sociological theories affecting policy - exam questions Flashcards
1
Q
assess one state punishment policy that has been informed by SOCIOLOGICAL theories (6 MARKS)
A
- prison is influenced by both durkheim’s functionalism and right realists
- prison isnt effective at treating crime if the sentence is less than 12 months as 63% of prisoners reoffend
- prison overcrowding and budget cuts mean prisoners arent getting adequate access to services like education or treatment programmes, and lack of prison staff mean not all prisoners are being policed properly as there are too many prisoners and too little staff
- having a criminal record can also make it difficult for past convicts to find a job as prisons offer very little to help rehabilitate prisoners
- the strengths of prison policy is that it is a way to protect the public and make them feel safe
- prison also acts as a deterrent as most people fear the risk of going to prison, however, studies show the risk of going to prison isnt an effective deterrent as most offenders dont think about the risks or stop re-offending
