dealing with offender behaviour: custodial sentencing

Question 1

AO1: aims- deterrence

Answer 1

the unpleasant prison experience is designed to put off the individuals from offending. General and individual

Question 2

AO1: aims- incapacitation

Answer 2

offender is taken out of society, preventing them from committing other crimes as a way of protecting the public

Question 3

AO1: aims- rehabilitation

Answer 3

offenders receives help so they are less likely to reoffend (counselling, offender programmes, training, learning skills)

Question 4

AO1: aims- retribution

Answer 4

society’s revenge for the offence by making offender suffer

Question 5

AO1: psychological effects- institutionalisation

Answer 5

prisoner becomes accustomed to the norms and routines of prison life.

Question 6

AO1: psychological effects- stress and depression

Answer 6

suicide rates, self harm and self mutilation are considerably high. The stress also increases risk of developing psychological disorders

Question 7

AO1: psychological effects- prsionisation

Answer 7

norms may be different to outside world. Prisoners accept the prison code in order to survive and not get punished

Question 8

AO1: way of measuring reoffending rates

Answer 8

recidivism

Question 9

AO3: limitation- negative psychological effects on prisoners

however, doesn’t take into account those who had mental health conditions before going in

Answer 9

P: custodial sentencing leads to negative psychological effects on prisoners
E/E: 119 people killed themselves in prison in 2016.
L: shows prison can cause people psychological harm
HOWEVER, doesn’t consider numbers of people in the statistic who had psychological condition before going to prison. Suggests the cause may not be prison

Question 10

AO3: strength- rehabilitation provides opportunity for training and treatment

however, not everyone will have access

Answer 10

P: rehabilitation provides opportunity for training and treatment
E: they can learn new skills and even be educated. Those who access education are 43% less likely to reoffend
L: means they can maybe got back into society and live a normal crime free life.
HOWEVER, lots of inmates having learning disabilities meaning it is likely they will not have access to education, shows rehabilitation is not an option for everyone

Question 11

AO3: limitation: offenders may learn to become better offenders in prison

Answer 11

P: offenders may learn to become better offenders in prison
E: younger and newer inmates may learn the ‘tricks of the trade’ from older more experienced inmates.
L: undermines attempts to rehabilitate prisoners and reoffending is more likely.

Question 12

AO3: limitation- prison is not working as a deterrent

Answer 12

P: prison is not working as a deterrent
E: researchers found that prisoners would rather be in prison for the regular meals and routine than in their own home which suggests that prison does not work as a deterrent and that some prisoners lack resources and a strong social support network outside of prison

Question 13

AO3: limitation: is very expensive

Answer 13

2021/22, the average cost of a prison place in England and Wales was £46,696 British per prisoner