Dealing with Offending Behaviour - Custodial Sentencing

Question 1

Aim of Prison - Deterrence

Answer 1

Unpleasant experience of prison is designed to put us off offending
=>based on conditioning principles

• General : broad message to society that crime isn’t tolerated (vicarious reinforcement)
• Individual: preventing individual from repeating crime based on experience (punishment

Question 2

Aim of Prison - Incapacitation

Answer 2

Offender is taken out of society to prevent reoffending to protect public

=> need depends on severity of offence e.g serial murderer v. tax fraudster

Question 3

Aim of Prison - Retribution

Answer 3

Society get revenge for a crime as offender suffers

• level of suffering is proportional to severity of crime
• based on view offenders must pay for crime

Question 4

Aim of Prison - Rehabilitation

Answer 4

Idea that prisons should aim for reform not punishing

• prisoners should return to society better adjusted + able to contribute
• should offer skill development or treatment e.g. drug addiction
• prisoners reflect on crime + why it’s wrong

Question 5

Psychological effect of Prison - Stress + Depression

Answer 5

Suicide rates + self harm are much higher than general pop.

Stress of prisons can increase risk of psychological disturbance after release

Question 6

Psychological Effects of Prison - Institutionalisation

Answer 6

Inability to function outside of prison as prisoners struggle to adapt to less structured life outside

Question 7

Psychological Effects of Prison - Prisonation

Answer 7

Prisoners are socialised into an “inmate code” - behaviours unacceptable outside prison is encouraged

Question 8

The Problem of Redcivism

Answer 8

Rates tell us extent prison acts as an effective deterrent

• About 45% of UK offenders reoffend within a year
• However, in Norway, it’s 20% - there’s a focus on rehab + skill development instead of incarceration

Question 9

(L) Negative Effects of Custodial Sentencing - Bartol (1995)

Answer 9

• Said prison is “brutal, demeaning + generally debasing”
• Suicide rates in England + Wales prisons is 9x higher than general pop.
• Prison Reform Trust (2014) found 25% of women + 15% of men reported psychosis

Supports => view oppressive prison regimes may be detrimental to mental health, impacting rehabilitation

Question 10

(S) Counter to Negative Effects of Custodial Sentencing

Answer 10

Many offenders may have pre-existing psychological difficulties before prison (importation model)

• could explain offending behaviour to begin with

Suggests => may be confounding variables that influence the link between prison + psych. effects

Question 11

(S) Prisons provides training + treatment - Shirley (2019)

Answer 11

• Vera Institute of Justice claims that offenders who take part in college education programs are 43% less likely to reoffend
• Will improve employment opportunities on release - reduces likelihood of recidivism

Suggests => prison may be worthwhile if offenders have access to these programs

Question 12

(L) Prisons meh be a school for crime

Answer 12

• Long term offenders may learn “tricks of the trade” from other offenders
• may acquire contacts in prison they follow up
  on post-release

Undermines attempts to rehab. prisoners + make reoffending more likely