Unit 4- AC3.4

Question 1

What is a strength of police?

Answer 1

• Good at dealing with offences of public concern by prioritisation

Question 2

What are the weaknesses of the police service?

Answer 2

• Have short comings
• Current trends show crime is increasing whilst cases being solved is decreasing
• Racism
• Media

Question 3

Why is ‘dealing with offences of public concern’ a strength of the police?

Answer 3

Effective at achieving social control for crimes of concern.
- Domestic abuse. Increasing number of reports and records as police are being seen as effective. 2017- 2/3rds of domestic abuse practitioners believed polices’ approach have improved in the past 3 years

Question 4

Why is ‘shortcomings’ a counterpoint for the police service?

Answer 4

They still have limitations for example, police are not using bail conditions to protect victims.

Question 5

Why is ‘current trends’ a weakness of the police service?

Answer 5

Show crime is increasing whilst cases being solved are decreasing so police are ineffective at social control as shown by trends.
- Knife crime 2015-2022 had an increase from 24000 to 35800
- 2015 15% of cases had a charge, whilst in 2020 only 7% charged an offender

Question 6

Why is ‘racism’ a weakness of the police service?

Answer 6

Accused of institutional racism so aim of ‘fair policing’ is not being met so social control is not being maintained.
- Recruitment not representative
- Tasers used disproportionally against minorities

Question 7

Why is ‘media’ a weakness of the police service?

Answer 7

More concerned over image and media crimes than social control. Criticised for attempting a ‘crime buster’ image and over reacting to media driven moral panic.
- 2014. South Yorkshire police requested the BBC to film a raid of an alleged child abuser. No charges were bought.

Question 8

What are the strengths of the CPS?

Answer 8

• Evidence suggests they are affective at social control

Question 9

What are the weaknesses of CPS?

Answer 9

• Media reports
• Budget cuts
• Failure to apply the tests

Question 10

Why is ‘evidence’ a strength of the CPS?

Answer 10

Large number of convictions suggests they are effective at social control
- 3 months= around 80% of suspects are convicted
- 80000 in crown court, 450,000 in magistrates

Question 11

Why is ‘media reports’ a weakness of the CPS?

Answer 11

Bare in mind, media does exaggerate.
Reports suggest the CPS are ineffective as they focus on conviction rate rather than social control.
- 2018. Guardian reported the CPS specialist rape prosecutors were advised to drop several ‘weak’ cases to improve conviction rate. 350 cases dropped= increase by 61%.
Limits victims access to justice.

Question 12

Why are ‘budget cuts’ a weakness of the CPS?

Answer 12

25% cuts and 1/3rd of staff lost which reduces ability to achieve social control.
- CPS cannot sustain further cuts due to larger workload from improving digital technology. Leads to failure to disclose evidence.

Question 13

Why is ‘failure to apply tests’ a weakness of the CPS?

Answer 13

Reduces the ability to achieve social control.
- Damilola Taylor. 14 year old was used for an eye witness testimony. She was not present during the event but her testimony passed the evidential test. Shouldnt have

Question 14

What are the strengths of the judiciary?

Answer 14

• Not too lenient

Question 15

What are the weaknesses of the judiciary?

Answer 15

• Biased

Question 16

Why is ‘not too lenient’ a strength of the judiciary?

Answer 16

Not too lenient in achieving social control
Evidence from the unduly lenient scheme:
- Few applicants and even fewer succeeded
- 2018. 140 referred, 99 accepted
London riots= apply unduly harsh sentences

Question 17

Why is ‘biased’ a weakness of the judiciary?

Answer 17

biased in achieving social control. Unrepresentative of general population.
- 68% male
- Over half are over 50
- 7% minority
- 74% attended oxford/Cambridge
(add case studies)

Question 18

What are the strengths of the prison service?

Answer 18

• Meet all the aims of punishment theoretically

Question 19

What are the weaknesses of the prison service?

Answer 19

• Evidence for limiting social control within prison
• Evidence for limiting social control after prison

Question 20

Why is ‘meets all the aims of punishments’ a strength of the prison service?

Answer 20

Should have social control
Theoretically should meet:
- Retribution (suffering)
- Rehabilitation (programmes)
- Public protection (best form of incapacitation)
- Reparation (restorative justice schemes)
- Deterrence (coercion)

Question 21

Why is ‘evidence for limiting social control within prisons’ a weakness of the prison service?

Answer 21

• No control over prisoners due to staff cuts (officers fell by 15%) and overcrowding (population doubled between 1993-2021) causing rule breaking and discontent.
• Not rehabilitating due to staff cuts leading to lack of opportunities
• Riots and disorder. 2016 Birmingham riot. worst in 25 years showing no improvement.
• Security. Drug smuggling causing epidemic. 117 deaths in prison linked to spice.
• Safety. Prisoners not safe. 5 homicides in 2020.

Question 22

Why is ‘evidence limited social control outside of prison’ a weakness of the prison service?

Answer 22

Re-offending suggests no rehabilitation and limited social control.
- 36% re-offend
- 37% juveniles reoffend

Question 23

What are the strengths of charities?

Answer 23

• Strong commitment to specific focus
• Evidence they bring about change

Question 24

What are the weakness of charities?

Answer 24

• Gaps in provision

Question 25

Why is ‘strong commitment’ a strength of charities?

Answer 25

Highly effective at promoting social control.
All time and resources will be dedicated to the specific focus. More effective at achieving aim due to high expertise and knowledge.
Prison reform trust: improve prisons and highly motivated due to personal experience.

Question 26

Why is ‘evidence they bring about change’ a strength of charities?

Answer 26

Effective at contributing to social control.
28,000 supported by NACRO every year. House and support 2200 people each night, preventing reoffending.

Question 27

Why is ‘gaps in provision’ a weakness of charities?

Answer 27

Social control ineffective for sub-groups.
Only exist when people become concerned which is influenced by the media. No charities support offenders society is not concerned about e.g sex offenders. Opportunities to prevent reoffending is missed.

Question 28

What are the weaknesses of the national probation service?

Answer 28

• Privatisation
• Still limited

Question 29

What are the strengths of the national probation service?

Answer 29

• Improvements since decommissioned in 2020

Question 30

Why is privatisation a weakness of the national probation service?

Answer 30

Ineffective at social control as don’t prevent re offending.
CRCs (private rehabilitation companies) were set up in 2020 to deal with low risk offenders, reducing reoffending.
19/21 failed to meet requirements.
Offenders supervised over the phone.
Probation officers carried higher caseload as the CRC cut staff for money

Question 31

Why is ‘improvements since decommissioned’ a strength of the national probation service?

Answer 31

Overall, has 1/2 the rate of reoffending compared to prison
More effective at social control than prison.

Question 32

Why is ‘limited’ a counter point for national probation service?

Answer 32

• National shortage of probation officers
• High workloads= professional standards compromised
• Shortage of places on specialist programmes
  Ineffective at social control.