Dealing With Offending Behaviour; Custodial Sentencing Flashcards
What is custodial sentencing
Involves a convicted offender spending time in prison or another closed institution
What are the main reasons for custodial sentencing
- Deterrence
- Incapacitation
- Retribution
- Rehabilitation
What is deterrence
It is designed to put pff the individual from engaging in offending behaviour
This view is based on the behaviourist idea of conditioning throng vicarious punishments
WHat is incapacitation
Where offender is taken out of society to prevent them reoffending as a means of protecting the public
Need for incapacitation is likely to depend upon the severity of the offence and nature of offence
What is retribution
Society enacting revenge fr the offence by making the offender suffer and the level of suffering is proportionate to the seriousness of the offence
What is rehabilitation
Main objective of prison as not being purely to punish to reform
So offenders should leave prison better adjusted
Prison should provide opportunities o develop skills and training or access treatment and give offender the chance to reflect on their offence
What are psychological effects of custodial sentencing
- Stress and depression - suicide rates are higher In prison and incidents of self mutilation and self harm. Psychological disorders more at risk
- Institutionalisation - adapted to norms and routines of prison life and then cant function on the outside
- Prisonisation - prisoners are socialised into adopting inmate code sp behaviour considered unacceptable on outside world may be encourage and reward inside walls of institution
What is recidivism
Is a tendency to relapse into a previous condition or mode of behaviour - so reoffending
What does recidivism rates tell us
Tell us to what extent prison acts as an effective deterrent
Outline findings of one study that suggests custodial sentencing is not effective for dealing with offenders
Research has shown that some people who are released from prison find that they would rather be in prison with access to food and shelter
So custodial sentencing is not deterrent for everyone and so is not always effective
What is one strength of custodial sentencing - training and treatment
Offenders may become better people during prion and this can lead to a crime free life when bac in society
Many offenders access education ans training whilst in prison
Research has dine offenders who take part in programs are 43% less likley to reoffend following release
This suggests prion may be worthwhile experience assuming offenders are able to access these programmes
What is another limitation of custodial sentencing - life in prissiom
- not consider effective deterrent
- while prison is portrayed to be unpleasant, dangerous and owing
- research has been done however that finds some prisoners would rather e in prison then in there own homes as they are given regularly meals and have routine
This suggests prion may prison does not have the desired impact of deterring people form crime
One limitation of custodial sentencing - rise in crime statistics
The rise in crime statistics suggest prisons aren’t working
- prisons are overcrowded
- suggest custodial sentencing is not having the desired impact since rate would be expected to fall if prisons was effectively rehabilitation people before release and deferring people from reoffending
