The Role of the Criminal Justice System
Published on Nov 19, 2015
AQA A Level Sociology: overview of the role of the criminal justice system in line with the demands of the Yr 2 specification coverage of Crime and Deviance.
MORE DECKS TO EXPLORE
PRESENTATION OUTLINE
VICTIMS, PREVENTION, PUNISHMENT
Who are the victims?
How do we prevent crime?
How do we punish the guilty?
How do we prevent crime?
How do we punish the guilty?
Photo by Joe Shlabotnik
VICTIMS
Use your research skills to find out the most up to date information you can on victims...
Men more than twice as likely than women to be victims of violent crime
More women are afraid of being victims
More likely to be a repeat victim of violence than of burglary
WHY?
Positivist - actions/characteristics
Critical - oppression can lead to victimhood 'structural powerlessness'
Feminist -unequal power relationships; control of women
Men more than twice as likely than women to be victims of violent crime
More women are afraid of being victims
More likely to be a repeat victim of violence than of burglary
WHY?
Positivist - actions/characteristics
Critical - oppression can lead to victimhood 'structural powerlessness'
Feminist -unequal power relationships; control of women
Photo by freefotouk
PREVENTION
Right Realism - situational
Environmental crime prevention
Social/community
Surveillance
Formal/informal controls
Environmental crime prevention
Social/community
Surveillance
Formal/informal controls
Photo by Retinafunk
PUNISHMENT
Functionalist - reinforce consensus
Marxists - control workers
Interventionists - deterrent
Marxists - control workers
Interventionists - deterrent
Photo by Thomas Hawk
CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
WHAT IS IT?
The Criminal Justice System refers to the police and courts - how criminals are 'brought to justice'.
Photo by Vvillamon
ROLE OF POLICE/COURTS
HOW DO THEY CONTRIBUTE TO DEALING WITH CRIME?
Police - enforce the law, protect the public, catch criminals.
Courts - determine guilt, impose punishment.
Functionalist/Subcultural theorists/urban criminologists/right wing perspectives - view police & courts as responsible for catching and punishing working class males as most crime appears to be committed by this group.
Social Action Theorists - see police as labelling certain groups, target and arrest them - working class then APPEAR more criminal, courts impose heavier sentences.
Marxists - police target those with less power, ignoring business/state crime.
Feminists - police and courts treat men and women differently.
Courts - determine guilt, impose punishment.
Functionalist/Subcultural theorists/urban criminologists/right wing perspectives - view police & courts as responsible for catching and punishing working class males as most crime appears to be committed by this group.
Social Action Theorists - see police as labelling certain groups, target and arrest them - working class then APPEAR more criminal, courts impose heavier sentences.
Marxists - police target those with less power, ignoring business/state crime.
Feminists - police and courts treat men and women differently.
Photo by bortescristian
ROLE OF PRISONS
WHAT SHOULD THEY ACHIEVE?
Most common form of punishment globally.
World prison pop. 9million approx.
USA - 700 per 100,000 of the pop. Highest in the world.
UK - 140 per 100,000 of the pop. Highest in Europe.
Costs approx. £36K a year per prisoner, 87,000 prisoners approx.
Purpose of prison:
Protect public
Punish criminal behaviour
Reform criminals
Deterrent
World prison pop. 9million approx.
USA - 700 per 100,000 of the pop. Highest in the world.
UK - 140 per 100,000 of the pop. Highest in Europe.
Costs approx. £36K a year per prisoner, 87,000 prisoners approx.
Purpose of prison:
Protect public
Punish criminal behaviour
Reform criminals
Deterrent
Photo by aresauburn™
DOES PRISON WORK?
ARE THE AIMS FULFILLED?
Successful in some aspects:
Keeps dangerous criminals away from public. BUT could be released early - reoffend
Punishment depends on views of harshness of prison life
Reform fails - 70% prisoners reoffend
Deterrent? Size of pop. Seems to indicate not.
Keeps dangerous criminals away from public. BUT could be released early - reoffend
Punishment depends on views of harshness of prison life
Reform fails - 70% prisoners reoffend
Deterrent? Size of pop. Seems to indicate not.
Photo by Göran Höglund (Kartläsarn)
