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Question 1

Describe in detail the types of Scottish courts.

Answer 1

Justice of the peace. For example crimes such as failure to pay fines,minor assaults or shop lifting will be dealt with in this court.

Sheriff’s court. For example minor or serious crimes such as theft and serious driving offences will be dealt with in this court.

High court. For example serious crimes such as murder, rape, armed robbery, drug trafficking etc will be dealt with in this court

Question 2

Describe how Scottish courts are effective.

Answer 2

power to imprison people. The three different courts in Scotland have different sentencing powers. The high court has the power to impose an unlimited fine and life sentence whereas the justice of the peace court has less powers. For example, in 2020 the high court in Edinburgh convicted Adam Adley for attempted murder as he drove a van towards club security staff.

Provides retribution. This means that the three different courts are able to apply different levels of punishment to suit the criminal offence. For example, in 2020 footballer James Hurst was ordered to do unpaid work by the Glasgow sheriff court for coughing on police officers, whilst claiming he has covid-19

Question 3

Describe the ineffectiveness of the Scottish courts.

Answer 3

Failure to protect the public. This means that’s courts do not always ensure safety of citizens due to being too lenient. For example,in 2018, convicted criminal , James wright, stabbed a man to death while whilst serving a sentence for knife possession while on an electric tag.

Fails to act as a deterrent. It is argued that people don’t fear the punishments that are served in the Scottish courts as they are non -custodial such as community pay back orders or short prison sentences. For example,in 2017, the Scottish prison population was 7,300 but in 2018 it has risen to 8,200.

Question 4

Describe the stages of the CHS.

Answer 4

This first procedure is the referral. This is the information received by the Children’s reporter from anybody about a young person who may need supervision to help address their behaviour.

The second procedure is the investigation. This is when the child’s reporter investigated the young persons case by asking questions from different sources such as schools or social workers

final stage is the hearing. This is when 3 panel members listen to everyone and consider all the information before making a decision about the young person .

Question 5

Describe the effectiveness of the CHS.

Answer 5

provides care and protection. The panel tries to find out the root cause for the child’s behaviour by listening to the child and solving their issues in an informal setting rather than focusing on a punishment. For example, a child i allowed to invite a friend to support them during a hearing

Keeps children out of the adult hearing system . This means that children who did not commit the most serious offences will not be trailed at the justice of the peace court or high court but rather face a more informal procedure at the CHS. For example, 75% of young offenders will be re convicted within 2 years of being released from prison .

Question 6

Describe why the CHS is ineffective.

Answer 6

fails to act as a deterrent. This means children do not fear possible outcomes of the CHS ad they are considered to be a lot more lenient compared to the adult court system. For example, the decisions generally go no further than referring a young person to a social worker which is considered a soft outcome.

Slow process. The four stages of the CHS can take a large amount of time to organise. For example, the referral stage to the outcome stage can take several months.

Question 7

Explain the biological causes of crime

Answer 7

One biological factor which can cause people to commit crime is the warrior gene. This means that some people are born with an extra Y chromosome which gives them XYY instead of XY. This can cause people to commit more crimes as it is believed that the extra Y chromosome makes people more prone to aggression and anger which can lead to criminal acts. For example, several convicted murderers in the UK claim that the warrior gene was the reason for their crime.

Another biological factor which can cause crime is if they have mental health issues. This means a person who has an illness may have a low level of psychological well being and it can affect their behavioural responses. This can cause some to commit crimes as they may react irrational or have a disregard for the law. For example. it is estimated that as many as 90% of prisoners in the UK have some form of mental health problem.

Question 8

Explain the social causes of crime

Answer 8

One social cause of crime is peer pressure. This means that some people are influenced by the people around them. This can cause people to commit crimes for attention or to win popularity within a group. For example, youngsters often blame peer pressure for taking illegal drugs.

Another social cause of crime is thrill seeking. This means some people are keen to take part in activities that involve some sort of risk. This can cause them to commit crime because the risk of physical harm or imprisonment gives them a buzz. For example, football hooligan Bradley Welsh blames thrill seeking for commiting acts of violence against rival teams

Question 9

Explain the economic cause of crime

Answer 9

One economic cause of crime is poverty. This means that some people do not have enough income to cover their needs. This can cause people to commit crimes such as theft because they believe it’s their only way of getting their needs. For example, Glasgow is reported as the poorest city in Scotland and government statistics also show that Glasgow has the highest levels of record crime

Another economic cause of crime is greed. This means some people have a selfish desire to be more wealthy. They would do this by committing a crime such as fraud or tax evasion, For example, in 2014 Gary Barlow was accused of tax evasion

Question 10

what are the consequences of crime on the victims?

Answer 10

Firstly, it can have emotional psychological effects on the victims. This means that victims might suffer from emotions like anxiety, fear or stress which can reduce their quality of life. For example, victims may be left with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Secondly, it can have social effects. This means that the things a victim does or the way a victim feels about people in their community could change. For example, a victim of youth crime might start to feel afraid to go out or develop prejudice opinions about young people

Question 11

What are the consequences of crime on the perpetrator?

Answer 11

One consequence of crime on the perpetrator is that they may reoffend. This means that while i prison, the perpetrator may develop and learn new behaviours from fellow prisoners which could increase their chances of committing future crimes. For example, according to government statistics in 2020, 39% of criminals serving 12 months or less reoffend in the UK

Another consequence of crime in future employment. This means perpetrators will have a criminal record for the rest of their life so they may find it difficult to find employment. For example , The Telegraph is 2018 said a fifth of unemployment claimants have a criminal record

Question 12

Explain the consequences of crime on families

Answer 12

One consequence of crime on families is that it that it can cause financial hardship. This means that families might struggle economically due to a family member being imprisoned , especially if it is a parent. For example, 150,000 children are affected financially every year in the UK as a result of their parents being imprisoned

Another conduit crime on families is that it can cause emotional distress to children. This means that children might develop well- being issues due to a parent being imprisoned, especially if it is their mother. Women prisoners are more likely to be the sole or primary carers so this could be a massive loss for the child. For example, an estimated 18,000 children in the UK are emotionally effected by maternal imprisonment every year.

Question 13

what are the consequences of crime on communities?

Answer 13

One consequence of crime on communities is that it can cause environmental poverty. This means that high crime levels can cause an area to look rough and messy through vandalism or graffiti. Once a community with a high crime level is labelled a bad area, it might become run down. For example, Nitshill, in Glasgow, has a bad reputation for crime and is often ranked as one of the most deprived communities in Scotland

Another consequence is that local businesses may leave. This means that high levels of crime within a community can result in local businesses deciding to leave. For example, businesses leaving communities with high crime rates can reduce local services and limit employment opportunities within an area

Question 14

what are the consequences of crime on wider society?

Answer 14

One impact that crime can have on society is that it can place a strain on the NHS. A considerable amount of time and money is used in treating victims of violence and this means that services like the NHS are being stretched. For example, access England and Wales, violence is estimated to cost the NHS £2.9 billion every year

Another impact on wider society is that it costs a lot in taxes. The cost of putting criminals through courts and punishing them has to be met from taxation and this means that funding is diverted from other public services like schools or hospitals. For example, according to the crime survey for England and Wales crime costs society £39.9 billion per year

Question 15

Government reposes to crime

Answer 15

One response of the government to tackle dime has been to introduce ‘No Knives Better Lives’. In 2009, the Scottish government set up No Knives Better Lives to tackle the reason why people carry a knife. They also raised the the minimum sentence for carrying a knife to 5 years in prison. For example, this response created 140 peer educators to help other young people not to pick up a knife

Another response of the government was the 2014 road traffic act. This response was designed to reduce the harm caused by alcohol in Scotland by reducing the amount of drink that someone could have and drive. For example, the change reduces the legal alcohol limit from 80m to 60mg

Question 16

why are government responses effective

Answer 16

No knives better lives was effective as crimes in Glasgow involving knives and offensive weapons have fallen by 14% in the past year, to a 29 year low.

The road traffic was affective as the number of road deaths fell 17% in the first year after the drink drive limit was lowered

Question 17

How are government responses ineffective?

Answer 17

The No Knives Better lives campaign was ineffective as in the first three quarters of 2017/18, there were 45 instances of pupils using offensive weapons in schools for other criminal activity , such as threatening or assaulting classmates or teachers

The 2014 Road act was ineffective as almost 50% of murders in Scotland involved someone under the influence of alcohol

Question 18

The roles of the police?

Answer 18

One role of the police is preventing crime. For example the #NotmyFriend campaign is set up to raise awareness and issues surrounding online sexual abuse against minors.

Another role of the police is protecting the public from crime. For example, Blue Light discos to create safe spaces for young people away from drugs, alcohol and harm

A third role of the police is investigating crime. For example, in 2020 major crime investigators within the police scotland used cctv to arrest Adam Adsley for attempted murder after he drove a van towards club security staff

Question 19

Describe the powers of the police in Scotland?

Answer 19

One power of the police is to arrest and detain. This means if the police suspect that you have committed a crime, they can detain you for the purposes of investigation. For example, In Scotland the police may detain you for up to 12 hours.

Another power the police has is to stop and search m. This means police officers have power to search people who are alleged to have committed a crime. For example, if someone is arrested for murder, their home would be searched for clothing that ought have been worn at the time or other items which would be useful for evidence

Question 20

structure of the police?

Answer 20

One division of ten police is the local police division.This means they work with the local community to solve problems .

Another division of the police is the specialist crime division. This divisions provides specialist investigative and intelligence functions when a serious crime such as murder or fake has taken place.

The last division of the police is the crime and operational support unit. This means branches such as the dog branch or underwater unit may be needed to deal with a crime.

Question 21

describe the effectiveness of police scotland

Answer 21

One effective method the police used to tackle crime was CCTV. This stand for Closed Circuit Television and it involves the use of cameras to record the action of the public and potential criminal activity. In 2020, Major crime investigations within police Scotland used to cctv to identify and arrest Alan Adsley for attempted murder after he drove a van towards club security staff

One effective method used by police Scotland is the Not my friend campaign. This campaign was set up to stop and raise awareness to online sexual abuse against minors. Since the launch of the online campaign in 2018, there has been an increased reporting of instances of online child sexual abuse in Scotland with 5,311 recorded offences in 2019/20 up 30% in the five years since 2014/15. This has helped to catch and punish perpetrators

Question 22

describe the ineffectiveness of police scotland

Answer 22

One ineffective method used by the police to tackle crime to the use of CCTV. This is when a camera records the actions of the public and potential criminal activity. The Recorded crime in Scotland bulletin for 2018/19 states that overall crime rose by 1% to just under a quarter of a million offences

Another ineffective method used by the police to tackle crime was the Not My Friend campaign. This campaign was set up to raise awareness and tackle the online sexual abuse against minors. Since the launch of the online campaign in 2018, instances of online sexual abuse in Scotland have actually increased with 554 indecent images being posted of children

Question 23

What is the role of prisons?

Answer 23

One purpose of prisons is they can act as a deterrent. The threat of facing a life sentence might make someone reconsider killing someone. This is the argument that prisons can put off often from reoffending and they can put off others from committing crimes due to fear of imprisonment. This is good because it is argued it can reduce crime as a result

Another purpose of prisons is to protect the public. This is the argument that prisons protect society by making an offender incapable of further offences by removing them from society. By imprisoning criminals it keeps the public safe. For example, in 2019 Scottish courts successfully imprisoned 60 killers

Question 24

how are prisons effective

Answer 24

One reason why prisons are effective is that they can rehabilitate criminals. This means that through counselling, providing an education, gaining skills through work and providing a structure to their daily life prisoners are better prepared for the life outside prison. For example, Polmont prison offer engineering courses and SVQs in painting and decorating to help develop prisoners’ skills

Another reason why prisons are effective is because depriving someone of their freedom is a good form of punishment . This means that prisons offer justice for the victims of crimes who are left to deal with the consequences. For example, the mother of Paige Doherty found close for her daughter’s brutal murder when John Leathem was sentenced to life in prison

Question 25

how are prisons ineffective

Answer 25

One argument why prisons are ineffective is because of the high reoffending rate. This means that a lot of time and money is wasted in sentencing criminals as once released from prison many will continue to commit crime. For example, in 2019, of those offenders is Scotland given jail terms, 42.3% were reconvicted

Another argument that prison may not be effective is because they are expensive. This is the argument that it costs a lot of money to imprison someone. the costs of running prisons and paying guests is not cheap. For examples. it costs roughly over £40,000 per year for each prisoner

Question 26

what are the alternatives to prisons?

Answer 26

One alternative punishment is Scotland is a fine or compensation. This means offenders are ordered to pay the court a fine or the victim compensation.For example, Raymond Higgins, from Aberdeen, was fined £400 and banned from having a dog after using it to hunt and kill rabbits

Another alternative punishment in Scotland is ASBO (Anti social behaviour order). This bans the behaviour from causing disruption. It can be issued for fines such as graffiti, playing loud music, littering. For example, Michael O’Rouke had had an order against him since 2014 for playing Dolly Parton too loudly in Peterhead. He has since been jailed for breaking it

Question 27

effectiveness of alternatives to prisons

Answer 27

One reason non-custodial sentences are effective is that they help reduce overcrowding within prisons. This makes non-custodial sentences effective because they can help avoid offenders being forced into living in poor prison conditions and help reduce overcrowding. For example, in Scottish prisons in 2020, for every 100 spaces in Scottish prisons there are 104 prisoners

Another reason non custodial sentences are effective is because they are a cheap alternative. As a result of not having to house prisoners with a non-custodial sentence UK tax payers don’t need to pay for their care such as food, shelter and the cost of having prison guards. For example, it costs £40,000 a year for every prisoner in comparison to around £6000 a year to monitor someone with an electronic tag

Question 28

what is the ineffectiveness of alternatives to prisons?

Answer 28

One reason why non custodial sentences are less effective is because they fail to rehabilitate offenders. This means that non custodial sentences don’t offer the same array of rehabilitation programs. Prisons offer counselling, provide an education, gaining skills through work and providing a structure to their daily life. For example, Polmont in Falkirk is a young offenders prison that gives young men the skills they need to find employment and avoid going back to the life that got them into trouble in the first place

Another reasons they are ineffective is because they are seen as an ‘easy punishment’. This means that many view non custodial sentences as being too lenient and that depriving someone of their freedom is a much better form of punishment as it can act as a deterrent. For example, Michael O’Rouke has had an ABSO against him since 2014 for playing Dolly Parton music to loudly in Peterhead. He has since been jailed for breaking it which suggests that he was not deterred by the ABSO

Question 29

explain the political causes of an international issue you have studied

Answer 29

One political factor which caused the Syrian conflict was the Arab Spring.The Arab spring was a series of anti- government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. For example, Tunisian and Egyptian civilians were able to forcibly remove their repressive presidents and this inspired Syrians.

Another political factor which caused the Syrian conflict was political repression. This means President Bashar al-Assad used his position to restrict and prevent Syrians from taking part in the political life of the country and thereby reducing their freedoms and rights. For example, on March 2011, the government responded angrily and the army opened fire on protesters, killing hundreds of civilians

Question 30

describe, in detail , the social factors which caused on international conflict or issue you have studied.

Answer 30

one social factor which. cause the Syrian conflict was drought. Between 2006-2011 Syria experienced one of the hottest and driest periods on record. 75% of Syrian’s farms failed, and 86% of the live stock died. This forced farmers to move to cities which couldn’t cope with the increased numbers. For example, 1.5 million impoverished gamer families were forced to move into rapidly expanding urban slums in Damascus.

Another social factor which caused the Syrian conflict was religious differences. Syria is a majority Sunni Muslim country, but the top positions in the security apparatus are in the hand of the Alawite majority, a Shia religious minority to which the Assad family belongs . For example, when Assad used extreme violence against protesters the majority of those initially involved in the Syrian uprising were Sunnis.

Question 31

Economic causes of the syrian war

Answer 31

One economic factor which caused the syrian conflict was the economic sanctions placed on syria before the war
due to difficult relationships amongst middle eastern countries, private investment was stopped and industrial production shrunk.
For example,just before the war. unemployment increased to around 25% and prices had risen due to a lack of many good

Another economic factor was high unemployment.
between 2006-2011 Syria experienced one of the hottest and driest periods on record. 75% of syrians farms failed and this forced farmers to move to cities in search of work.
For example, 1.5 million impoverished farmer families were forced to move into rapidly expanding urban slums and most failed to find work

Question 32

how have ordinary people been impacted by the syrian conflict

Answer 32

one way that syrian crisis effected ordinary people is that it forced people to become refugees.
This means many syrians have been caught up and in the violence during the war and have been forced to leave their homes to escape to safety in other countries.
For example, is is estimated that 6.7 million syrians have fled to foreign countries.

another way syrians we’re affected is by psychological trauma.
this means many syrians have been mentally scarred by what they have experienced and seen first hand. this includes witnessing the brutal death of loved ones.
for example, it is estimated over 500,000 syrians have died since the war began in 2011

Question 33

impact on uk (syrian conflict)

Answer 33

one way the syrian crisi has affected the uk is by creating political divisions
the uk in particular has been divided over a number of political issues concerning syria. these have ranged from decisions to extend air strikes i to syria to the number of refugees the uk should allow to enter.
For example, in 2015 the british prime minister david cameron argued that air strikes were necessary but this was opposed in the house of commons

another way the syrian crisis has affected the uk is financial strain.
government agencies such as the foreign, commonwealth and development office specialise in providing aid and assistance to those in need all over the world. FCDO have been heavily involved within syria by providing medicine, food and water
For example, the FCDO and uk government has provided aid to syrian civilians who are stuck in the conflict as they have given them food, water and hygiene packs

Question 34

impact on neighbouring countries

Answer 34

one way that the syrian conflict has affected other countries is by the refugee crisis placing pressure in neighbouring countries politically, socially and economically
this means that countries next to syria have experienced financial strains simply due to the number of refugees coming into their country who need housed, clothes and fed
For example,turkey,lebanon and jordan alone host over 5 million refugees for syria

another way the syrian crisis has affected other countries is by reawakening ethnic tensions.
this concerns turkey in particular whi feel threatened by syrian curds who are fighting isis near their border and who have claimed syrian land as their own. kurdish people in the region have demanded for years separation from turkey to create an independent kurdistan. The syrian ear had fuelled this desire even more and has sparked conflict.
for example, in january 2018, turkey began an offensive against the kurds in northern syria