The UK Prison System Flashcards
What percentage of those found guilty are given immediate custody?
less than 10%
Symbolic Denunciation
public shaming, showing the public disapproval of criminal actions eg. by publically showing their pictures
What should be the only punishment of custody according to the Prison Act 1952?
Loss of Liberty
What is the duty of the Prison Service, according to their mission statement?
to look after prisoners with humanity and to help them lead law-abiding and useful lives in custody and after release
What factors contribute to funds being targeted towards security rather than rehabilitation?
poor conditions, overcrowding, understaffing
By what percentage has the prison population risen in 30 years?
87%
If crime rates are getting lower, what does that mean for the reason of increasing prison population?
stricter sentencing and harsher laws
By what percentage had in-prison assaults on staff increased in the 4 yrs leading up to 2017?
143%
What percentage of the prison population is BAME?
26%
What percentage of the prison population has learning difficulties or disabilities?
30%
What percentage of female prisoners report being abused?
53%
Give some examples of how drugs are often smuggled into prisons.
- by drones
- by visitors
- by post, including letters soaked in drugs
- in the bodily orifices of prisoners
What are the three ways of reducing the dangers of drug use in prisons?
- Reducing supply
- Reducing demand
- Risk prevention
What does Gresham Sykes argue happens to prisoners?
Institutionalisation: loss of identity leading to anxiety. A change of personality is needed to survive prisons
What are the reoffending rates for UK prisons?
50-70%, higher the shorter the sentence
What are the reoffending rates for the ethical Halden and Bastoy prisons in Norway?
10-20%
What did the former Home Secretary Douglas Hurd say about prisons?
They are an “expensive way of making bad people worse”
Give some examples of OSPs: Offender Behaviour Programmes
- Sex Offender Treatment Programmes
- Anger Management
- Victim Awareness
- Cognitive Self Change
What is the average reading age level in prisons?
11 yrs old
What does vocational training focus on?
Practical skills like plumbing, painting and building but also newer areas like IT management and web design
Resettlement grants are sometimes very low. How low can they be and what can be done to help?
£50
Volunteers and mentors can be assigned to help with resettlement
Why might politicians be wary of campaigning for non-custodial punishment?
It may make them seem weak
What alternative punishment is getting more popular. What percentage of crimes end up with it currently?
Suspended Sentence Order 4%
Why are SSO effective?
They have the lowest rate of reoffending
Why are Community Orders so effective?
They cost up to 10% of what a prison sentence costs per offender
How much does it cost to keep a prisoner in prison for a year?
£40-50k
