forensics: dealing with offending behaviour- custodial sentencing

Question 1

what is custodial sentencing?

Answer 1

punishing an individual by ordering them to spend a fixed period of time in custody

Question 2

what are the aims of custodial sentencing? (5Ps)

Answer 2

1. punish the individual
2. protect the public
3. prevent recidivism
4. put off offending
5. promote rehabilitation

Question 3

define retribution

Answer 3

society getting revenge through offender suffering for harm they caused

Question 4

what must punishment be compared to the severity of crime?

Answer 4

should be proportionate, an eye for an eye

Question 5

why is prison seen as a good punishment option?

Answer 5

because it enacts the most suffering

Question 6

how can we protect the public? do we protect them the same way for all offences?

Answer 6

incapacitating prisoners, the need for incapacitation depends on the severity and type of offender

Question 7

define recidivism

Answer 7

reoffending, ex-offenders committing another crime after already being released form a custodial sentence

Question 8

what is the psychological term for putting people off offending?

Answer 8

dettering

Question 9

what are the two levels of deterrent

Answer 9

general detterent
individual deterrent

Question 10

how is the principle of deterrent based on the learning theory principles?

Answer 10

either direct punishment to reduce the likelihood of behaviour re-occurring or vicarious reinforcement

Question 11

how bad is recidivism in England and Wales compared to the rest of Europe?

Answer 11

3rd worst in Europe, Norway = 20%

Question 12

define rehabilitation?

Answer 12

process of re-educating those who have committed a crime and preparing them to re-enter society

Question 13

what opportunities should be available in prison?

Answer 13

opportunities to develop skills, receive training, access to treatment / therapy etc

Question 14

why is rehabilitation so important?

Answer 14

it is the only true way to prevent recidivism of offenders

Question 15

what are the 3 main psychological effects of custodial sentencing?

Answer 15

suicide
depression
self-harm

Question 16

define institutionalisation

Answer 16

the regimen of daily prison life provides a structure and routine that some prisoners come to depend on and which can result in them not being able to cope with the unpredictable, unstructured nature of life outside prison

Question 17

define prisonisation

Answer 17

The world of the prison is its own world with specific unwritten rules and norms (i.e. ‘don’t be a grass’; ‘don’t back down from a challenge’) which may be very much at odds with the conventions of the outside world and which may change the behaviour and attitudes of the prisoner

Question 18

ao3: what did Bartol (1995) find about the prison population? how is this a limitation of the aims of custodial sentencing

Answer 18

found suicide rates 15x higher than the general population, shows custodial sentencing causes extreme psychological harm

Question 19

ao3: what did the prison reform trust (2014) find? how is this a strength of the psychological effects of custodial sentencing?

Answer 19

25% of women and 15% of men develop symptoms of psychosis in prison, provides supporting evidence

Question 20

ao3: what is it meant by the term universities of crime? what psychological explanation of offending behaviour does this link and why is this a limitation of the aims of custodial sentencing?

Answer 20

custody aims to do the 5 P’s but they may actually be universities of crime- people undergo a questionable ‘education’ where they learn tricks of the trade, attitudes + may increase drug use could increase offending behaviour

Question 21

ao3: how are there individual differences involved in the aims and effects of custodial sentencing? how is this a limitation?

Answer 21

not all offenders react to custodial sentencing the same way, and not all prisons run the same - may be less generalisable to all prisons

Question 22

ao3: what did Davies and Raymond (2000) find in their review of custodial sentencing? why is this a limitation of the aims of custodial sentencing?

Answer 22

reviewed custodial sentencing + found ministers exaggerate benefits of prisons to appear tough on crime. They found community service + RJ may be more effective at delivering the aims of custodial sentencing