Dealing With Offending Behaviour: Custodial Sentencing Flashcards
What is meant by custodial sentencing?
Where criminals spend time in prison or another closed institute.
What is the aim of custodial sentencing?
To punish the offender.
Deterrence.
Incapacitation.
Retribution.
Rehabilitation.
What is meant by deterrence?
The unpleasant prison experience to prevent individuals from offending.
What is the aim of deterrence?
To send the message to members of society that crime will not be tolerated.
What is meant by incapacitation?
Where the offender is taken out from society in order to protect the public.
What is the aim of incapacitation?
To protect the public.
What is meant by retribution?
Where society takes revenge by making the criminal suffer.
What is the aim of retribution?
To make the offender suffer for their crime.
What is meant by rehabilitation?
Where offenders are given the opportunity to better themselves and leave prison as changed individuals.
What is the aim of rehabilitation?
To transform offenders and reduce the likelihood of them committing crime again.
What does recidivism mean?
Reoffending
What are the psychological effects of custodial sentencing?
Stress and self harm.
Institutionalisation - adapting to prison life and being unable to function on the outside.
De-individuation.
What is one strength of custodial sentencing?
- Offers opportunities for training and treatment.
Anger management schemes and social skills training are available which give offenders insight into their behaviour.
Shows custodial sentencing reduces likelihood of recidivism.
Therefore, prison is a worthwhile experience.
What are 2 weaknesses of custodial sentencing?
- Not effective in rehabilitating offenders.
Bartol: prison can be ‘brutal’.
Last 25 years: suicide rates among offenders has been 15x higher than in general population.
Shows prison can trigger psychological disorders.
Therefore, unlikely to result in changed offenders. - Alternatives.
Community service and restorative justice prevent separation from families and employment
Shows offenders shouldn’t be isolated.
Therefore, likely to prevent recidivism.
