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Assess the use of criminological theories in informing policy development …
Assess the use of criminological theories in informing policy development
Psychoanalysis
crime control
the treatment is lengthy to do.
it involves bringing the unconscious feelings into the conscious to be resolved.
uses hypnosis and free association
aichorn - applied ides to policies for treating young offenders at the institution he supervised. because they had uncaring parents, they didn't develop feelings of protection, love and safety. no normal socialisation.
rejected the harsh environments of the young offender's institutions and treated the children by providing happiness with a pleasant environment.
is it effective?
not very.
44% treated for neurosis improved, against 72% treated by doctors and hospitals.
if doesn't work for neurosis, unlikely to work for criminals.
cost - costly and time consuming
abuse - psychoanalysis have the power to declare if someone is mentally insane, could abuse power.
Operant learning and token economies
token economy is a behaviour modification programme used in some prisons
crime control
institution draws up a list of desirable behaviours.
when criminals behaviour in desired way they are rewarded
token can be exchanged for rewards
through selective reinforcement desirable behaviour is more liekly to happen than undesireable behaviour
is it effective?
once reinforcement stops so does the behaviour
offenders to return to crime more slowly however
token economy also makes prison more manageable
Merton and subcultural theories
crime control and punishment policies
basis for crime control and reduction policies. societies structure could be made more equal
policies to tackle poverty - better welfare benefits, wages and job security
equal opportunities in school - treating the working-class pupils equally, reduce status fustration
education in prison - Half of UK prisoners have a reading age of 11. better education in prisons would help inmates gain skills to get a good hob and go straight
are these policies effective?
anti-poverty policies have a positive effect
spend more on welfare = fewer people in prison
Right realism
situational crime prevention (SCP)
reduce opportunities for crime by increasing the risks and difficulties of committing crime by reducing rewards.
based on RCT
'target hardening' measures
is SCP effective?
one problem is displacement. crime will move to a 'softer' area. may result in more vulnerable targets
environmental crime prevention
Wilson + Kelling - 'broken window theory'.
an environmental improvement strategy - all signs of disorder must be tackled promptly.
a zero tolerance policing strategy - taking a tough stance towards all crime. police should tackle 'quality of life offences'. i.e. prostitution
is ZTP effective?
crime fell in New York once introduced, may be due to other factors
Males + Macallair - curfews can increase juvenille crime
lead to targeting ethnic minorities due to police racism and confrontations due to heavy-handed 'military policing'.
fail to tackle structural causes of crime such as inequality. also focus on low level street crime instead of the crimes of the wealthy
penal populism and imprisonment
higher costs such as tougher penal populism should deter crime
prison works - prison has two functions
incapacitation - criminals are incapable of harming the public
deterrence - criminals think twice before committing a crime
tough penalties were popular with the public.
Conservatives brought in in 1997 the Crime (Sentences) Act, bringing in mandatory sentences for repeat offenders
automatic life sentences for a second serious sexual or violent offender
a minimum of 7 years for a third class A trafficking conviction
minimum of 3 years for a third domestic burglary conviction
Tony Blair introduced measures such as ASBOs and curfews
led to rising numbers in jail, bigger population than any Western European country
69 suicides, five homocides, 44,000 incidents of self-harm and 8,400 assaults on staff
is prison effective?
incapacitation - 'work' temporarily, can commit crimes against each other in jail
rehabilitation - overcrowding and budget cuts mean many prisoners lack access to education, skills and training and treatment programmes
recidivism - ineffective in preventing repeat offending
deterrence - risk of jail deters would-be criminals, risk of imprisonment doesn't deter offenders enough to affect overall crime rates