prisons Flashcards
1
Q
wandsworth prison - facts
A
- located in London borough of Wandsworth
- one of the largest prisons in the UK, houses up to 1,600 prisoners across 5 wings.
- has a mix of single and shared cells as well as gyms, sports halls, libraries, classrooms, and workshops.
- prisoners can take lessons in english, maths, ict, barbering etc
2
Q
issues within wandsworth prison
A
- overcrowded, dirty, has rats
- people struggling with mental health, self-harming, so many are in a crisis
- some people proud of their crimes and would do them again.
3
Q
halden prison facts
A
- open 2010, capacity of 252 prisoners
- prisoners get flat-screen tv. officials say are necessary so that prisoners have less room for drugs and contraband
- designer furniture, mini-fridges, en suite bathrooms
- during the day, inmates can shoot hoops, climb an indoor rock wall, play football, etc
- philsophy behind this is that an occupaid prisoner is a less violent one and less likely to lash out at guards or other prisoner.
4
Q
positive/challenges of Halden prison
A
- price per prsoner every year is 17 thousand, 2x more than uk.
- halden is all about rehabilitattion,
- can afford to have one prisoer in one cell and an officer for each one.
- most of the prisoners cant/wont look forward to leaving - most wont ever leave.
5
Q
tent city - usa
A
- 12, 000 inmates.
- toughest prison in the usa - was , no longer exists.
- make them wear pink - pink everything - useful for catching inmates, other reason is that they hate pink - emasculation
- sleep in tents - boiling hot - hence the name tent city, houses 22 inmates.
- cost efficent facility.
6
Q
what are the two approaches to imprisonment?
A
- retribution
- rehabilitation
7
Q
retribution?
A
- This approach believes in removing the criminal from
the streets and into prison, to protect the public - This approach
favours long, harsh
prison sentences
8
Q
rehabilitation?
A
- This approach believes in reforming the criminal individual
and look at contributory factors
behind the actions e.g. drug addict,
mental health problems, poverty
9
Q
retribution continued
A
- This approach does not believe in so-called ‘soft-options’ such as cautions, community service and early release
- This approach believes prisons should act as deterrents so that fewer people are tempted to
break the law and commit crime
10
Q
rehabilitation continued
A
- This approach believes that sometimes imprisonment is necessary but that it should be
a last resort rather than a quick fix. - For first-time offenders restorative justice can
be useful in facing offenders with the reality of their victim’s suffering
11
Q
reoffending rates - David Cameron
A
- “46% of all prisoners will re-offend within a year of release. 60% of short-sentenced prisoners will re-offend within the same period.” - 2026
“This failure really matters. It matters to the public purse: this cycle of reoffending costs up to £13 billion a year.” - 2016
12
Q
reoffending rates in USA
A
- on avergae 70% of all released prisoners reoffend
13
Q
reoffending rates in Norway
A
- 16% bastoy prison
- 20% holden prison
14
Q
functionalism approach
A
- positive about the prison system - believe they function to protect the wider public from criminals.
- prisons also help to reinforce the value consensus in society strengthening agreement in citizens over what is right and wrong.
- prisons are useful in that they act as a deterrent for future/potential criminal.
15
Q
marxism approach
A
- Prisons are another mechanism to control the masses: the
working class criminals - In the 1970s working class prisoners were seen as political
heroes by some Marxists - Police and the CJS use the law to operate in interests of the
Bourgeoisie (Althusser)
