AC3.3- limitations of agencies in achieving social control

Question 1

what is repeat offending

Answer 1

-aka recidivism
-the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend after their sentence
-high recidivism poses significant challenges in achieving social control
-anyone who has served 2 or more days in custody is requried to undergo 12 months of supervision leading to an increase in recalls to custody

Question 2

what are the statistics on repeat offending

Answer 2

-the bromley briefing are carried out by the prison reform trust
-42% of offenders are reconvicted after 1 year, and for sentences under 12 months this is 63%
-64% of children are reconvicted after a year

Question 3

what are the effects of repeat offending

Answer 3

-led to prison population increasing by 80% in the last 30 years, with current population of approx 88,000
-prisons are reinforce and enourage criminal behaviour through being “universities of crime”
-as opportunites provided to learn new criminal skills and make connections
-this normalisation of law breaking makes it harder to reintegrate back into society

Question 4

how does social learning theory signify repeat offending

Answer 4

-learn behavioural through reinforcement and observation
-offenders may vicariously watch others gain status and protection through violence making them more likely to adopt the behaviour
-if they see that criminal action leads to rewards it reinforces the idea that crime pays
-through indirect learning

Question 5

how does the strain of resources through repeat offending fail to achieve social control

Answer 5

-government spends £18.1 billion each year on reoffending alone
-diverts resources away from crime prevention meaning working retoactively

Question 6

how does overcrowding in prisons through repeat offending fail to achieve social control

Answer 6

-makes implementation of rehabilitation programmes more difficult
-fosters environment for violence and criminal networks
-the SPS40 scheme released offenders after serving 40% of their sentence, which creates risk to communities

Question 7

how does low public confidence through repeat offending fail to achieve social control

Answer 7

-creates perception the CJS is failing to deter crime
-the sentencing council in 2022 found 45% of respondents believe the CJS isnt effective
-makes people feel unsafe leading to decreased cooperation

Question 8

what is civil liberties and legal barriers

Answer 8

-fundamental rights and freedoms which protect indiviuals from persecution from the government
-there are basic rights for UK citizens like freedom of speech which is the right to express opinions without censorship or punishment
-another is the freedom of assembly which is the right to gather in public for protesting

Question 9

how does marxism signify civil liberties and legal barriers

Answer 9

-laws are essential for protecting the interests of the working class by ensuring justice is applied equally
-prevents the ruling class from making unjust decisions
-without these protections the working class would be targetted

Question 10

how does deportation through civil liberties and legal barriers fail to achieve social control

Answer 10

-Abu qatada’s use of the human rights act(1998)
-linked to Islamic terrorist organisations where first arrested in 2002
-the UK sought to deport him to Jordan where to had been convicted for terrorism offences
-however this was blocked for a decade due to the human rights act being exploited
-in 2012 the european court of human rights ruled in his favour preventing deportation due to article 6 of a right to a fair trial as torture methods may be used against him

Question 11

how does police powers through civil liberties and legal barriers fail to achieve social control

Answer 11

-PACE(1985) sets stricter rules on evdience collection
-case of Christopher Halliwell was arrested on suspicion of murder
-during an unauthorised exchange with a detective he confessed to 2 murders
-this breached protocols as he wasnt provided access to legal representation
-thus it was deemed as unadmissible leading to delayed justice for 5 years

Question 12

how does prosecution through civil liberties and legal barriers fail to achieve social control

Answer 12

-to ensure consistency and quality the CPS use the full code test of the evidential and the public interest test
-this has had a detrimental impact on rape prosecutions as there is limited evidence
-the ministry of justice found that in 2019/20 the nuumder of reported rapes resulting in charge was 1.6%

Question 13

how does sentencing through civil liberties and legal barriers fail to achieve social control

Answer 13

-judges operate with strict legal frameworks like mandatory sentencing guidelines set by the sentencing council
-at the age of 17 alex rudakubana murdered 3 young girls
-however due to his age he couldnt be given a whole life order
-as due to recent legislative changes this is reserved for offenders over 21
-instead he recieved a life sentence of a minimum of 52 years

Question 14

what is access to resource and support

Answer 14

-this is crucial for prisoners and released offenders to reintegrate into society thus reducing the risk of reoffending
-limited resources mean agencies are unable to fulfil their role, which increases reoffending and overburdens the CJS

Question 15

how does left realism signify access to resources and support

Answer 15

-emphasis on the need to adress the social causes to crime by ensuring offenders require appropriate support
-crime is result of disadvantaged backgrounds and areas where offenders had little opportunities
-if ex offenders find themselves in the same disadvantages areas they are likely to reoffend

Question 16

how does finance through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control

Answer 16

-upon release offenders find themselves without a stable income
-without support they may revert to crime as a means of survival
-offenders may struggle to meet the benefits due to the bureaucratic barriers
-leading to cycles of reoffending

Question 17

how does finance through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control (EVIDENCE)

Answer 17

-discharge grants are one off payments to offenders upon release
-this is only £89.52 which only covers basic needs and isnt eligible for all offenders like those on remand
-there is also universal credit which is designed to support low income families
-ranges from £300-600 a month however cannot make a claim untill released and the wait is around 5 weeks

Question 18

how does accommodation through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control

Answer 18

-offenders face difficulties finding stable housing
-many ex offenders arent eligible for social housing and may struggle to secure private renting due to having a criminal record and a lack of references
-as a result many may end up in temporay or inadequate housing leading to increased stress

Question 19

how does accommodation through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control (EVIDENCE)

Answer 19

-the bromley briefings found that 48% of offenders released has settled accomodation
-2/3 of offenders in unstable accommodation ended back up in custody
-additionally housing benefits stop for those expected to be in prison for more than 13 weeks, resulting in increased chance of homelessness upon release which is 11%

Question 20

how does employment through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control

Answer 20

-a criminal record is a major obstacle in gaining meaningful employment as employers are reluctant to hire
-this struggle to support themselves leads to financial difficulties
-employment provides a sense of purpose and structure in their lives

Question 21

how does employment through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control (EVIDENCE)

Answer 21

-the bromley breifings found that 17% of offenders were employed after 6 weeks of leaving prison
-this only rose to 26% after 6 months

Question 22

how does training opportunities through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control

Answer 22

-helping offenders acquire skills needed to gain stable employment
-many offenders leave prison with limited qualifications and experience
-a secure job acts as a strong deterrent to crime
-there is also limited availability in training programmes

Question 23

how does training opportunities through access to resources and support fail to achieve social control (EVIDENCE)

Answer 23

-the bromley briefings found that only 2/3 of prisoners are engaging in purposeful activity
-ofsted found that under 10% of institutions in providing education were to a reasonable standard
-the prisoner apprenticeship pathway had an uptake of under 10 in 2024, significantly below the target of 300

Question 24

what is finance

Answer 24

-a lack of funding leads to understaffed services
-leading to ineffective assessments or intervining with high risk offenders resulting in missed opportunites for crime prevention
-these problems began in 2010 due to a coalition between the tories and the lib dems

Question 25

how does functionalism signify finance

Answer 25

-society is a system of interconnected parts with each part with a system -this is vital for maintaining social order and control -funding cuts impair this ability leading to dysfunction in society -this can lead to anomie which is a breakdown of social norms

Question 26

how does the police through finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 26

-from 2010 to 2018 funding was cut by 19% -led to the loss of 21,000 frontline officers meaning the struggled to provide the same service and maintain public order -led to a prioritisation of serious crime where minor crimes would be ignored like shoplifting -led to slower response time particulary to rural areas

Question 27

how does the CPS finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 27

-since 2010 had a budget cut of 25% -led to a loss of experienced staff like 23% of barristers, meaning there is increased errors due to the impact of quality of legal representation -led to delayed prosecutions with the average wait time of 41 weeks -led to prioritisation where complex cases like rape are dropped due to a lower likeilood of securing a conviction

Question 28

how does case study of liam allen for the CPS finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 28

-in 2016 he was accussed of rape and facing up to 10 years in prison -however the CPS uphelp crucial evidence of 40,000 texts which was evidence of consent -this almost led to wrongful conviction and exposes the CPS' failings in carrying justice

Question 29

how does the courts finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 29

-since 2010 faced budget cuts of 22% leading to delayed justice -led to court closures with over half of the magistrate courts closing -led to backlogs with the average wait being 41 weeks and being 78% higher from 2019 to 2024, where "justice delayed in justice denied" and more uncertainty for the victim

Question 30

how does the prisons finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 30

-from 2010 to 2018 their funding was reduced by 16% which has exacerbated standing issues -led to overcrowding where prison population has increased by 80% in the last 30 years, where prisons like wandsworth are 600 over capacity -led a loss of staff, and especially experience, where 1/3 of officers have under 2 years of experience making them equipped to deal with challenges -led to prisoner wellbeing loss where there was a reported 91 suicided in 2024

Question 31

how does case study of HMP birmingham for the prisons finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 31

-in 2016 there was a 15 hour riot where staff were attacked and prison cells were opened -this was due to chronic staff shortages allowing the riot to escalate

Question 32

how does the NPS finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 32

-not only faced budget cuts but has restructuring -led to failed privatisation in 2014, led to the companies contracts being terminated in 2020 with 19/21 failing to reach targets -led to ineffective rehabilitation with 1/6 drug users being regulary tested -led to low quality risk assessments such as the case of damian bendall who murdered several people while on probation while assessed as only medium risk

Question 33

how does the charities finance fail to achieve social control

Answer 33

-fewer donations from 82% saying they donate in 2013 to 67% in 2023 due to rise in cost of living -loss of government grants with a £3.8 billion reduction -leading to charity closures where in 2018 570 shut down with 370 new ones which is a net loss, such as rape crisis that there was a risk of many centres closing

Question 34

what are local policies

Answer 34

-developed and implemented by regional and local authorities such as the council -allows to adress specific issues to a community -due to limited resources some crimes are prioritised

Question 35

how does the case study of the metropolitcan police signify local policies

Answer 35

-in 2017 sadiq khan introduced a plan to adress rising hate crime and enhancing counter terrorism -launched the first dedicated police unit to tackle online hate crime -aimed to improve support for victims and ensure a zero tolerance policy -also bolstered the armed anti terror squad to strengthen preparedness

Question 36

how does local policies fail to achieve social control

Answer 36

-prioritisation leads to selective enforcement leading to gaps where other forms of criminality may increase which reduces public safety -this is due to offenders perceiving a lack of enforcement -this in the long term can lead to greater disorder and reduced trust

Question 37

what are national policies

Answer 37

-strategies set up by the central government that apply to the entire country -these adress broad issues like national security -this shapes priorities of law enforcement by setting legal framework

Question 38

what are some example of national priorities

Answer 38

-for 2024/25 -reduce murder and other homicide -reduce serious violence -disrupt drug supply -tackle cyber crime improve victim satisfaction -reduce neighbourhood crime

Question 39

how does the CPS policy of national policies fail to achieve social control

Answer 39

-strategy in 2017 to intensify the prosecution of hate crime throgh social media -meant treating cyber offences as seriously as offline offences -led to increase of 20% hate crimes being reported

Question 40

how does national prioritisation of national policies fail to achieve social control

Answer 40

-from 2010 to 2015 policies to tackle knife, gun and gang activities -for example the policing and crime act which imposed restrictions onn gang affiliated individuals such as curfews -there was increased funding of £1.2 million to support the workers adressing this issue

Question 41

how does the transforming rehabilitation policy of national policies fail to achieve social control

Answer 41

-introduced in 2014 to reduce public spending by privatising the probation service for low and medium risk offenders -this faced operational difficulties with 19/21 companies failing to meet targets -this was abandoned in 2020 meaning the probation service was returned to the public sector

Question 42

how does marxism signify local and national policies

Answer 42

-crime prioritisation is a tool used by the ruling class to maintain social control and protect their interests -selective law enforcement disproportionately targets the marginalised -while crime from the ruling class is overlooked

Question 43

what is the environment

Answer 43

-once released into society their environment impacts their ability to reintegrate back into society -inadequte environments increase the chances of reoffending

Question 44

what is employment, finance and accomodation as the environment

Answer 44

-offenders return to the environment where they face challenges of stable housing, etc -a lack of financial support leaves them with few legal options to sustain themselves -for example after 6 weeks only 17% of offenders are employed

Question 45

what is a lack of family support as the environment

Answer 45

-family typically play a crucial role in rehabilitation such as giving a sense of belonging -offenders released without family support may have financial difficulties and have a lack of guidance -the prison reform trust found that offenders are less likely to reoffend if the live with their immediate family on release, however only 57% do

Question 46

what is a lack of mental health suport as the environment

Answer 46

-many released offenders suffer from mental health conditions, this is 59% for men and 82% of women -the most common was anxiety/depression at 29% -however only 29% of men recieve support -once released a lack of mental health services result in untreated conditions leading to implusivity and it harder to manage rehabilitation

Question 47

what is a lack of addiction suport as the environment

Answer 47

-49% of women and 29% of men have a drug issue on arrival to prison -in prison 9% of offenders develop a problem with drugs -without addiction support post release offender are likely to relapse thus returing to crime to support their habit -therefore addiction treatment is essential however they have recieved funding cuts of over 40%

Question 48

what is criminal associations as the environment

Answer 48

-offenders face challenges to escape their negative social influences -such as long standing connections to networks through gangs -probation encourages offenders to build new positive relations, however avoiding past influences is difficult -for example curtis warren was a notorious drug trafficker who was released in 2007 but re arrested in 2009 for attempting to smuggle canabis

Question 49

how does strain theory signify the environment

Answer 49

-individuals express strain when unable to achieve social approved goals through legitimate means -meaning they seek criminal alternatives -for newly released offenders environmental challenges create significant strain

Question 50

what is crime committed by those with moral imperatives

Answer 50

-crime committed by those who believe their actions are justified -these are motivated by perceived higher purposes where they are acting in the interest of society

Question 51

what is the case study of kay gilderdale as a crime committed by those with moral imperatives

Answer 51

-prosecuted after assisting in the death of her daughter who suffered with chronic pain and was paralysed for 17 years -after a failed suicide attempt, kay provided additional medication to ensure the death -she believed she acted out of deep compassion and honoured her daughters wishes

Question 52

what is the case study of just stop oil as a crime committed by those with moral imperatives

Answer 52

-use of distruptive protests to raise awareness on fossil fuel reliance -this is to pressure the government to hault new oil and gas projects -thus they are breaking the law for urgent climate action -they are even willing to be arrested to demonstrate their ideology

Question 53

what is the case study of anti vivisection as a crime committed by those with moral imperatives

Answer 53

-engaging in illegal activies like trespassing to research facilites to oppose animal testing -groups like the animal liberation front have broken into labs -believe they are acting in the defense of animals as animals cannot defend themselves -see their actions as necessary to expose animal cruelty

Question 54

how does crimes committed by those with moral imperatives fail to achieve social control

Answer 54

-limits social control as offenders do not view their action as criminal but justified -this makes deterrents less effective as they are willing to face arrest -law enforcement struggle to prevent these crimes as they are often premeditated

Question 55

how does functionalism signify crimes committed by those with moral imperatives

Answer 55

-leads to social change as it challenges norms by pushes for legal reforms leading to decriminalisation -also leads to boundary maintenance as by society reacting it reinforces the acceptable behaviour