Dealing With Offending Behaviour: Custodial Sentencing

Question 1

What is meant by custodial sentencing?

Answer 1

Where criminals spend time in prison or another closed institute.

Question 2

What is the aim of custodial sentencing?

Answer 2

To punish the offender.
Deterrence.
Incapacitation.
Retribution.
Rehabilitation.

Question 3

What is meant by deterrence?

Answer 3

The unpleasant prison experience to prevent individuals from offending.

Question 4

What is the aim of deterrence?

Answer 4

To send the message to members of society that crime will not be tolerated.

Question 5

What is meant by incapacitation?

Answer 5

Where the offender is taken out from society in order to protect the public.

Question 6

What is the aim of incapacitation?

Answer 6

To protect the public.

Question 7

What is meant by retribution?

Answer 7

Where society takes revenge by making the criminal suffer.

Question 8

What is the aim of retribution?

Answer 8

To make the offender suffer for their crime.

Question 9

What is meant by rehabilitation?

Answer 9

Where offenders are given the opportunity to better themselves and leave prison as changed individuals.

Question 10

What is the aim of rehabilitation?

Answer 10

To transform offenders and reduce the likelihood of them committing crime again.

Question 11

What does recidivism mean?

Answer 11

Reoffending

Question 12

What are the psychological effects of custodial sentencing?

Answer 12

Stress and self harm.
Institutionalisation - adapting to prison life and being unable to function on the outside.
De-individuation.

Question 13

What is one strength of custodial sentencing?

Answer 13

1. Offers opportunities for training and treatment.
   Anger management schemes and social skills training are available which give offenders insight into their behaviour.
   Shows custodial sentencing reduces likelihood of recidivism.
   Therefore, prison is a worthwhile experience.

Question 14

What are 2 weaknesses of custodial sentencing?

Answer 14

1. Not effective in rehabilitating offenders.
   Bartol: prison can be ‘brutal’.
   Last 25 years: suicide rates among offenders has been 15x higher than in general population.
   Shows prison can trigger psychological disorders.
   Therefore, unlikely to result in changed offenders.
2. Alternatives.
   Community service and restorative justice prevent separation from families and employment
   Shows offenders shouldn’t be isolated.
   Therefore, likely to prevent recidivism.