ac 2.2 discuss the aims of punishment

Question 1

aims of sentencing section 24 criminal justice act 2003

Answer 1

1. punishment of offenders
2. reduction of crime
3. reform and rehabilitation of offenders
4. protection of public
5. making of reparation by offender to person affected

Question 2

what is retribution?

Answer 2

• the offender is punished in respect of the crime committed
• idea that offender deserved punishment
• does not seek to alter future behaviour but merely to inflict punishment in proportion to offence
• can be expressed as a defendant getting their ‘just desserts’
• links to right realism, ensures defendant is being punished to an appropriate level

Question 3

what is rehabilitation?

Answer 3

• aims to reform offenders and reintroduce them into society
• hopes that offenders behaviour will be altered
• presumes that criminal behaviour is the result of free will and rational choice
• link to individualist theory

Question 4

examples of rehabilitation

Answer 4

• community sentences
• probation orders

Question 5

what is individual deterrence ?

Answer 5

• aims to dissuade the offender or anyone in society from committing crime through fear of punishment
• links to social learning theory, prevalent sub cultures is one of the main ways observant learning occurs

Question 6

what is general deterrence?

Answer 6

• aims to prevent potential criminals from committing crime through
• impact of a sentence with deterrence element is weakened by the fact it relates to someone else
• links to marxism theory as they are likely to view criminality as inevitable given the capitalist society we live in

Question 7

what is public protection?

Answer 7

• punishment must serve as a useful purpose for society by protecting us from dangerous criminals
• referred to as incapacitation as offender is prevented from exercising their freedom
• link to theory, right realist viewpoint may see the need to impose a sentence to protect the public, stricter social control is needed to reduce crime and punishment

Question 8

what is reparation?

Answer 8

• aims to ensure the defendant pays back to the victim or society for the wrongdoing
• often involves compensating the victim, usually by ordering the offender to pay a sum of money to the victim
• includes making reparation to society
• links to left realist approach as punishments may be seen as a way of providing practical measures to reduce crime and produce a long term change to a more equal caring society

Question 9

what is denunciation?

Answer 9

• aims to show offenders that society approves of their behaviour
• helps to reinforce the moral and ethical codes or boundary maintenance
• link to theory, functionalism sees social control as a means of achieving solidarity in society