L10 - Custodial Sentencing

Question 1

Difference between prison and jail

Answer 1

Prison is where an offender goes after they’ve been sentenced, and jail is where an offender goes when waiting to be sentenced (didn’t make bail/considered a flight-risk/danger to public)

Question 2

What is the aim of deterrence?

Answer 2

Put off people from carrying out the reoffending behaviour

Based on conditioning through punishment

Question 3

Difference between general deterrence and individual deterrence?

Answer 3

General deterrence aims at showing society the offending behaviour won’t be tolerated
Individual deterrence aims at preventing the criminal from reoffending

Question 4

What is retribution?

Answer 4

Society is enacting revenge on the offender for their crime in proportion to the severity of it

Question 5

What is incapacitation?

Answer 5

Removing the offender from society to prevent reoffending and to protect society
Need depends on crime severity

Question 6

What is rehabilitation?

Answer 6

Providing offenders with opportunities to teach skills, receive training, and get treatment
Helps to adjust offenders to take place in society

Question 7

What is recidivism?

Answer 7

Tendency of an offender to reoffend

57% are likely to reoffend

Question 8

What psychological effects may prisoners experience?

Answer 8

Depression, anxiety, wanting to self-harm

Higher incidences of mental illness

Question 9

What is the effect of institutionalisation?

Answer 9

Lack of autonomy and conform to the role of a prisoner

Question 10

What is brutalisation and it’s effect?

Answer 10

Prison acting as a “school” for crime and reinforcing criminal lifestyle and norms

Question 11

What reinforces recidivism and brutalisation?

Answer 11

Offenders losing previous social contacts and finding it harder to get a job as you’re labelled as a criminal

Question 12

Positive evaluation point?

Answer 12

Shows justices has been done, limits danger to public
Offenders have access to education and training to increase chances of employment when released
Access to treatments for anger management and social skills

Question 13

• related to more effective methods

Answer 13

Crime prevention is more effective since people avoid being labelled as a criminal and the negative consequences of prison like psychological disorders

Question 14

• related to prison benefits

Answer 14

A study found that government ministers exaggerate prison’s benefits to seem tough in crime
In reality prison does little to prevent reoffending and so it’s done to appease public/for retribution

Question 15

Three psychological effects of custodial sentencing?

Answer 15

Institutionalisation
Brutalisation
Mental illness incidences increases

Question 16

Mental illnesses experienced in prison examples

Answer 16

Suicidal thoughts (young men during first 24 hours in custody most at risk)
Depression
Anxiety
Psychosis

Question 17

+ related to mental illness

Answer 17

Psychological disorders may have been prevalent before incarceration
Can’t always prove it’s due to imprisonment

Question 18

• related to low-risk offenders

Answer 18

Community service may be more useful

Don’t lose social contacts or job for minor offence