forensics: dealing with offending behaviour- custodial sentencing Flashcards
what is custodial sentencing?
punishing an individual by ordering them to spend a fixed period of time in custody
what are the aims of custodial sentencing? (5Ps)
- punish the individual
- protect the public
- prevent recidivism
- put off offending
- promote rehabilitation
define retribution
society getting revenge through offender suffering for harm they caused
what must punishment be compared to the severity of crime?
should be proportionate, an eye for an eye
why is prison seen as a good punishment option?
because it enacts the most suffering
how can we protect the public? do we protect them the same way for all offences?
incapacitating prisoners, the need for incapacitation depends on the severity and type of offender
define recidivism
reoffending, ex-offenders committing another crime after already being released form a custodial sentence
what is the psychological term for putting people off offending?
dettering
what are the two levels of deterrent
general detterent
individual deterrent
how is the principle of deterrent based on the learning theory principles?
either direct punishment to reduce the likelihood of behaviour re-occurring or vicarious reinforcement
how bad is recidivism in England and Wales compared to the rest of Europe?
3rd worst in Europe, Norway = 20%
define rehabilitation?
process of re-educating those who have committed a crime and preparing them to re-enter society
what opportunities should be available in prison?
opportunities to develop skills, receive training, access to treatment / therapy etc
why is rehabilitation so important?
it is the only true way to prevent recidivism of offenders
what are the 3 main psychological effects of custodial sentencing?
suicide
depression
self-harm
define institutionalisation
the regimen of daily prison life provides a structure and routine that some prisoners come to depend on and which can result in them not being able to cope with the unpredictable, unstructured nature of life outside prison
define prisonisation
The world of the prison is its own world with specific unwritten rules and norms (i.e. ‘don’t be a grass’; ‘don’t back down from a challenge’) which may be very much at odds with the conventions of the outside world and which may change the behaviour and attitudes of the prisoner
ao3: what did Bartol (1995) find about the prison population? how is this a limitation of the aims of custodial sentencing
found suicide rates 15x higher than the general population, shows custodial sentencing causes extreme psychological harm
ao3: what did the prison reform trust (2014) find? how is this a strength of the psychological effects of custodial sentencing?
25% of women and 15% of men develop symptoms of psychosis in prison, provides supporting evidence
ao3: what is it meant by the term universities of crime? what psychological explanation of offending behaviour does this link and why is this a limitation of the aims of custodial sentencing?
custody aims to do the 5 P’s but they may actually be universities of crime- people undergo a questionable ‘education’ where they learn tricks of the trade, attitudes + may increase drug use could increase offending behaviour
ao3: how are there individual differences involved in the aims and effects of custodial sentencing? how is this a limitation?
not all offenders react to custodial sentencing the same way, and not all prisons run the same - may be less generalisable to all prisons
ao3: what did Davies and Raymond (2000) find in their review of custodial sentencing? why is this a limitation of the aims of custodial sentencing?
reviewed custodial sentencing + found ministers exaggerate benefits of prisons to appear tough on crime. They found community service + RJ may be more effective at delivering the aims of custodial sentencing
