Paper 3 - Forensic Psychology - Custodial Sentencing Flashcards
What are the 4 aims of custodial sentencing?
Deterrence
Incapacitation
Retribution
Rehabilitation
What are the 2 different types of deterrence?
Individual
General
What is deterrence?
Deterrence is where a threat of an unpleasant experience serves to prevent the behaviours in the future
What are individual deterrences?
Individual deterrences - preventing the offender from committing the same crime in the future
Hat are general deterrences?
General deterrence - to deter the rest of the population from committing the same time. Crime is not tolerated
Explain incapacitation
While a person is incapacitated they are not free to commit crimes
Some offenders are seen as dangerous so incapacitation will prevent future victims
The level of incapacitation will be dependent on the severity of the crime
Explain retribution
Focuses on the feelings of the victim, their family or society generally
Society is enacting revenge for the crime by punishing the offender
A crime has been committed and should receive a suitable punishment
Explain rehabilitation
Prison should reform prisoners so that upon release they will not reoffend
Counselling and offender programmes are sometimes offered in prisons so the offenders has the opportunity to learn skills
They are then in a position to lead a crime free life upon release
State the prison stats
In 2013 the MoJ said that 57% of UK offenders will reoffend within a year of release
2023 - 83,000 men in prison 3,000 women in prison
What is a fancy way to say reoffending?
Recidivism rate
What is prisonisation?
this refers to the way that prisoners are socialised into adopting an inmate code where antisocial behaviour may be encouraged or rewarded
What is the main negative effect of custodial sentencing?
Suicide rates
Explain the study about depression and suicide risk in prisons
Dooley (1990) depression and suicide risk in prisons
Case notes of 295 of the 300 suicides hat happened in prison between 1972 and 1987 were studied
Risk groups: prisoners serving life sentences and those convicted of violent or sexual offences
They found an association between suicide and guilt
They also found a history of psychiatric problems in about as third of cases
What reasons did Crighton and Towl suggest for suicides in prison?
Over crowding
Low staff to offender ratio
Lack of access to medical services and exercises
Increased risk of physical assault
Settling in a new environment (suicide risk is higher in the first 30 days)
What are the positive effects of custodial sentencing?
Inmates may feel remorse
Inmates may get new opportunities in life as they may have access to a law degree etc
Inmates may have access to medical treatments such as anger management therapy
What reasons are common for prisoners to self harm?
They feel frustrated about being incarcerated
They want to regain control
What is institutionalisation?
This is when inmates become accustomed to life inside prison and cannot operate normally on the outside.
Give an example of institutionalisation?
Explain a bit further?
SPE (even the guards became institutionalised)
Why may poorer areas have a higher crime rate?
People may need to steal for survival
People may like the 3 meals a day and the accommodation
What are the positive evaluations of custodial sentencing?
Why are many of these positives?
Suicidal effects of prisons
Suicide and self harm
Institutionalisation
Prisonisation
Recidivism rates - mental health
Opportunities for rehabilitation and training
They can be used to show problems which can then be improved