Topic 9 - solutions to crime/social policies Flashcards
Situational crime prevention
right realist solution
specific changes to a location to make petty crime harder to commit/easier to capture
target hardening - increasing security
CLARKE - steering column locks, newer cars better security
FELSON - Port Authority Bus Terminal NYC redesigned (better lighting, more CCTV, smaller sinks)
Farrington and Painter (street lighting lowered crime by 43%). Diffusion of benefit - people encouraged out onto streets as they feel safer
environmental crime prevention
right realist solution
Wilson and Kelling
- repairing visual evidence of crime
- increase presence of police (visual patrols)
- zero tolerance
- buildings should not exceed three floors, residents encouraged to take responsibility for communal space
retributive justice
- new right solution
- punishment should match crime
- criminals excluded from society i.e. locked up/electronically tagged
- punishment acts as retribution, deterrent and protector
Clarke: rational choice theory, COST must outweigh benefit
USA policy ‘three strikes and you’re out’ (after 3 separate convictions you receive a life sentence)
US prison population quadrupled since 1990s
capital punishment?
(new right) social changes as a solution to crime
social changes to resolve problem of underclass
single parent families should be stigmatised, reduction in benefits for single mothers
reduced welfare payments
left wing social policy solutions
longer term
Lea and Young - reduce income and wealth inequalities, addressing poverty/unemployment/poor housing/poor education/low pay/racism
urban crime is response to feelings of marginalisation, exclusion, relative deprivation
- educational programmes (Surestart, Perry Preschool Project)
- more generous welfare payments
community policing as a solution to crime
left wing
Kinsey et al. neighbourhoods have officers that regularly patrol the same area, forging strong relationships with local people to improve trust and confidence in police
move away from military policing, towards minimal policing and forming strong bonds with community
restorative justice
left wing
offenders take responsibility for actions and repair harm done; apologising to victims and giving something back to community
Braithwaite: reintegratice shaming (encouraging offender to be sorry, ashamed, remorseful, allowing them to be reintegrated into society (disconnect between offender and offense). Labelling act, not actor.
UK Government 2001 - 2008 found reoffending rates decreased and they saved £9 for every £1 they spent on RJ
rehabilitation
left wing
criminals should be well-cared for to re-socialise them ready for release
education, qualifications, work skills, counselling, therapy, addiction therapy, life experiences
Young: INclude criminals to ‘fix’ what went wrong due to their feelings of EXclusion
41% of prisoners 2012 experienced domestic violence as children
prisoners should be seen as victims themselves
prison avoided when possible: 90,000 children in UK with a parent currently serving time.
