Crime - Role Of The Criminal Justice System Flashcards
(23 cards)
What is the aim of the criminal justice system?
To ensure that justice is delivered fairly for all
The criminal justice system works in partnership with various agencies.
What are the main parts of the criminal justice system?
- Courts
- Police
- Probation services
- Prisons
- Community services
Each part plays a specific role in the overall functioning of the criminal justice system.
What is the role of the Crown Prosecution Service?
To decide whether or not to press charges
It handles decisions related to legal prosecution.
How do magistrates’ courts differ from crown courts?
Magistrates’ courts handle less serious crimes, while crown courts deal with serious crimes
Youth courts are also part of the court system.
What is the primary responsibility of the police?
To maintain social order and respond to crimes
They also report, record, and investigate crime.
What do probation services do?
Monitor individuals who have been convicted of a crime or are awaiting conviction
They assess choices and behavior.
What is the purpose of prisons?
To remove criminals from society and punish them by taking away their freedom
Prisons vary in type and function.
What is the role of community services in the criminal justice system?
To monitor individuals doing community service and prevent further crime
They work with individuals and groups.
What does functionalism say about the criminal justice system?
It reflects value consensus in society regarding right and wrong
Functionalists believe ideas about crime change over time.
True or False: The criminal justice system is static and does not change over time.
False
Functionalists argue that ideas about crime evolve.
Fill in the blank: The criminal justice system reflects socially constructed ideas about what is considered _______.
[illegal and deviant]
This perspective is rooted in functionalist sociological views.
What does Marxism argue about the criminal justice system?
The criminal justice system reflects the values and aspirations of the ruling class
Marxists highlight that the majority of crimes committed by the working class are recorded and prosecuted, while ruling class crimes go undetected.
According to Chambliss, how does the police perceive working class individuals compared to middle class individuals?
The police are more likely to judge a working class person as a criminal than a middle class person
Middle class people are much more likely to be let off for minor crimes.
What is Foucault’s view on the role of the state in defining criminality?
The state controls the individual and defines who becomes a criminal
Foucault argues that the criminal justice system has expanded as a means of state control over individuals.
How does Foucault describe the impact of surveillance on crime prevention?
The knowledge that a person is being watched acts as a powerful deterrent to committing crime.
What do Phillips and Bowling argue about the criminal justice system?
The criminal justice system is institutionally racist
They argue that discriminatory practices begin with policing priorities and that certain ethnic groups are targeted.
What statistic highlights racial disparities in the criminal justice system?
Black minority groups are seven times more likely to be stopped and searched than white people.
What was the significance of the Stephen Lawrence murder case?
It highlighted the police’s systematic ignoring of the racially motivated nature of the crime
Stephen’s family had to fight for two decades for the case to be investigated.
What is the chivalry thesis in relation to women in the criminal justice system?
Women get treated more leniently than men
There is some evidence to support this, such as women being less likely to receive prison sentences for manslaughter.
How are women treated when accused of serious crimes according to the text?
They are treated more harshly and seen as double deviants
This is particularly true for women accused of crimes that deviate from societal norms.
What does feminist Walklate argue about rape trials?
Rape trials put female victims on trial for any behavior that strays from being conformist and virtuous.
What double standards exist in the criminal justice system according to Heidensohn?
Women who deviate from societal norms of female sexuality are punished more harshly
Courts are less likely to imprison mothers with children compared to fathers.
Fill in the blank: The criminal justice system can be seen to operate upon a highly _______ set of assumptions.
gendered
