Criminology Unit 4

Question	Answer
Parliament	The UK is a parliamentary democracy. This means that most of the laws in the country are made by passing acts of parliament. Laws made in parliament are often referred to as “legislation” or statutes”. The parliament is made up of three components: the monarch, the house of lords, and the house of commons. The monarch only has a formal role in law making. This means that they only provide their agreement, they do not play a part in anything else.
The Lords	Members of the House of Lords are known as “peers”. There are around 800 peers. Peers were previously noblemen (such as dukes and barons) who gained their position hereditarily. Today, there are only 98 hereditary peers. Others are life peers who cannot pass their position down to their children. The main job of the lords is to “double-check” the laws passed to them by the House of Commons.
The Commons	The House of Commons is the most important part of Parliament because it consists of 650 elected representatives. Each MP (member of parliament) is elected through general elections to represent their constituency.
The Government	While parliament’s job is to represent the people, the government’s job is to run the country. The government is formed by the party which holds the majority of the 650 MPs. The Prime Minister is the leader of this party. Most proposals for new laws come from the government. These are known as bills. Bills must be approved by both Houses of Parliament and receive the Royal Assent before they can be Acts of Parliament (laws).
Green Paper	Before putting a Bill before Parliament, the government usually publishes a green paper. This is an initial report to provoke public discussion of the subject which often includes questions for interested individuals and organisations to respond to.
White Paper	After the consultation, the government publishes a white paper which outlines detailed plans for the legislation. It often includes a draft version of the Bill they intend to put before parliament.
First Reading	The gov first introduces the Bill to the Commons (or occasionally Lords) where it is read for the first time. This is simply a formal announcement, followed by a vote to allow it to move to the next stage.
Second Reading	The main components of the Bill are discussed and considered by the whole House of Commons and a vote is taken. As the government has the most MPs, they are likely to win this vote.
The Commitee Stage	The Bill is examined in detail by a small committee made up of MPs from a variety of parties. The committee will then report back to the whole house and recommend any suitable amendments.
The Report Stage	Amendments are debated.
Third Reading	The final chance for MPs to debate the contents of the Bill. No further amendments are allowed at this stage.
The Lords	The Bill is passed to the House of Lords where it goes through the same stages as it did in the House of Commons. If the Lords amend the Bill, it must be passed back to the Commons for further consideration and debate. The Commons can accept or reject amendments made by the Lords. They have the final say as elected representatives.
Royal Assent	Once the Bill has been passed by both Houses of Parliament, it is passed to the Monarch to be signed. This is the monarch’s agreement to make the Bill an Act of Parliament (law). The new law comes into act immediately unless otherwise specified.
What is the role of the police?	The police are responsible for enforcing the criminal law. They investigate crimes, collect evidence, and arrest, detain and question suspects. They may also issue warnings or fixed penalty notices. Where crimes require further intervention, the police must send the files to the Crown Prosecution Service. There are 43 regional police forces in England and Wales.
What is the role of the courts?	Once a suspect is charged, they are brought before the magistrate’s court. The defendant will make their plea and pre-trial issues such as bail and legal aid will be decided. Guilty pleas will be followed by a sentencing hearing and not guilty pleas will lead to a trial being arranged. The magistrates court hears around 95% of all criminal cases in England and Wales. More serious cases are heard by the Crown Court by a judge and jury. The prosecution and defense lawyers will present arguments and evidence for and against the defendant. Evidence will be testimonial, physical, or both. In the Crown Court, the jury (or magistrates) will determine the verdict. If guilty, the judge or magistrates will determine the sentence. The sentence may be custodial, community service, a fine, or a discharge. It is based on the relevant statute and the sentencing guidelines produced by the Sentencing Council. Offenders may appeal their conviction or sentence.
Which other organisations do the police have relationships with?	- The courts (giving evidence as a prosecution witness, providing protection for vulnerable witnesses, holding defendants in police cells and transporting them to and from court). - The CPS (providing evidence supporting the prosecution of offenders and charging offenders in line with CPS instructions). - Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (arresting prisoners who violate the terms of their probation. As a result of Sarah’s Law, police must also co-operate with the prison and probation services in managing the list of child sex offenders living in their area). - Voluntary organisations (referring victims and witnesses to Victim Support, women’s refuges, witness services, etc.)
Which other organisations do the courts have relationships with?	- The police (advising on possible lines of enquiry and evidence collection to build a case and instructing them on charging suspects). The courts (preparing and presenting a prosecution case against offenders and preparing appeals against sentences which are too lenient)
Which other organisations do the government have relationships with?	- The courts, prison service and probation service (where the Ministry of Justice is responsible). - The police (where the Home Office is the responsible department).
Which other organisations do HM Courts and Tribunal Services have relationships with?	- Courts and judges (supervising the efficient running of the courts system and funding individual courts). - HM Prison Services (holding prisoners attending court pending their transfer/return to prison and arranging video recordings and live links for prisoners giving their evidence from prison).
Which other organisations do the National Probation Service (NPS) have relationships with?	- The HM Prison Service and Parole Board (supervising prisoners who are released on license). - The courts (preparing pre-sentencing reports on offenders, supervising offenders who have been given a community sentence, and supervising drug testing under the court’s orders).
Which other organisations do the HM Prison and Probation Service have relationships with?	- The courts (carrying out custodial sentences, supervising defendant who have been reprimanded into custody (refused bail) by the court, and facilitating visits from defense lawyers to their clients in prison). - The police (facilitating interviews with prisoners involved in ongoing police investigations). - The NPS (liaising when a prisoner is to be released on license).
Which two theories fall under the Crime Control Theory?	Right-realism and functionalism
How does right-realism link to the Crime Control Theory?	The crime control model is a right-wing, conservative approach to justice with many similarities to right realist theories of crime. An example of this is zero-tolerance policing strategies. It favours giving the police wider and greater powers to investigate and suppress crime.
How does Functionalism link to the Crime Control Theory?	The crime control model has links to Durkheim’s functionalist theory that punishment reinforces society’s moral boundaries. A main function of justice is to punish the guilty, enabling society to express its outrage and supporting social cohesion.
Which two theories link to the Due Process Model and Theory?	Labelling theory and Left-realism.
How does left-realism link to the Due Process Model?	The due process model is a liberal, left-wing approach to justice. It aims to stop state agencies (such as the police) from oppressing people. The police may act illegally due to the labels they place on people. For example, they may harass people they view as “typical criminals”. The due process model protects people from this as it does not allow state agencies to exceed their powers.
How does labelling theory link to Due Process Model?	This is the idea that ‘militaristic policing’ of poor areas triggers confrontation and makes residents unwilling to assist the police in investigations. In the left realist view, police must follow due process by acting in a lawful and non-discriminatory manner to fight crime effectively
What are three types of internal social control?	1) Moral conscience or "superego". 2) Tradition and culture. 3) Internalisation of social morality rules.
How does moral conscience (superego) link to internal social control?	According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, we conform to society’s expectations and obey its rules because of our superego. Our superego tells us what is right and what is wrong and inflicts feelings of guilt when we fail to do as it urges. The superego develops through early socialisation as we develop an internal “nagging parent’ who tells us how to behave. Its function is to regulate the selfish, self-serving, animalistic nature of the id. Without the superego, the id would drive us to anti-social and criminal behaviour. The super-ego allows us to exert control over ourselves and our behaviour, giving us the ability to behave in socially acceptable ways.
How does tradition and culture link to internal social control?	During socialisation, our culture becomes ingrained in our sense of self. We come to accept its values, norms, and traditions as part of our identity. Conforming to traditions such as celebrating Christmas or fasting during Ramadan give us a sense of acceptance and belonging, reaffirming our identities.
How does internalisation of social morality rules link to internal social control?	‘Rational ideology’ is a term used to describe the fact that we internalise social rules and use them to determine our own moral rules.
What are two types of external control?	1) Agencies of social control. 2) The criminal justice system.
How do agencies of social control link to external control?	Agencies of social control are institutions and organisations which impose rules on us in an effort to make us behave in acceptable ways. These include family, peer groups, and the education system. For example, parents may send a naughty child to bed, or a friend group may condemn a member who acts inappropriately, and teachers may give detentions to disruptive students. All of these are known as negative sanctions (punishments). Agencies of social control may also positive sanctions (rewards) for positive behaviour. For example, a student who works hard and conforms to school rules may be given a gold star. Both positive and negative sanctions reinforce social control. This links to Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning.
How does the criminal justice system link to external control?	The CJS contains several agencies of social control including the police, the CPS, judges and magistrates, and the prison service. These agencies typically use negative sanctions, however there are some examples of these agencies using positive sanctions to socially control, such as giving offenders lower sentences in exchange for their assistance in an investigation.
What is coersion?	Coercion involves the use/threat of force to influence somebody’s behaviour.
What is fear of punishment?	Fear of punishment is one way of attempting to achieve social control and making people conform to laws. In effect, fear of punishment is a form of coercion because it involves the threat of force. For example, if you commit a crime, you may be imprisoned against your will.
What is control theory?	Control theorists, such as Travis Hirschi, are concerned with why people choose to obey the law. Hirschi theorises that “delinquent acts occur when the individual’s bond to society is weak or broken”.
Control theory: According to Hirschi, there are four main factors which influence people to obey the law. What are these four reasons?	1) Attachment- The more attached we are to others, the more we care about their opinion of us, the more we will respect their norms and values. This is especially true for our parents and teachers. 2) Commitment- The more committed we are to a conventional lifestyle (including succeeding in education and getting a good job, etc.) the more we stand to lose if we engage in criminal activity. 3) Involvement- The more involved we are in conventional and legal activities, the less likely we are to engage in illegal activities. This is a main reason for the development of youth clubs. They theorise that by involving young people in sports and social gatherings, the less young people will be out on the streets engaging in illegal activity. 4) Beliefs- If we have been socialised to believe it is right to obey the law, the less likely we are to disobey it.
How do parental bonds link to control theory?	Many control theorists emphasise the role of parents as they create bonds with young people which can prevent offending behaviour. For example, Gottfredson and Hirschi argue that low self-control is a major cause of delinquency, and that low self-control is a product of poor socialisation and inconsistent/absent role models (specifically parents).
How do feminists apply control theory?	Feminists use control theory to explain why women offend less than men. Frances Heidensohn argues that patriarchal society controls females more closely and therefore women are subjected to the principles of control theory more severely. For example, women spend more time in domestic roles (such as cooking and cleaning) which allows for less time to offend. Pat Carlen found that women who do offend had often failed to create an attachment to parents due to abuse or mistreatment. Women are disproportionately affected by parental abuse and neglect.
What are the aims of punishment?	Retribution, rehabilitation, deterrence, public protection (or 'incapacitation'), reparation.
What is retribution?	Retribution literally means ‘to pay back’. It involves inflicting a punishment on an offender as vengeance for a wrong or criminal act. Retribution is based on the idea that criminals should get their “just deserts”: offenders deserve punishment and society is morally entitled to express its outrage. These 'just deserts' must be proportionate to the crime. This is why some people argue that murderers should receive a death penalty ("an eye for an eye"). Although retribution might have good effects (such as deterring future offenders), this is not its intended purpose. It is simply a way for society to express its outrage by condemning dissatisfactory individuals. In this philosophy, punishment is morally good regardless of its effects. If punishment only makes the offender suffer without improving their future behaviour or the lives of those they have harmed, punishment is still morally good.
Which theory of crime does retribution link to?	Retribution is linked to right-realism theories of crime such as rational choice theory. Like these theories, retribution assumes that crime is a rational and free choice made by rational and free individuals. Offenders must therefore suffer the full extent of their actions as they are fully responsible actors. For functional sociologists such as Emile Durkheim, the moral outrage which retribution expresses simply performs the function of boundary maintenance. Punishing the offender reminds the rest of society that there are sanctions in place for deviant behaviour.
What are some criticisms of retribution?	- It is arguable that criminals deserve mercy, forgiveness, and the opportunity to make amends. - If there is a fixed tariff of punishments, punishment will occur even when there is no real benefit. Punishment purely based on procedure is unlikely to lead to rehabilitation. - How is proportionality decided upon?
What is rehabilitation?	Rehabilitation is the idea that punishment may be used as a tool to reform offenders, preventing future offending and harm. Rather than focusing on punishment, rehabilitation uses various treatment programmes which aim to change the offender’s future behaviour by addressing the issues which led to their offending behaviour originally. Rehabilitation programmes include: - Education and training programmes which train prisoners and give them the skills to effectively live a crime-free life upon release. - Anger management courses for violent offenders such as Aggression Replacement Training (ART) and other cognitive behavioural programmes. - Drug treatment and testing orders. Rehabilitation initiatives usually require the offender’s will to change. They also require the services of therapists, probation officers, and other relevant professionals.
How do individualists view rehabilitation?	Individualistic theories of crime view rehabilitation as a key function of punishment. They advocate various ways of altering an offender’s behaviour: - Cognitive theories favour cognitive behavioural therapies (CBT) to teach offenders to correct their dysfunctional thought patterns and cognitive biases which lead to offending behaviour. - Eysenk’s personality theory favours the use of aversion therapy to deter offending behaviour. - Skinner’s operant conditioning theory supports the use of token economies to encourage prisoners to produce more acceptable behaviour.
Which theory links to rehabilitation?	Sociological theories (such as left-realism) pertaining to crime also favour rehabilitation because they consider factors such as unemployment, poverty, and poor educational opportunities as causes of crime.
What are some criticisms of rehabilitation?	- Right-realists argue that rehabilitation is limited in its effectiveness because many offenders go undergo rehabilitation treatment go on to reoffend. - Marxists criticise rehabilitation theory as they shift the responsibility onto the individual rather than the effects capitalism has on crime.
What is deterrence?	To deter somebody means to put them off. Deterrence can be either individual or general. Individual deterrence uses punishment to deter the individual from re-offending. Punishment may convince the offender that the reoffending is not worth the risk of punishment. For example, the argument that “prison works” is based on the idea that if sentences are tough enough, it will be clear that offending is not worth the risk of punishment. In the 1980s, Margaret Thatcher introduced a new, tougher system in juvenile detention centers which intended to deliver a “short, sharp shock” to deter young offenders. General deterrence aims to deter the general public from breaking the law. If the public see an offender being punished, they are less likely to break the law. Making an example of an individual sends a message to the public. Historically, this was done using floggings and public executions. More recently, this has been done using media.
How does severity of punishment and certainty of punishment affect the effectiveness of deterrence?	It is important to distinguish between the severity of punishment and the certainty of punishment. Where punishment is severe but uncommon, it is unlikely to deter many future offenders. On the other hand, if the punishment is mild but likely, it is much more likely to serve as an effective deterrent.
Which theory links to deterrence?	Right realism.
How does rational choice theory link to deterrence?	Rational choice theory sees individuals as rational actors who are fully responsible for their actions. Right-realists therefore assume that people weigh up the costs and benefits regarding their actions and therefore deterrence works.
How do situational crime prevention strategies effect deterrence?	Situational crime prevention strategies such as target hardening make it harder to commit an offence successfully and therefore act as a deterrent.
How does social learning theory link to deterrence?	Social leaning theory is relevant to understanding general deterrence. If potential offenders see a model (such as one of their peers) being punished for their behaviour, they are much less likely to imitate that behaviour.
What are some criticisms of deterrence?	There is very little evidence which support short, sharp shocks or military style detention centers. Around 50% of prisoners reoffend within a year of release. This suggests that prison is not an effective deterrent. How do we decide when punishment is severe enough to deter offenders? Deterrence assumes that offenders are fully aware of the sanctions in place for the crimes they commit. This may not always be the case. Deterrence also assumes that offenders act rationally. It is evident, however, that some act irrationally and are purely motivated by emotion. When people choose to follow the law, it may be because of their own moral code rather than a product of deterrence.
What is public protection/incapacitation?	Punishment may be used to protect the public from offending behaviour by incapacitating the offending individual. Examples throughout history include cutting off the hands of thieves or chemical castration of sex offenders. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 introduced the idea of ‘imprisonment for public protection’ which stipulated that any ‘dangerous’ individual (convicted of a serious violent or sexual offence) may be given an indeterminate sentence. This means that there is no fixed release date. The US employed a ‘three strikes and you’re out’ philosophy in the 1990s under which any offender may be given a long/life sentence for a third offence regardless of seriousness. For example, in 1995 Jerry Williams was given a 25 year to life sentence (without parole) for stealing a slice of pizza.
How do biological theories link to incapacitation?	Lombroso argued that criminals are biologically different from the rest of society and therefore it is not possible to rehabilitate them. He favoured sending repeat offenders into exile where they could not harm the rest of the population.
Which theory links to incapacitation?	Right realism. Right realists see incapacitation as a way of protecting the public from crime. A small number of offenders are responsible for the vast majority of crimes, therefore incapacitating those individuals would drastically reduce the crime rate and protect the public.
What are some criticisms of incapacitation?	Incapacitation leads to warehousing. This means that because of longer sentences (many with little possibility of release or parole), the population in prisons increases, as do the associated costs. Incapacitation is a strategy of containment or risk-management. It does nothing to challenge the cause of crime/offending behaviour and is therefore not a long-term solution. Incapacitation does not consider the possibility of rehabilitation. The ‘three strikes’ principle punishes people for previous crimes which they have already served time for. It is unjust to assume that a long sentence will prevent re-offending. Nothing is done to prevent re-offending upon release.
What is reparation?	Reparation involves ‘making good’ the effects of crime to either an individual or society as a whole. The harm done can be either material or social. Making amends for material damage can include financial compensation and unpaid work (such as Community Payback). For emotional harm, restorative justice may be used. This is where the offender and the victim meet with a mediator. The offender recognises the wrongfulness of their actions, apologises for the harm done to the victim, and listens to the victim explain how the crime affected them.
Which two theories link to reparation?	Labelling theory favours restorative justice as a way of reintegrating offenders into mainstream society. By allowing them to show genuine remorse, it prevents secondary deviance and allows them to rejoin the rest of society. Functionalists such as Durkheim argue that restorative justice is essential for the smooth functioning of complex societies as it puts things back as they were.
What are some criticisms of reparation?	Reparation may not work for all kinds of offences. Compensation for damage to property or minor offences may be fairly straightforward, but reparation may not be appropriate for sexual or violent crimes. A rape victim may not want to forgive or meet with their rapist. Some regard reparation as too soft a punishment.
What are financial sentences?	Fines are financial penalties for offending. They are normally given for less serious offences and are therefore usually imposed by the magistrate’s court. In cases of indictable crime, around 15% of those convicted receive a fine. The size of the fine depends on the offence itself, the circumstances surrounding the crime, the offender’s ability to pay, and which court is hearing the case.
Do financial sentences meet the aims of retribution? Why/why not?	Fines are an effective method of punishment for crime. Fines are determined by the extent of the crime and are therefore proportionate to the wrongdoing.
Do financial sentences meet the aims of rehabilitation? Why/why not?	Fines are not effective in rehabilitating offenders. If anything, financial loss may have the opposite effect. Individuals who offend due to poverty could be further motivated to generate income in illegal ways if they have been forced to pay a fine.
Do financial sentences meet the aims of deterrence? Why/why not?	Fines are only effective deterrents for the lower class. Upper class people are not concerned with fines and are therefore not deterred from crime.
Do financial sentences meet the aims of incapacitation? Why/why not?	Fines do not protect the public from offending behaviour.
Do financial sentences meet the aims of reparation? Why/why not?	Fines may be used to fix damage caused (such as repairing the effects of property crime or to provide compensation to a victim) and are therefore effective methods of reparation.
What are community services?	These are imposed where the crime is too serious for a discharge or fine but not serious enough for a prison sentence. A community order given by a court may include: - Supervision by a probation officer - Between 40 and 300 hours of unpaid work (Community Payback) - A curfew or exclusion order - A residency requirement - Engagement in group programmes - Treatment for drug or alcohol addiction.
Do community sentences meet the aims of retribution? Why/why not?	Community service is an effective form of punishment. Offenders who receive a community sentence must fulfil a certain number of hours of community service depending on the crime they committed and therefore community sentences are often proportionate to the crime. All offenders must be “named and shamed” by wearing a high-visibility vest reading ‘Community Payback’ and must provide between 40 and 300 hours of their time.
Do community sentences meet the aims of rehabilitation? Why/why not?	By engaging offenders in positive, pro-social activities, community service is arguably an effective method of rehabilitation. Offenders often have complex needs relating to mental health, addiction, homelessness, unemployment, and education. These are often underlying causes of their offending behaviour. Community sentences aim to rehabilitate offenders by addressing the underlying causes of their behaviour. Studies have shown that community sentences are more effective in rehabilitating than other forms of punishment as they prevent recidivism. In one Ministry of Justice study, it was found that 34% of offenders reoffend within a year of community sentencing. Relative to the 64% recidivism rate for short prison sentences, this is evidence supporting the effectiveness of community sentences in terms of rehabilitation.
Do community sentences meet the aims of deterrence? Why/why not?	Community sentences are not as effective as prisons, but many people are deterred from engaging in criminal activity for fear they may have to meet community sentence requirements.
Do community sentences meet the aims of incapacitation?	Community service does not provide public protection, however breaches of community sentences can result in prison time which would incapacitate the offender.
Do community sentences meet the aims of reparation? Why/why not?	During community service, offenders may have to give back to the community they have harmed or fix the damage they caused to property (for example, someone found guilty of graffiti may have to remove the art. They may also be required to remove other acts of vandalism in the area).
According to Sir Robert Peele, who founded the metropolitan police in 1829, what are the aims of the police force?	- The basic mission of the police is to prevent crime and disorder. - The police’s ability to perform their duties depends on the public’s co-operation and approval. - The use of physical force is a last resort. - The police’s duty is to impartially serve the law. - The police are the public and the public are the police. The police are just citizens in uniform, paid to do full-time what citizens must do- uphold the law.
Where does the police force's funding come from?	Police budget comes from three different sources: About 2/3 of the budget comes from the government. Most of the rest comes from local council tax. A small amount comes from charging for services such as policing football matches. The police’s funding has decreased over recent years.
What is the reach of the police?	In the UK today there are 39 regional police forces in England and four in Wales. There is one force for Scotland, and one force for Ireland. There are also specialist police organisations such as the British Transport Police and the Border Force.
What types of people do the police deal with?	The police deal with virtually all types of people, although some specialist law enforcement agencies do deal with certain types of crime and criminal. For example, HM Revenue and Customs deal with tax evasion and tax fraud.
What are the 6 judicial principles?	Judicial independence. This means that judges should be independent and free from government interference in their decisions. This enables them to uphold the rule of law and safeguard the rights of citizens against the government. Impartiality. Integrity. Propriety. This means upholding society’s moral standards. Ensuring equal treatment. Competence.
What is the role of the judiciary?	The basic role of the judiciary is to interpret and apply the law to cases that come before the courts. In the Crown Court, the judge must manage the trial, ensure fairness to all parties, explain the legal issues and procedures to members of the jury, summarise the evidence and pass sentence where applicable. In the appeals courts, the judge makes rulings on appeal cases which are presented to them.
How is the judiciary funded?	The judiciary’s pay is based on advice provided by an independent body, the Senior Salaries Review Body, which makes recommendations to the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor on how much judges should receive per annum. Although judges are paid very highly by most people’s standards, some senior lawyers earn much more than lawyers. This may disincentivise some people from becoming judges.
What is the national and local breach of the courts?	The Supreme Court has nationwide jurisdiction and settles points of law at national importance. Inferior judges handle local cases.
Explain how finances limit the police in achieving social control.	2010-2018 statistics. Budget was cut by 19%, leading to a fall in police numbers by 20,000 and a national shortage of detectives. Police forces are dropping investigations into sexual crimes, violent crimes and arson because it was deemed necessary due to budget cuts.
Explain how finances limit the courts in achieving social control.	The overall budget of the CPS was cut by 25% and the organisation lost one third of its staff. The CPS has been accused of downgrading cases so that they can be heard in the magistrate’s court rather than the Crown Court to save money. Furthermore, the head of the CPS said that in 2018, the CPS were failing to investigate thousands of cases efficiently, including rape, fraud, and modern slavery. Prison budget fell by 16%, staff levels fell by 15%. Many experienced and valuable officers left, leading to a crisis
Explain how finances limit prisons in achieving social control.	Between 2010 and 2018, the prison budget fell by 16%. Staff levels fell by 15% and many experienced employees chose to leave their roles due to the failures in the prison service. Critics describe prisons as being in crisis, with rising levels of assaults, self-injury and suicides. Overcrowding and staff reductions mean that many prisons are facing horrific overcrowding and therefore many prisoners lack opportunities that would support rehabilitation, such as education, training and work experience. Recidivism rates are around 60% in the first year of release. Privatisation may have contributed to this problem. For example, in 2016, the worst prison riot in 25 years occurred in the privately run Birmingham Prison. Birmingham Prison was run by a company called G4S. The official report stated that staff had been worn down by chronic staffing shortages and that prisoners were “effectively policing themselves”. As a result, the prison was taken over by the government.
What are Community Rehabilitation Centers (CRCs)?	CRCs were set up by the Conservative government in 2014 to reduce recidivism. They were 21 private companies, each allocated to their own geographical area. Their role was to work with low-risk offenders. They made money on a pay-by-results basis, designed to deter their clients from reoffending. Of the 21 companies, 19 performed inadequately and required a total of £342m in additional funding. The housing needs of offenders were not met, offenders were only supervised through telephone and domestic violence survivors and their children were not protected adequately upon the release of the perpetrator. The CRCs were also overwhelmed with cases due to funding cuts to the public sector. As a result of these failings, the CRCs were shut down in 2020.
What is the Conservative perspective on social control and privatisation?	The Conservatives believe that private companies are more effective in achieving social control than government agencies. However, the National Probation Service (NPS) has been more effective in achieving social control than the Conservative companies behind the CRCs. Overall, their recidivism rates was half that of the CRCs. However, there were several limitations to the NPS which must be considered.
What are some limitations of the NPS?	A critical national shortage of probation officers. High workloads which led to compromised professional standards A lack of professional leadership. Probation premises are dated and therefore require updating. Premises are not secure in some cases. There is a shortage of spaces on specialist programmes which target reoffending.

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