sociological theories affecting policy

Question 1

what is PENAL POPULISM?

Answer 1

government attempts to propose NEW LAWS to punish offenders in hopes these laws are POPULAR with the public and therefore GAIN PUBLIC SUPPORT

Question 2

what THEORIES support PENAL POPULISM?

Answer 2

DURKHEIM’S FUNCTIONALISM and RIGHT REALISM

Question 3

examples of PENAL POPULISM

Answer 3

• HARPERS LAW - MANDATORY life sentences for emergency service workers killed whilst on duty
• X3 STRIKES AND YOURE OUT - burglaries/prison - in 2012, the government introduced the law that for a 3rd domestic burglary, the offender would AUTOMATICALLY get 3 years in prison

Question 4

STRENGTHS of PENAL POPULISM

Answer 4

• strengthens support for political parties and appeases the public
• act as a deterrent for serious crimes

Question 5

WEAKNESSES of PENAL POPULISM

Answer 5

• prisons are already overcrowded
• doesn’t deal with the causes of crime
• the public frequently change their mind and the criminal justice system has to work on being fair and unbiased - not popular

Question 6

what is the purpose of PRISON?

Answer 6

custodial sentences/prison aim to ensure that society has its RETRIBUTION/REVENGE on offenders

Question 7

what are the 2 FUNCTIONS of PRISON?

Answer 7

1. INCAPACITATION - incapable of harming the public
2. DETERRENCE - offenders dont commit crime as theyre afraid of being caught

Question 8

what is a CONCURRENT PRISON SENTENCE?

Answer 8

2 or more sentences served at the same time

Question 9

what is a CONSECUTIVE PRISON SENTENCE?

Answer 9

2 or more sentences served one after the other

Question 10

what is a SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE?

Answer 10

offenders serve their sentence in the community - COMMUNITY SERVICE

Question 11

what is a DETERMINATE PRISON SENTENCE?

Answer 11

a sentence for a fixed period

Question 12

what THEORIES support PRISON?

Answer 12

DURKHEIM’S FUNCTIONALISM and RIGHT REALISM

Question 13

do prisons work as a policy to reduce crime - INCAPACITATION

Answer 13

• prisons might work TEMPORARILY
• offenders cant commit crimes against the public - offers PUBLIC PROTECTION whilst offenders are IN prison

Question 14

do prisons work as a policy to reduce crime - REHABILITATION

Answer 14

OVERCROWDING and BUDGET CUTS means many prisoners lack access to services e.g. education or treatment programmes

Question 15

do prisons work as a policy to reduce crime - RECIDIVISM - the tendency of a convicted criminal to RE-OFFEND

Answer 15

• prison is INEFFECTIVE IN REDUCING REOFFENDING
• 47% of released adults are RE-CONVICTED IN A YEAR
• 63% of those serving SHORT SENTENCES UNDER ONE YEAR RE-OFFEND

Question 16

do prisons work as a policy to reduce crime - DETERRENCE

Answer 16

• right realists believe prisons act to deter criminals
• studies show that the risk of prison doesn’t make offenders think about the risk or stop crime

Question 17

STRENGTHS of PRISON

Answer 17

• acts as deterrent
• protects the public
• reduces re-offending when IN prison

Question 18

WEAKNESSES of PRISON

Answer 18

• expensive - BUDGET CUTS
• overcrowding - lack access to services e.g. education/treatment
• lack of prison staff = offenders not policed properly
• prisoners learn more criminal behaviour from each other
• a criminal record makes it hard for released prisoners to find legitimate work - might return to crime

Question 19

what THEORIES support ZERO TOLERANCE POLICING?

Answer 19

DURKHEIM’S FUNCTIONALISM and RIGHT REALISM

Question 20

what is ZERO TOLERANCE POLICING?

Answer 20

• NO CRIME is accepted
• taking a tough stance on crime

Question 21

what THEORY (UNIT 1) is ZERO TOLERANCE POLICING related to?

Answer 21

BROKEN WINDOW THEORY - police concentrate on tackling ’QUALITY OF LIFE’ offences e.g. vandalism, prostitution

Question 22

does ZERO TOLERANCE POLICING work?

Answer 22

• crime did fall in new york in the 90’s but other cities not using ZTP saw a fall in crime too = reduction in crime not necessarily linked to ZTP
• targeting of ethnic minorities due to police racism
• fail to tackle the structural causes of crime e.g. inequality
• focus on low-level street crimes only
• aggressive policing

Question 23

what is RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?

Answer 23

when the victim and offender come face to face to restore justice

Question 24

is RESTORATIVE JUSTICE an informal or formal policy?

Answer 24

INFORMAL policy - voluntary process

Question 25

is RESTORATIVE JUSTICE beneficial to victims and offenders?

Answer 25

85% of victims AND offenders taking part in restorative justice believe it is a POSITIVE EXPERIENCE

Question 26

what THEORIES support RESTORATIVE JUSTICE?

Answer 26

BECKER’S LABELLING THEORY and LEFT REALISM

Question 27

STRENGTHS of RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 27

• research suggests it works well with FIRST TIME YOUNG OFFENDERS - statistics to show it has a POSITIVE IMPACT ON REDUCING RE-OFFENDING
• proven to reduce re-offending rates by up to HALF
• it can be cost effective if you consider the cost of restorative justice compared to repeated imprisonment
• gives victims a voice in the criminal justice system = THINKS ABOUT VICTIMS, NOT JUST OFFENDERS

Question 28

WEAKNESSES of RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

Answer 28

• restorative justice isnt popular with the public = seen as a ’soft option’
• all parties have to want to take part or it doesnt work
• can cause more harm to victims than good = PTSD, trauma
• funding is poor for restorative justice as it requires appropriate mediators
• only works for specific crime