Prisons

Question 1

Purpose of prisons

Answer 1

Offer rehabilitation, punish, public protection

Question 2

Purpose: offer rehabilitation

Answer 2

Rehabilitation should give opportunities that prevent reoffending, in 2024 all prisons were expected to offer rehabilitation programs to prevent reoffending

Question 3

Purpose example: offer rehabilitation

Answer 3

The SPS funds 38 full-time open university courses to help inmates with life and employment after prison

Question 4

Purpose: punish

Answer 4

Sentences are a form of retribution, individuals are deprived of their freedom so they face consequences for their actions

Question 5

Purpose example: punish

Answer 5

A Scottish Government survey showed that 2/3rds of Scotland believe that imprisonment is a suitable punishment for those who commit crime

Question 6

Purpose: public protection

Answer 6

When prisoners are incarcerated, it protects the public and reduces the chance of further crimes while they are imprisoned

Question 7

Purpose example: public protection

Answer 7

At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lady Haldane imprisoned John Young with a life sentence after he pled guilty to murder

Question 8

Effectiveness of prisons

Answer 8

Help prisoners cope with outside life through rehabilitation, depriving someone of their freedom is an effective punishment, they kee the public safe

Question 9

Effectiveness: help prisoners cope with outside life through rehabilitation

Answer 9

Prisons may give counselling and provide an eduation. Address why someone committed a crime to reduce re-offending

Question 10

Effectiveness example: help prisoners cope without outside life through rehabilitation

Answer 10

The SPS offers 38 full time open university courses to provide skills for employment for life after prison

Question 11

Effectiveness: depriving someone of their freedom is an effective punishment

Answer 11

Form of justice for the victim, helps them fee a sense of closure if they believe prison is a fair punishment

Question 12

Effectiveness example: depriving someone of their freedom is an effective punishment

Answer 12

In a Scottish Government survey, 2/3rds of Scotland believe prison is a fair punishment for people who commit crime

Question 13

Effectiveness: keep the public safe

Answer 13

Imprisoning dangerous criminals means that the public are protected from being victims, criminals are kept off the streets so they cannot commit crimes

Question 14

Effectiveness example: keep the public safe

Answer 14

After John Young was imprisoned, the public became protected from him

Question 15

Ineffectiveness of prisons

Answer 15

Overcrowding, the cost, short-term sentences being ineffective

Question 16

Ineffectiveness: overcrowding

Answer 16

Many of Scotland’s prisons are old, so it is harder to rehabilitate prisoners. If prisoners think they are treated poorly, more likely to reoffend

Question 17

Ineffective example: overcrowding

Answer 17

10 out of 16 prisons in Scotland were over capacity in 2024

Question 18

Ineffective: cost

Answer 18

Money spent on keeping someone in prison could be spent on rehabilitation and education, which can address the underlying reason someone is in prison

Question 19

Ineffective example: cost

Answer 19

The Scottish Government says that it costs £40,000 t year to keep someone in prison for a year

Question 20

Ineffective: short term sentences are ineffective

Answer 20

Keeping someone in prisons for a short amount of tume is ineffective, as resources are better spent on rehabilitation or education programs

Question 21

Ineffective examples: short term sentences are ineffective

Answer 21

More than half of people sentenced for six months or less are reconvicted within a year