2. Skills acquired may lead to employment when released
3. Anger management available
4. However many prisons lack the resources for this