AC 3.1 - Explain the Role of Agencies in Social Control

Question 1

What is the philosophy of the police?

Answer 1

To prevent crime and disorder, to have the public’s cooperation, to use physical force as a last resort, to serve the law impartially, to uphold the law

Question 2

What are the aims and objectives of the police?

Answer 2

To reduce crime and maintain order and they have the power to arrest, detention, search and interview under PACE

Question 3

What is the funding for the police?

Answer 3

£12.3bn in 2018/19

Question 4

What are the working practices of the police?

Answer 4

The working practices of the police involve responding to emergency and non-emergency calls from the public, general patrols around different areas within their jurisdiction and specialist groups within the police e.g., anti-terrorism units aim to prevent or punish specific forms of crime.

Question 5

What is the philosophy of the CPS?

Answer 5

Independence and fairness, honesty and openness, treating everyone with respect, behaving professionally, striving for excellence, equality and inclusion

Question 6

What are the aims and objectives of the CPS?

Answer 6

The CPS prosecutes criminal cases that have been investigated by the police and helps to decide what cases should be prosecuted in the public interest, along with helping the prosecution prepare for court and provide information and assistance to support the victims and witnesses of crime.

Question 7

What is the funding for the CPS?

Answer 7

£567m in 2019/2020

Question 8

What are the working practices of the CPS?

Answer 8

To work closely with local police forces and other criminal justice partners and they follow the full code test - both the evidential and public interest test to decide on whether it is suitable to prosecute a case

Question 9

What is the philosophy of the judiciary?

Answer 9

Judicial independence, impartiality, integrity, competence, ensuring equal treatment and the judge’s oaths both of allegiance and the judicial oath.

Question 10

What are the aims and objectives of the judiciary?

Answer 10

In the crown court, they manage a trial, ensure fairness, explain points of law and pass sentence.

In the appeal courts they make ruling in the appeals which then sets binding precedent for the lower courts in the hierarchy.

Question 11

What is the funding for the judiciary?

Answer 11

In 2020/21 the budget for the Ministry of Justice was £9.15bn

Question 12

What are the working practices of the judiciary?

Answer 12

To uphold the law and defend the rights of citizens.

They are given security of tenure due to their important role and can only be removed from office when a petition is sent to the Queen and passed by both Houses of Parliament.

Question 13

What is the philosophy of the prison service?

Answer 13

To prevent victims but changing lives of offenders

Question 14

What are the aims and objectives of the prison service?

Answer 14

They may also be responsible for running the probation services and contracting private sector prisons and services e.g., prisoner escort service or electronic tagging service.

An example of a Prison would be HMP Berwyn, where they operate to help hold prisoners based on their security category (HMP Berwyn is Cat C), where they have prisons who help to cook and supply food to the other prisoners.

Question 15

What is the funding of the prison service?

Answer 15

In 2018, the total budget for prisons was approximately £3bn

Question 16

What are the working practices of the prison service?

Answer 16

They work to reintegrate and humanize the prisoners to help to create a similar environment to the outside world which will help reduce reoffending rates, along with different programmed and jobs that can be carried out during the day. (HMP BERWYN)

Question 17

What is the philosophy of the National Probation Service?

Answer 17

Their core values and ethical principles are that they believe that offenders can change for the better and become responsible members of society, belief in the worth and dignity of the individual, commitment to social justice, social inclusion and equality.

Question 18

What are the aims and objectives of the National Probation Service?

Answer 18

To supervise high risk offenders released into the community.

Question 19

What is the funding for the National Probation Service?

Answer 19

In 2018, there was an overall budget of £4.6bn which is shared between the prisons and probation.

Question 20

What are the working practices of the National Probation Service?

Answer 20

They prepare pre-sentence reports for courts, managers approve premises for offenders, assess offenders in prisons to prepare them for release and communicate with and prioritise the well-being of victims of serious sexual violent offences and mental health patients.

Question 21

What is the philosophy of charity and pressure groups?

Answer 21

They are voluntary non-profit organisations that are independent from government control unlike police, prisons or probation service. E.G Howard League for Reform

Question 22

What are the aims and objectives of charity and pressure groups? (Howard League for Penal Reform)

Answer 22

They aim to reduce the numbers of those becoming victims of crime, as they see the spending on the prison system being used to take away from being invested into education and housing etc. which leads to increased crime in the community.

Furthermore, they aim to reduce the number of people in prisons specifically aiming to reduce the number of children and young people from being arrested and the criminalization of children

Question 23

What is the funding for charity and pressure groups? (Howard League for Penal Reform)

Answer 23

It normally comes from public donations, government grants and contracts for providing services for ex offenders and others.

Question 24

What are the working practices of charity and pressure groups? (Howard League for Penal Reform)

Answer 24

They use campaigns and public donations to achieve penal reform by proposing Bills or Laws.