Topic 5 Flashcards
(54 cards)
Explain neurochemicals and diet?
Low serotonin will reduce hormones provided to the body, leading to aggressive pattern of behavior and greater risk-taking, but can be balanced with high serotonin foods, e.g. oily fish, eggs and nuts.
What is a theory that links to neurochemicals and diet?
Genetic theory- XYY syndrome, males have higher testosterone levels, which is commonly high in prisoners, if balanced can manger behavior.
Is the neurochemicals and diet policy effective?
Virkkunen and Schonthaler found that violent offenders had a lower serotonin level, which high serotonin diets can treat, so prisons have implemented the good health model.
Explain Eugenics
A science that tries to improve the human race by only letting those with desirable characteristics become parents.
What biological theory links to the policy of eugenics?
Lombroso believed criminality is inherited, and atavistic individuals should not have children so that criminals are not born.
Is the policy of eugenics effective?
Osborne and West found that the sons of criminals and non-criminals had fathers with more criminal convictions for the sons of criminals.
Its ineffective because part of the Nazi regime used this for racial purity , that placed the Arian race as the superior race.
Explain the death penalty
Being sentenced to death for committing a crime like treason, large-scale drug trafficking and serious sexual assault, which is enforced in China and the USA.
What biological theory links to the death penalty?
Lombroso- if criminals are killed, no more will be born, it deters people from committing crime and stops reoffending.
Is the death penalty policy effective?
Effective at stopping reoffending because once used, offenders die. Mostly ineffective because it doesn’t deter crime as there is no evidence that its anymore effective in reducing crime than life imprisonment.
Explain what psychoanalysis is ?
A form of therapy where patients verbalise their thoughts and aims from the unconscious, repressed mind- done through free association; the patient discusses what’s on their mind in childhood trauma.
What individualistic theory links to psychoanalysis?
Freud believes crime is rooted in a weak or harsh superego, psychoanalysis will balance the unconscious mind and stop criminality.
Is the psychoanalysis theory effective?
Good as evidence suggests it works well as cognitive behavior therapy, however does more harm than good because it forces people to talk about their traumatic pasts.
3 parts of psychoanylsis?
Dream analysis—Freud believed that all dreams are significant, can give clues to the unconscious mind, like repressed memories.
free association- patiently speak their thoughts aloud
A freudian slip is when someone uses one word but means another to uncover unconscious thoughts.
What is a Token economy ?
A reward system used within prisons to encourage good behavior from offenders by giving them tokens as rewards for doing good, like money, time out of their cell, food other privileges.
What individualistic theory can be linked to a token economy?
Bandura’s- SLT’s vicarious reinforcement: if you see a peer get rewarded for good behavior, you act good as well. It motivates prisoners to behave appropriately.
Is the token economy policy effective?
Good for the short term shown to be effective for adults and young offenders, but bad for the long term, as once they leave prison, they no longer have a reward system.
What is buddy system?
Fo and O’Donnell describe it as adult volunteers assigned to young offenders to provide consistent reinforcement for socially acceptable ways of acting.
What theory links to buddy systems?
Bandura - if adults act well-behaved, children will observe and imitate it because having a good role model to copy behavior they won’t act out.
Is the buddy systems policy effective?
Fo and O’Donnell found that buddy systems significantly reduced youths committing major offences, but were less effective on low-level offences.
What is the anger management policy?
Not being in control of actions, emotions take over. there are three steps.
Cognitive preparation - offenders analyse when they get angry,
Skills acquisition, the offender learns how to manage their anger.
Application practice - offenders try out newly learnt skills in controlled and non-threatening environment.
What theory links to anger managment?
Eysenck- Believes extroverts are more irritable and neurotics are impulsive, so they would act based on emotion.
Anger management will help offenders control anger and make good change, leading to a decrease in crime.
Is the anger managment policy effective?
Ainsworth - Is effective only if managed correctly, given the right offenders and resources
Feinder et al- said it led to better self and reduction in offending among young men
Howitt- said won’t work if crime committed to achieve a goal.
what is the penal populism?
Governments attempt to propose laws to punish offenders, which is popular in the general public.
prices pop risen by 70% in the last 30 years
What theory links to penal populism?
Right realism supports control offenders commit crime as they don’t have a rational choice so the public is concerned about violent crime, which is fulled by media, political parties agree to get tough on crime.
