Unit 4 AC3.4 Evaluate the effectiveness of agencies in achieving social control

Question 1

What are the social control responsibilities of the police?

Answer 1

The police are responsible for the majority of the detection, investigation, and prevention of crime.

Question 2

Which other agencies are responsible for investigating specific crimes?

Answer 2

Other agencies responsible for investigating specific crimes include HM Revenue for tax evasion, the Department of Work and Pensions for benefit fraud, and more.

Question 3

What progress has the police made in prioritizing offenses of public concern?

Answer 3

The police have made progress in prioritizing some offenses of public concern.

Question 4

Can you provide an example of an offense of public concern that the police have addressed?

Answer 4

An example of an offense of public concern is the increasing reporting and recording of domestic abuse cases.

Question 5

How has the recording of crimes by the police changed in recent years?

Answer 5

The police may be better at recording crimes now, leading to an increase in the number of recorded crimes.

Question 6

What are the limitations of the police?

Answer 6

Limitations include falling arrest rates, failure to use bail conditions to protect victims, staff shortages, and more.

Question 7

What criticisms exist regarding the efficiency of the police in investigating offenses?

Answer 7

Some claim that the police are inefficient or incompetent in investigating offenses, as highlighted by the Macpherson Report’s findings.

Question 8

What are the current trends in crime rates and their clearance rates?

Answer 8

Recent trends show an increase in recorded crimes until 2020/21, likely influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a decline in clearance rates.

Question 9

How many cases do the police drop?

Answer 9

The In the period 2014
2016 the Metropolitan Police screened out around one third
of the 2.2m crimes reported.

Question 10

How do financial circumstances affect the ability of the police to achieve social control?

Answer 10

Budget cuts affect the police’s ability to achieve social control, leading to dropped investigations and prioritization based on limited resources.

Question 11

Should PRC data be considered accurate?

Answer 11

PRC data should be approached with caution regarding accuracy.

Question 12

What evidence counters the claim of increasing crime rates?

Answer 12

Counter evidence from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) suggests that the overall number of crimes may not be increasing.

Question 13

What concerns exist regarding racism and bias within the police?

Answer 13

Concerns exist regarding racism and bias within the police, particularly related to tasers, stop and search practices, and recruitment.

Question 14

How does media reporting impact the perception of police effectiveness?

Answer 14

Media reporting can influence the perception of police effectiveness and has faced criticism, such as in the Sir Cliff Richard case.

Question 15

What is the role of the CPS in social control?

Answer 15

The CPS acts as the main prosecutor for England and Wales.

Question 16

What are the aims of the CPS?

Answer 16

The CPS aims to achieve social control by preparing cases and presenting them in court to secure the conviction of offenders.

Question 17

How many cases does the CPS prosecute annually?

Answer 17

The CPS prosecutes a significant number of cases annually, both in Crown Court and magistrate’s courts.

Question 18

What percentage of defendants prosecuted by the CPS are convicted?

Answer 18

A high percentage of defendants prosecuted by the CPS result in convictions.

Question 19

What are the limitations of the CPS in terms of prosecutions and convictions?

Answer 19

The CPS faces limitations in terms of prosecutions and convictions, including the impact of COVID-19 on case volumes and conviction rates.

Question 20

What criticisms exist regarding the effectiveness of the CPS?

Answer 20

The CPS has faced criticism in media reports, particularly in handling rape cases and concerns over dropping weak cases to improve conviction rates.

Question 21

How are judges often represented in media images?

Answer 21

They are represented as old, white, upper-class males.

Question 22

Are judges perceived as being out of touch with modern society?

Answer 22

They are often seen as out of touch with modern society.

Question 23

What criticisms exist regarding judges being described as “soft on crime” and having lenient sentences?

Answer 23

They are criticized for being soft on crime and having lenient sentences.

Question 24

Can you provide an example of a judge who was perceived as out of touch with modern times?

Answer 24

Judge Pickles said, “Who are the Beatles?”, indicating a lack of familiarity with modern times.

Question 25

Is there a mechanism in place to review sentences that are considered too lenient?

Answer 25

Yes, the Unduly Lenient Sentences Scheme allows for the review of sentences that are deemed too lenient.

Question 26

How does the Unduly Lenient Sentences Scheme work?

Answer 26

Victims, prosecutors, and the public can apply to the Attorney General or Solicitor General to review a sentence if they believe it was too lenient.

Question 27

Are there cases where judges have been criticized for passing unduly harsh sentences?

Answer 27

Yes, some cases have raised concerns about unduly harsh sentences, such as the 2011 Riots Harsh Sentencing.

Question 28

Are judges biased in their judgments based on their backgrounds?

Answer 28

Judges come from a narrow and unrepresentative section of society, which raises concerns about potential biases in their judgments.

Question 29

What percentage of judges are male, and how many are from minority backgrounds?

Answer 29

Around 71% of judges are male, while only 5% of judges are from minority backgrounds.

Question 30

What evidence suggests gender bias in judgments by judges?

Answer 30

There is evidence of gender bias, including lack of empathy for female victims and leniency towards female offenders.

Question 31

Is there evidence of class bias in judgments by judges?

Answer 31

There is evidence of class bias, such as the case of Lavinia Woodward, where her skills as a trainee doctor were seen as a factor in escaping jail time.

Question 32

How is the prison system often viewed in media images?

Answer 32

The prison system is often viewed as being in crisis.

Question 33

What evidence suggests that prison officers have lost control of inmates?

Answer 33

There is some evidence suggesting that prison officers have lost control of inmates within the prison system.

Question 34

What is the rate of reoffending among ex-prisoners?

Answer 34

The rate of reoffending is 37.5% among all ex-prisoners.

Question 35

What are the limitations of achieving social control within prisons?

Answer 35

Staff cuts, overcrowding, not addressing rehabilitation needs, drug issues, security concerns, safety issues, and riots all contribute to limitations.

Question 36

How have staff cuts affected the control of inmates within prisons?

Answer 36

Staff cuts have led to a 15% reduction in prison officers, making it harder to control inmates.

Question 37

What is the impact of overcrowding in prisons?

Answer 37

Overcrowding in prisons has led to rule-breaking and frustration among inmates.

Question 38

How are rehabilitation needs of inmates not being addressed within prisons?

Answer 38

Issues such as addiction, mental health, and illiteracy are not adequately tackled, and short sentences leave insufficient time for rehabilitation.

Question 39

What are the issues related to drugs in prisons, such as New Psychoactive Substances (NPS)?

Answer 39

NPS usage has increased in prisons, leading to violence, discipline problems, and insufficient drug testing due to staff shortages.

Question 40

What challenges exist in ensuring the safety and security of prisoners within prisons?

Answer 40

Challenges include rising assaults, self-harm, suicide, breaches of security, and riots, which make social control less effective.

Question 41

hat has been the performance difference between the public sector NPS and the privatised sector CRCs in achieving social control?

Answer 41

The probation service has had mixed results, with the NPS performing better than the CRCs in achieving social control.

Question 42

How did the Conservative Government’s rehabilitation revolution policy involve the privatisation of the probation service?

Answer 42

The Conservative Government’s rehabilitation revolution policy involved part-privatisation of the probation service.

Question 43

What were the key characteristics and limitations of the community rehabilitation companies (CRCs)?

Answer 43

Community rehabilitation companies (CRCs) were set up in specific areas to deal with low-risk offenders, but many failed to meet their targets.

Question 44

What were the consequences and criticisms related to the performance of the CRCs?

Answer 44

The CRCs faced criticisms related to their performance, including inadequate victim protection and staff cuts.

Question 45

What were the findings of the 2018 inspection report on the CRCs?

Answer 45

The 2018 inspection report found various issues with the CRCs, such as unmet housing needs, remote supervision, and inadequate victim protection.

Question 46

What biases existed in the Conservative Government policy regarding privatisation?

Answer 46

Conservative Government policy was biased in favor of privatisation, although some officials expressed concerns.

Question 47

What decision was made by the current Conservative government regarding the CRCs?

Answer 47

The current Conservative government decided that the CRCs had not worked and brought them back under public control.

Question 48

What limitations and challenges exist within the National Probation Service (NPS)?

Answer 48

The National Probation Service (NPS) faces limitations such as staff shortages, high workloads, compromised professional standards, and lack of a national strategy for specialized services.

Question 49

How do charities contribute to social control in relation to specific groups of people, such as ex-prisoners?

Answer 49

Charities provide services to specific groups of people, including ex-prisoners, to contribute to social control.

Question 50

What role do pressure groups play in shaping government policies and advocating for change?

Answer 50

Pressure groups campaign for change and influence government policies related to social control.

Question 51

What are some limitations in the provision of services by charities and pressure groups?

Answer 51

Limitations of charities and pressure groups include their voluntary nature, dependency on public concern, and potential funding biases.

Question 52

How does media reporting impact the formation of charities and their work?

Answer 52

Media reporting can hinder the formation of charities by demonizing certain categories of offenders.

Question 53

What strengths do charities possess in reducing reoffending rates and achieving social control?

Answer 53

Charities’ strong commitment to specific causes or groups may effectively reduce reoffending rates compared to government agencies.

Question 54

How does NACRO contribute to reducing reoffending rates and achieving social control?

Answer 54

NACRO campaigns and provides support for people released from prison, particularly regarding accommodation and ending Friday releases.

Question 55

How does Women in Prison tackle the root causes of female offending?

Answer 55

Women in Prison tackles the root causes of female offending by addressing issues like homelessness, addiction, poverty, and mental illness.

Question 56

How does Women in Prison function both as a charity and a pressure group?

Answer 56

Women in Prison functions as both a charity and a pressure group, advocating for policy changes and providing specialized services.