Justice Flashcards
UK sentencing (4 sentences)
- Custodial sentencing
- Tagging
- Fining
- Community payback orders
Custodial Sentencing (advantages and disadvantages)
Rehabilitation programs are in place in most Scottish prisons eg. for drugs and alcohol.
People think it way encourage a college of crime.
Tagging (advantages and disadvantages)
Cheap, costs around £2,000 a year and they can be tracked within 2m.
Don’t protect the public, Lewis Singleton (18) was stabbed to death by someone with a tag and a history of violent crime.
Fines (advantages and disadvantages)
Free up prison space, keeping people out of jail for minor offences.
High re-offending rates for crimes such as litter and speeding, little deterrent.
Community payback orders (advantages and disadvantages)
Only £3,000 is needed to send someone to a community order, prison is much higher.
Offers little protection to the community that the offender is in.
Moral Issues (custodial sentences)
Punishment is inconsistent, not everyone gets the same for the same crime (MofJ stats show that despite strict national guidelines, someone in Derbyshire is 4 times more likely to be sent to prison than someone in Northumbria).
Discrimination, women are less likely to go to jail (men are 73% more likely to serve jail time than women).
Victims may not feel like justice has been served as the sentence is not long enough (over 3/4 of the public believe that sentencing is too lenient in England and Wales).
Innocent may be sentenced (the Darvell brothers were convicted in 1986 after the Welsh police were said to have created evidence to incriminate them, they were innocent).
P.O.P Retrebution
Similar teachings in the bible, Torah and Qu’ran that criminals should be punished for their actions.
Revenge, release of anger.
When does the cycle end?
P.O.P Deterrence
Punishment to put people off from committing a crime, people won’t want to face these consequences so won’t offend.
Crime is often impulsive so people don’t think of the consequences.
P.O.P Reformation
Punishment should reform a criminal, rehabilitate offenders through education or programmes. Allows for a better life where they will not reoffend.
People are still distrustful of those who have committed crimes and may not believe that they have changed.
P.O.P Protection
Punishment should protect those in public from dangerous criminals.
Offenders cannot commit again and should be put off from doing so.
If released, the offender may still commit a crime.
Religious View (Christian)
RET - “an eye for an eye” Book of Exodus
REF - everyone should have a second chance no matter the crime.
PRO - strong should support the weak, protect the innocent from harm.
DET - forgive those who have sinned. Mathew 6:14 if you forgive, God will forgive you.
Non-religious view (Utilitarian)
RET - brings more suffering on the criminal and families, suffering should be prevented.
REF - brings a positive outcome for both the criminal and society.
PRO - would bring about greatest good for the greatest number, for both criminal and society.
DET - if it reduces crime, this is good for the greatest number, however, if the punishment is too harsh they are against.
Causes of crime x5
Poverty, drugs and alcohol, ACE, boredom and gang culture.
Religious responses to the causes of crime x4
Christians believe that the causes of crime are more complex than being “born bad”.
They highlight the inequalities in society and why this can lead to people committing a crime.
They are in favour of showing compassion to criminals.
They don’t excuse criminal activity but argue that there are contributing factors that cause this.
Non-religious responses to the causes of crime x3
Utilitarians believe in identifying and fixing the cause of crime as by doing this, more people in society can be helped.
Tackling the causes of crime benefits the greatest number of people.
Those with collectivist views argue that money should be put into programmes that address the causes.
Examples of causes of crime
POVERTY - a study in 2013 found that 29% of Scots were lacking in 3 or more basic needs.
DRUGS & ALCOHOL - a survey in 2019 found that 44% of violent crime was related to alcohol.
ACE - 90% of offenders at an YOI reported that they had at least 1 ACE.
BOREDOM - 7 in 10 11-16 year olds said they believed a lack of facilities led to young people committing crime.
GANG CULTURE - In the year ending March 2022, 710 homicides were a result of gangs.
