AC 3.4

• What is the main focus of the Topic discussed in the study material?

  The effectiveness of main agencies of social control
• What are the main agencies of social control examined in the study material?

  • Police
  • Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
  • Judiciary
  • Prisons and probation services
  • Charities and pressure groups
• What is the primary responsibility of the police as an agency of social control?

  Detection, investigation, and prevention of crime
• What types of cases do police bring to trial each year?

  A huge volume of cases, along with many out of court disposals
• What specialist departments do police forces have?

  Departments dealing with serious and complex cases, such as terrorism
• Which agency deals with tax evasion?

  HM Revenue and Customs
• What agency is responsible for benefit fraud investigations?

  The Department of Work and Pensions
• Which agency deals with immigration offences?

  The Border Force
• What progress have the police made in recent years regarding public concern offences?

  Prioritizing offences such as domestic abuse
• What did the 2017 annual report of HM Inspector of Police reveal about domestic abuse practitioners' views on police performance?

  Two-thirds felt the police's approach had improved
• What shortcomings in police performance on domestic abuse were highlighted in the report?

  The arrest rate has been falling and staff shortages are causing delays
• What is one of the criticisms of police effectiveness mentioned in the study material?

  Incompetence in investigating offences, as noted in the Macpherson Report
• What did the Macpherson Report highlight about the Metropolitan Police?

  Their failure to gather evidence in the murder of Stephen Lawrence
• What trend has been observed in police statistics regarding crime rates?

  Crime appears to be increasing while the number of solved cases is decreasing
• How many recorded offences were there in March 2016?

  45 million
• What was the recorded number of knife crimes between 2014 and 2020?

  Increased from 24,000 to 35,800
• What was the change in gun offences from 2014 to 2020?

  Increased from 4,900 to 9,800
• What has happened to police charge rates from 2015 to 2020?

  Fallen from 15% to 7%
• What evidence suggests that police are failing to investigate reported offences?

  The Metropolitan Police dropped 2.9 times as many cases in 2018 compared to 2013
• What financial issue has affected police investigations since 2010?

  Major cuts in police budgets
• How have budget cuts impacted police investigations?


  Some investigations and preventive measures have had to be prioritized over others
• Why should police statistics be treated with caution?

  Improved recording procedures may inflate crime statistics
• What did the CSEW survey reveal about overall crime rates?

  The overall crime rate has generally remained level or fallen
• What types of crimes does the CSEW not include?

  Crimes against businesses and crimes against children under 10
• Why might police statistics be more accurate for serious crimes?

  Serious crimes are more likely to be reported and require police involvement for insurance claims
• What has been a criticism of police performance regarding media relations?

  Police have been accused of over-reacting to media-driven moral panics
• What is the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)?


  To prepare cases and present them in court to secure convictions
• How many cases does the CPS typically prosecute in a three-month period?

  Around 80,000 cases in Crown Court and 450,000 in magistrates courts
• What percentage of defendants prosecuted by the CPS are convicted?

  Around 80%
• What criticism has been directed at the CPS regarding rape cases?

  The CPS has been criticized for dropping supposedly weak cases to improve overall performance
• What was the aim of the CPS's decision to drop weak cases?

  To ensure a higher proportion of prosecutions would succeed
• What concern was raised about dropping weak cases?

  It could limit access to justice for vulnerable victims
• What is the CPS's Full Code Test?

  A test to ensure there is a realistic prospect of conviction before proceeding with a case
• What has happened to the number of reported rapes and prosecutions from 2016 to 2020?

  The number of reported rapes increased, but prosecutions fell by 60%
• What budget cuts has the CPS faced in recent years?

  25% budget cuts and a loss of a third of staff
• What additional workload has digital technology imposed on the CPS?

  The need to analyze smartphone content for evidence
• What has caused some rape and other prosecutions to collapse?

  The failure to discover and disclose evidence
• What is the impact of the CPS's budget cuts on its operations?

  It has led to challenges in maintaining effective prosecution services
• What percentage of budget cuts has the CPS suffered in recent years?

  25%
• What has caused additional workload for CPS staff?

  The need to analyze content of smartphones for evidence