Crime And Law

Question 1

Types of crime

Answer 1

Violent crime
-murder( most extreme form of violent crime)
Murder=planned killing of another
Manslaughter= someone dies as a result of another persons actions, but killing them was not the motive

Knife crime

• drop in knife crime( most common in west of Scotland)
• strongly linked with gang crime( protection)
• in 2010, 35 people in Scotland were killed by sharp instruments, representing 44% of total homicides

Sexual offences

• offences that break the law regarding sexual activities
• having sex with an underage person, prostitution, indecent exposure.

Property crime

• dishonestly obtaining or damaging another persons property
• burglary, housebreaking, theft, robbery

Corporate crime

• carried out by businesses or individuals.
• individuals may use computers to hack into other people’s info
• businesses- selling short measures or wrongly labelled items.

Question 2

Causes of crime

Answer 2

Poverty

• higher rates of unemployment(struggle to make ends meet)
• no positive role models(turn to gangs as a way out)

Age

• Young working class males in urban areas.
• peak ages- 15-19( want to settle down)
• peer pressure
• JOYRIDING GRAFFITI SHOPLIFTING

Gender

• males commit 5 times more crime than females( socialised differently)
• most common females = shoplifting( make ends meet) 2nd = drug offences
• nearly 2/3 of women in prison have a drug problem

Ethnicity

• black people make up 1.8 of the U.K. Population but 12% of the prison population
• ethnic minority’s have on average a lower income than whites( turn to crime to make ends meet)
• higher levels of unemployment( greater temptation to crime)
• may lack a father figure( lack of discipline/ social control)

Question 3

Drugs

Answer 3

Class A
Most dangerous
-cocaine, ecstasy, LSD

Class B
Mild sedatives(giggly or talkative)
-cannabis, amphetamines

Class C
Least dangerous
- ketamine, tranquillisers

Question 4

Impact of crime on individuals/ victims

Risk of crime

Answer 4

Risk of crime

• Scottish crime survey estimates that 1 in 6 adults aged 16 or over was the victims of at least 1 crime (2010/11)
• 3% of adults had been a victim of violent crime

Question 5

Impact of crime on individuals/ victims

Victims

Answer 5

The impact of crime on an individual is immediate( physical/ mental harm, loss of property)
If the crime is more serious( sexual assault) it could leave the victim feeling anxious, vulnerable, scared. Could lead to depression.
-In 65% of incidents, the victim or someone in their household had an emotional reaction.

Question 6

Impact of crime of individuals/ victims

Age

Answer 6

The risk of being a victim of crime decreases with age.

-26% of 16-25 year olds were at risk of being a victim compared to 9% of over 60s.

Question 7

Impact of crime on individuals/ victims

Gender

Answer 7

The risk of being a victim of a crime is slightly higher for males than females.
-18% of males have been a victim of crime compared with 17% of females.

Question 8

Impact of crime on individuals/ victims

Ethnicity

Answer 8

Ethnic minority’s have a slightly higher risk of being victims of crimes than whites.

They are often subject to “hate crimes”
( crimes committed against them beaded on their race/ beliefs)

Question 9

Impact of crime on individuals/ victims

social class

Answer 9

If you are from a lower social class, you have a higher chance of being a victim of crime. Similarly, “repeat victimisation” affects the poor most.

-Higher social classes can afford to live in safer areas, buy alarms and CCTV.

Question 10

Impact of crime on individuals/ victims

religion

Answer 10

People may have a higher chance of being a victims due to their religion.

-In Scotland (West), Catholics have a higher chance of suffering crime due to their religion. 1/3 of these incidents were related to football.

Question 11

The police

Answer 11

Main function is to protect people from crime and disorder.

Nearly 150,000 police officers in the UK. (Paid through tax money)

Question 12

Roles of the police

Maintaining law and order

Answer 12

-Managing large crowds( mostly seen at big sporting occasions where the priorities are PUBLIC SAFTEY and ensuring those attending so not BREAK THE LAW.)

Technology
Strathclyde police was the first force in Scotland to try out a new mobile computer system( reduced the amount of time filling out forms)

Question 13

Roles of the police

Detecting criminals

Answer 13

Capture those they believe have committed a crime.

-A police officer can stop and question you if they believe you have committed or witnessed a offence.

Question 14

Roles of the police

Crime prevention

Answer 14

Police spend a lot of time trying to make sure crime doesn’t happen. ( form of a physical presence(on foot or in a car) ) where law breaking is likely to take place. It also may take the form of public education( teaching people how to look after their possessions and informing them on the consequences of certain crimes)

-Cars are a sitting target for criminals. Surveys found that 1 in 5 drivers do not lock all the doors and close all windows.

Question 15

Crime prevention

Neighbourhood watch schemes

Answer 15

Partnership where people come together to make their community safer. It involves the police, community safety departments and individuals.

-More than 130,000 NWS covering more than 5 million homes in the U.K.

Question 16

Crime prevention

CCTV

Answer 16

Closed circuit television (CCTV) are used to monitor and record images of what takes place in certain areas.

• -The U.K. Has more CCTV cameras than any other country in Europe.
• Used to monitor public areas to detect incidents
• Record events to use as evidence.

Question 17

Roles of the police

Public protection

Answer 17

Protect the public through community policing. = officers cover specific area or town. ( patrol by foot or bike)
-Helps reduce people’s fear of crime as they believe the police are there to protect them.

Question 18

The justice system

Answer 18

Used to punish someone who has committed a crime.
Acts as a deterrent.
Can also be considered a for of protection(public)

Question 19

The Scottish Justice System.

Answer 19

Scotland has its own unique legal system.
There are 2 types of courts in Scotland- CRIMINAL and CIVIL.
Criminal-deal with offenders who have broken the law.
Civil- deal with cases about disagreements ( debt, damages, compensation)

There are 2 types of criminal justice procedure in Scotland- SOLEMN and SUMMARY.( crown office & procurator fiscal service decide whether a case is solemn or summary)
Solemn- most serious criminal cases ( could lead to a trial before a judge in the high court or in a sherif court. Conducted with a jury)
Summary- less serious offences( lead to a trial before a sheet of or in the JP court. Conducted without a jury)
Jury= consists of 15 adults chosen at random( very expensive, but it’s a basic human right)

Question 20

Courts in Scotland

High court

Answer 20

Scotland’s supreme criminal court
Deals with cases such as murder, rape, drug trafficking.
Has unlimited sentencing powers( life sentence can be anything between 15-35 years. The judge can also recommend that the criminal may never be eligible for parole)

Question 21

Courts in Scotland

Sherif court

Answer 21

Deal with cases within the sheriffdom.
Deals with cases that are too severe to the JP court but not serious enough enough for the high court
-assault, theft,burglary
Max= 12 months imprisonment or £10,000 fine

Question 22

Courts in Scotland

Justice of the peace

Answer 22

Lowest level of court
Deal with relatively minor crimes
-breach of the peace, vandalism, non payment of fines
Max= fines of up to £2,500/ 60 days imprisonment

Question 23

Courts in Scotland

Civil courts

Answer 23

Help resolve disputes between parties.
Civil decrees= formal copy of the order made by court which is given to the successful party, and can be used to endorse an order

e.g it could be an order to pay a sum of money with interest

Question 24

Pleading / verdicts

Answer 24

Guilty / not guilty to the charge

Guilty
Not guilty
Not proven

Question 25

Children's hearing | The referral

Answer 25

Something must happen in the child's life( maybe the victim of a crime/ commuted a crime) Most referrals are made by the police or social workers

Question 26

Children's hearing | The investigation

Answer 26

The children's reporter investigates the case by asking different sources ( may speak to schools, social work department,police) Must decide whether NOT TO ARRANGE A CHILDRENS HEARING. TO REFET YHE CHILD AND FAMILY FOR VOLUNTARY SUPPORT FROM THE LOCAL AUTHORITY TO ARRANGE A CHILDRENS HEARING

Question 27

Children's hearing | The hearing

Answer 27

Purpose is to decide whether compulsory supervision is needed. The hearing takes place in private and usually lasts between 45 mins and 1 hour. People who attend= child, family, children's reporter, three panel members, social worker and a teacher.

Question 28

Children's hearing | The outcome

Answer 28

1) to discharge the referral because the panel feel like compulsory supervision is not needed. 2) to impose a supervision requirement, with any conditions they feel necessary 3) to send the case to the sherif court to let the sherif decide if the reasons for the hearing are correct ( if the child can't understand) 4) to continue the hearing at a later date ( if they are unable to make a decision, if someone hasn't shown up or they don't have enough info) Supervision requirement = plan of work,support and devices that help the child. May include info about where the child should live, who they are allowed to have contact with, must attend a programme to attempt to improve their behaviour.

Question 29

Problems with prisons | Financial cost of overcrowding

Answer 29

Prisons cost the government £2.2 billion a year. Prisons are softer regarded as "expensive failures" that have no effect on crime levels as reoffending rates are still at 60%

Question 30

Problems with prisons | Lack of safety

Answer 30

- prisoners are being held in inhumane,degrading and unsafe conditions, which damage attempts to maintain family support and reduce re-offending by prisoners - a study found that 77% of prisons expressed concern that overcrowding was threatening prison safety

Question 31

Problems with prisons | Transport problems

Answer 31

Due to overcrowding, there may be no empty beds near where the prisoner lives, so they are being transported all over the country. Average distance = 50 miles Costs the taxpayer millions and can delay the criminal justice system as a result of late arrivals Harder for families to keep in contact ( may he pursues relationships)

Question 32

Problems with prisons | Increase suicide risk

Answer 32

Overcrowding problem has been blamed for a 40% increase in prison suicides. Standard of life could be so low ( don't want to live like that anymore)

Question 33

Alternatives to prison (Community payback orders)

Answer 33

- most commonly used community sentence - the offender is required to carry out unpaid work of benefit to the community for between 80-240 hours(without a jury) or up to 300 hours(with a sheriff and jury) while being supervised - clearing pathways,repainting community buildings or churches - may be given a personal placement(expected to assist the elderly/work in a charity shop) or a team placement (repainting/ outdoor work) - failure to comply with a CPO can result in the offender being returned to court, and can be dealt with in anyway the court see appropriate for the original offence(could be imprisonment)

Question 34

Alternatives to prison (Electronic tagging and curfews)

Answer 34

a curfew requires you to stay at an agreed dress during certain times(usually 7am-7pm) a tag is an electronic bracelet that is usually attached to your ankle which monitors your whereabouts -makes it harder to commit further crimes CURFEW ORDER- under 16 HOME DETENTION CURFEW-imposed by the government as a part of your early release from prison -must attend meetings with your probation officer - if you continue to break the rules, you will be taken back to court(more serious sentence,imprisonment)

Question 35

Alternatives to prison (Probation orders)

Answer 35

- remans one of the most commonly used community sentences - main purpose is to work with offenders to prevent/ reduce their reoffending. This is done by professionals to help learn new behaviours and to deal with the problems associated with offending - offenders can be placed on probation for 6 months to 3 years

Question 36

Alternatives to prison ( Drug treatment and testing orders)

Answer 36

-relatively new community service - is an order for drug- misusing offenders who might otherwise receive a custodial sentence(serious drug dealers will continue to go to jail) - the intention is to tackle this people whose offending is a direct result of their drug misuse -ADDICTS WHO STEAL TO FUND THEIR HABIT beneficial as although it is a lengthy process, it is cheaper than a prison sentence (£10,000-£45,000)