CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

WHY SOCIETY PUNISHES PEOPLE WHO BREAK THE LAW Society sets up rules and we have to obey them or face the consequences. But people can see things differently What one person feels strongly about another doesn’t This is why we have a judicial system which sets tariffs for punishments and doesn't allow judges to do what they want. debatable?)

THE THEORY OF PUNISHMENT This country has five aims to punishment. PROTECTION We are to protect members of society. So if someone is a danger to others in any way, they are removed from circulation to protect people e.g. imprisonment for murder or curfew for a burglar.

RETRIBUTION Getting someone back for what they have done. we repay their crime by hurting them in some way. E.g. Islamic society will remove the hand of a thief. Society has made them pay for their crime E.g. taking away someone's liberty (imprisonment) is another way to pay people back, like giving a prison sentence to someone who defrauded money.

E.g. Some states in the US uses execution in this way- DETERRENCE This is a punishment designed to make the offender not do it again, and to send a message to everyone else not to do it- to put you off doing the crime. E.g. Some states in the US uses execution in this way- if you commit murder you will be executed, so don’t commit murder. Smaller scale – driving under the influence leads to a ban, fine and maybe imprisonment so don’t drink and drive.

REFORMATION To try to change someone's ways and improve them as a responsible citizen E.g. a joy rider might have to work at a physiotherapy unit with road traffic accident victims. The punishment is designed to make offenders consider their behaviour and why it is wrong. From that they may modify their behaviour because their values have changed.

VINDICATION If we have laws we have to punish those who break them, or there would be no point to the laws. You get a fine for not having a valid parking ticket, because the rule says you have to have one. The car park maybe empty and you are depriving no one of that space , but that’s the rule.

WHY DO PEOPLE COMMIT CRIME? Trigger Immediate cause greed Boredom Hatred Example Desperate Psychological Choice Fear Drive Buzz Addiction Power Life you have Conflict Emotional/mental disturbance

TASK 1.Give examples to demonstrate the causes of crime. 2.What do you think about the 5 motivations or aims of punishments? Give reasons for your answer. 3.Chose a crime and apply each punishment to it. State what you think the consequences would be for each. 4.Which do you think would be most effective and why?

5. ’If all criminals were punished very severely, crimes would almost disappear.’ Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer , showing that you have thought about more than one point of view.

6. ’In a civilised society, we should try to reform all criminals 6.’In a civilised society, we should try to reform all criminals. Most are damaged people, damaged by others, and we should help them, not damage them further.’ Do you agree? Give reasons and explain your answer , showing that you have thought about more than one point of view.

SOME FIGURES Crime figures in UK have risen steadily over the past 50 yrs 1951-638,000 crimes reported 2002 – 7 million

Greatest increase in violent crime and robbery Greatest increase of robbery among teenagers – mobile phones Crime related to alcohol increase dramatically

For every crime reported at least 3 go unreported Thought that over 30 million crimes are committed each year in the UK Over 30% of the population suffer badly from crime.

Most crimes are committed by people under the age of 25 Majority of criminals between ages of 16 & 19 Men are 7 times more likely to commit a crime than women

Burglaries, car thefts and arson attacks carried out by 18-20 yr olds alone cost households & Businesses £4 billion per yr in UK Men commit 6 million crimes a yr but thought to be responsible for at least 3 times this number

1 in 16 of all houses are burgled each year. The perpetrators of about 20% of all crimes, just 1 in 5, are caught and punished. In some parts of the country the detection rate is even lower (and other parts, higher).

Britain locks up more people as a % of population than any other country in Europe. At the end of November 2006, over 80 000 inmates. Each prisoner costs the tax payer £37 500 per year.

Each young offender costs £42 000 per yr. Over half of all prisoners re-offend within two years. This rises to 2/3 for young offenders. Only 1/3 of prisoners have committed serious offences (drugs, violence or sex related).

The majority of prisons are overcrowded and we are at crisis point in this country. On average, one prisoner commits suicide every five days (rate is highest amongst women). Up to 1/3 need psychiatric care. It is argued that they would be better served by mental health care systems.

Find out (p106, T&S) and explain the terms Imprisonment (with categories) Absolute and conditional discharges Parole Community service Electronic tagging Binding over Curfew Suspended sentence Probation Care orders Cautioning Fines

Look up www. prisonreformtrust. org Look up www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk Find out what they do and say why they do it.