AC3.3

• recidivism as a limitation of agencies in achieving social control


  between 1993 and 2015 the prison population increased from 4800 to 90000 with many of these being reoffenders
• recidivism rates in 2021

  31% for juveniles and 24% for adults
• theory link to recidivism

  social learning theory suggests people imitate behaviour displayed therefore whilst in prison inmates learn behaviour from other inmates and repeat it when they've been released
• civil liberties

  basic human rights and freedoms granted to citizens through the law such as freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom from arbitrary arrest

  
  

  these place restrictions on agencies such as the police
• Abu Qatada v UK


  in 2012 a judgment was made to not deport him back to Jordan because of the risk that he would be tried there using evidence obtained through torture
• theory link to civil liberties

  marxism would say that these are necessary to protect the working class from arbitrary judgments against them
• access to resources and support as a limitation of agencies in achieving social control

  offenders require these upon release as they will face financial, employment, and accommodation difficulties
• effects of not having access to resources and support

  offenders are unable to rehabilitate as they cannot reintegrate into society meaning they may turn back to crime in order to support themselves

  
  

  NACRO reported that in 2016/17 48% of those housed after release had a primary or secondary support
• prisoner apprenticeship programme


  the government planned to introduce this which guaranteed inmates a job on release
• bromley prison briefings


  in 2023 they reported that 64% of those entering prison had the literacy skills expected of an 11 year old

  
  

  43% of men in prison who held a prison job felt that it would help them upon release
• theory links to resources and support

  marxists believe the working class are exploited therefore they don't have the means to fit into a consumerist society

  
  

  labelling theory proposes inmates are unable to integrate back into society because of their negative label
• environment as a limitation of agencies in achieving social control

  the prison reform trust found that [term] effects recidivism rates: reoffending is less likely if the offender had family visits and if they live with immediate family on release
• theory link to environment

  marxists would argue that the bourgeoisie construct the rules of society to prevent the proletariat from succeeding in life
• finances

  public sector funding is limited and budget cuts for agencies has had a negative impact on the effectiveness of achieving social control due to reduction in man-power and resources
• house of commons briefing paper 2016


  according to this the central government grant decreased by 25% from 2010-2015
• national offender management service


  they decreased their budget by a quarter from 2011-205, equating to £900 million

  
  

  had an impact on the most vulnerable prisoners w incidents of suicide, self-harm, and attacks on staff rising
• Geoffrey Cox


  he reported the CPS had suffered a 30% funding reduction & this will lead to miscarriages of justice and less social control
• theory link to finance

  string theory as agencies feel strain as they don't have the means to enforce control
• local and national policies 


  formed by the local or central government which target reducing particular types of crimes

  
  

  usually the crimes that are most heavily reported by the media and in turn have caused moral panic
• local police forces


  they prioritise certain crimes based on the government targets that are set
• criticisms of local police

  allegations that they wont investigate or prosecute certain crimes, leading to a reduction in social control

  
  

  allegations that they focus on trivial crime instead of serious offences in order to meet government targets
• national police forces

  from 2010-2015 they focused on tackling knife, gun, and gang crimes

  
  

  the national policy introduced new offences such as gang injunctions to improve the rate of prosecution
• national priorities


  - to make communities safer by upholding the law fairly and firmly

  - prevent crime and antisocial behaviour

  - keeping the peace
• prioritised crime in the UK

  terrorism, knife crime, gang crime
• ignored crime in the UK

  domestic abuse, fraud, stalking
• the mayor of london

  he introduced plans to tackle hate crimes and boost the metropolitans anti-terrorism squad in 2017

  
  

  this can lead to other crimes being ignored as they're not in the governments interest
• the sussex police


  they prioritise the community through strengthening local policing, working with local communities, improving access to justice, and protecting and helping vulnerable victims
• crime committed by those with moral imperatives 


  people may break the law when they believe very strongly in something which makes social control difficult to achieve as these people aren't deterred by the possible consequences
• moral imperative


  a strongly-felt principle that compels that person to act
• the suffragettes


  they resisted social control through militant campaigning for women to get the vote through acts such as breaking windows in parliament and setting fire to letter boxes

  
  

  when put in prison they went on hunger strike and often were force fed through a tube that was forcefully put in their noses

  
  

  Emily Davidson died when she got trampled by horses after attempting to disrupt the Derby
• cat and mouse act


  introduced by the government to avoid death of women in prison when they went on hunger strike

  allowed those weak from hunger on temporary release
• anti-vivisection protestors


  they protest against live animal testing which can result in them taking criminal actions
• Luke Steelem


  he's been imprisoned twice for attacks on laboratories, and the harassment and intimidation of lab workers
• euthansia


  illegal under english law and is regarded as either manslaughter or murder

  
  

  maximum penalty is life imprisonment
• assisted suicide


  illegal under english law and is punishable by up to 14 years imprisonment
• Kay Gilderdale


  she helped her daughter who was suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome to commit suicide

  she was given a one year conditional discharge
• theory link to moral imperatives

  functionalism as individuals and groups who achieve social change echo Durkheim's view about some crimes can be positive and serve a function in society such as breaking the law to change the law
• limitations in the courtroom

  it can be difficult to persuade juries to control the actions of those acting morally and they may refuse to find the defendant guilty

  judges may give sentences that aren't punishing
• theory link to limitations in the courtroom


  boundary maintenance through jury equity