prison Flashcards
(6 cards)
what is the 1st strength?
One strength of the Prison Service is that it provides programmes to help offenders rehabilitate and reform their behaviour.Statistics suggest that fewer than half of the male prison population have Level 1 or Level 2 education (GCSE), holding them back from navigating the path of a crime free life. The National Literacy Trust and The Shannon Trust have been awarded £1.8 million to pilot reading and writing skills programmes in prisons.This shows the Prison service is effective in achieving social control because as by increasing the literacy skills of prisons it will increase their chances of securing work or training once they leave prison and therefore reduce offenders need to reoffend.
what is the 2nd strength?
Another strength of the prison service is that it protects the public from harm For example, there are currently 67 prisoners serving whole life tariffs which means for the public’s safety these offenders will never be released. Such offenders include Rosemary West who was convicted of the murder of 10 women and girls. Furthermore, prisons have a category system in which the most serious high risk offenders are housed under category A which is the most secure, for example HMP Frankland. This shows the Prison service is effective in achieving social control because the public are protected from the most serious offenders.
what is the 3rd strength?
The Prison Service also contributes to social control by deterring potential offenders through the threat and fear of imprisonment. The consequences of imprisonment, including loss of liberty, separation from family, and the stigma of a criminal record, serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders. This aligns with the principles of deterrence, both individually for repeat offenders and generally for the wider community. The prospect of imprisonment acts as a warning, discouraging potential offenders from breaking the law. By emphasising the negative consequences of criminal behaviour, the Prison Service helps to reinforce societal norms and expectations, thereby creating effective social control.
what is the 1st limitation?
One weakness of the Prison Service is that there are a lack of resources to provide good quality rehabilitation and education services Almost three-quarters of men’s prisons inspected in 2019–20 required improvement or were inadequate in their education, skills and work provision. According to Ofsted inspector, none were rated outstanding. Literacy levels amongst the prison population remain significantly lower than the general population.62% of people entering prison were assessed as having literacy skills expected of an 11 year old, more than four times higher than in the general adult population (15%). This shows the Prison Service is not effective in achieving social control because access to resources and support limits prisoners from being able to rehabilitate and therefore bring about social control. Upon release from prison, an offender will face problems with finance, accommodation and employment or training opportunities and as a result reoffend.
what is the 2nd limitation?
Another weakness of the prison service are the recidivism rates which mean the public are not protected in the long term. The Prison Reform Trust statistics suggest that 42% of adults are reconvicted within one year of being released.For petty offenders, serving sentences of less than 12 months, this increases to 63%.This shows the Prison Service is not effective in achieving social control because as reoffending figures are high and therefore prison is not acting as a form of deterrence and preventing future offending.
what is the 3rd limitation?
Further evidence to suggest that prisons are not effective in achieving social control is that there has been a significant increase in prison disturbances and the call out of the National Response Group, the prison’s riot squad. In December 2016, a riot occurred in HMP Birmingham that lasted 15 hours during which time staff were sprayed with fire hoses and pictures of prisoners in riot gear were posted on social media. Keys to doors and gates were stolen from a prison officer and the cells of 500 prisoners were opened by other prisoners. In March 2019 at HMP Guy March dead rats stuffed with drugs and mobile phones were thrown into the prison. This shows the Prison Service is not effective in achieving social control as prisons continue to have a huge problem with drugs and violence.
