penal populism and imprisonment

Question 1

what theories does this policy come from

Answer 1

sociologically and right realism

Question 2

what is penal populism

Answer 2

whereby the gov creates laws to punish offenders that will be popular with the public (stricter prison sentences)

Question 3

what theory is it influenced by

Answer 3

rational choice theory: cost of crime outweighs the reward

Question 4

why do the gov create laws to be popular with the public

Answer 4

• to get voted in for the next election

Question 5

what year did it begin to become popular from

Answer 5

1990

Question 6

what does wilson state

Answer 6

that these types of policies resulted as a result of the James Bulgar case i 1993

Question 7

when did the conservatives bring in tougher prison sentences

Answer 7

1997

Question 8

what is an impact of penal populism

Answer 8

increase in prison population
FROM 45,000 in 1993 NOW 88,000 in 2023

Question 9

what has the UK got compared to europe

Answer 9

• more life sentences than the whole of europe combined
• youngest age of criminal resposnibility

Question 10

summarise what happened in the james bulgar case

Answer 10

• he was murdered by robert thompson and jon veneables
• abducted, murdered and tortured
• both jailed for life but released on licence with new identities in 2001 when they turned 18
• went to crown court rather than a youth court

Question 11

how did the james bulgar case influence penal populism

Answer 11

• gov became harsher on young offenders
• gov needed to restore faith in public as crime was so shocking so needed to show/reassure public that it wouldnt happen again

Question 12

‘prison works’ and in the right realist views has two functions. what are these two functions

Answer 12

1. incapacitation
2. deterrence

Question 13

imprisonment - what is incapacitation

Answer 13

criminals become incapable of harming the public if their locked away - jail takes them out of circulation

Question 14

imprisonment: what is deterrence

Answer 14

to put off criminals and potential criminals from committing a crime if they see tougher punishments being handed out

Question 15

STRENGTH: what are the three main strengths of penal punishment

Answer 15

1. incapacitation (public protection)
2. deterrence (put off offending)
3. retribution ( punish/justice)

Question 16

STRENGTH: what does crime do for society according to durkheim

Answer 16

prisons provide a positive function for society such as prison staff/ officers

Question 17

WEAKNESS: what percentage of people leaving prison reoffend within 12 months

Answer 17

prison isnt working to reduce crime because reoffending rates are high
- 59% of adults reoffend within a year of release
- 73% for children under 18

Question 18

WEAKNESS: how may Sutherlands view be a weakness

Answer 18

he says prisons are criminal unis - people come out of prisons worse than when they went in as their learn criminal behaviours from peers inside