Deck 18: The Criminal Justice Process

Question 1

The most influential ´revisionist´ history of imprisonment is Michel Foucault´s Pain and Incarcerate (1977)

Answer 1

False

Question 2

Why prison?

Answer 2

"Why prison?" is a question that can be interpreted in several ways, but it generally seeks to understand the purpose and rationale behind the existence of prisons. Prisons are a component of the criminal justice system and serve multiple functions:

1. Punishment: Prisons are used as a form of punishment for individuals who have been convicted of crimes. The deprivation of liberty is intended to serve as a deterrent to both the individual inmate and to society at large, discouraging others from committing similar offenses.

2. Public Safety: By incarcerating individuals who have committed crimes, particularly violent or dangerous crimes, prisons aim to protect the public by removing these individuals from society for a period of time.

3. Rehabilitation: Prisons are supposed to offer programs and opportunities for inmates to address the underlying issues that may have contributed to their criminal behavior. The goal is to rehabilitate offenders so that they can re-enter society as productive and law-abiding citizens.

4. Retribution: The concept of retribution is based on the idea of "just desserts," meaning that offenders deserve to be punished in proportion to the severity of their crimes. Prisons serve as a means to deliver this retributive justice.

5. Deterrence: The existence of prisons is intended to deter people from committing crimes out of fear of being incarcerated. Both specific deterrence (deterring the individual offender from reoffending) and general deterrence (deterring the general population) are goals of the prison system.

6. Restorative Justice: Some prison systems, or programs within them, aim to facilitate restorative justice, where offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions and make amends to their victims and the community.

It's important to note that the effectiveness and ethical implications of prisons are subjects of ongoing debate. Critics argue that prisons often fail to rehabilitate offenders, can be inhumane in their conditions, and may contribute to social problems, such as the breakdown of families and communities. Additionally, there are concerns about the disproportionate incarceration rates of certain demographic groups, which raise questions about systemic biases and inequalities in the criminal justice system.

Advocates for prison reform or alternative methods of dealing with crime emphasize the need for more humane and effective approaches to justice that focus on healing, rehabilitation, and the root causes of criminal behavior, rather than solely on punishment and confinement.

Question 3

There are more than 10.1 million people held in prisons throughout the world. Yet almost half are found in just three countries - which three are they?

A)India
B)Russia
C)Brazil
D)China
E)USA

Answer 3

B, D, E

Question 4

Andrew Millie and his colleagues (2005: 108) have argued that the main factors driving prison growth are a combination of which factors?

A)a more punitive climate of opinion
B)more effective policing
C)a more punitive legislative framework
D)sentencing guidelines that counteract leniency
E)some changes in patterns of offending

Question 5

The penal crisis, at a very basic level, can be regarded as simply too many offenders and too few prison places, which has given rise to what?

A)overcrowding
B)understaffing
C)easier times for prisoners
D)decrepit conditions
E)poor security

Question 6

Which Act introduces a whole raft of provisions extending legislation over young offenders?

A)1908 The Children´s Act
B)1948 Criminal Justice Act
C)1998 Crime and Disorder Act
D)1999 Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act
E)2003 The Anti-Social Behaviour Act

Question 7

How are prisons graded?

A)1 to 10
B)Low Risk to High Risk
C)Level of harm
D)A to D
E)By offences committed

Question 8

On 2 November 2012 how many prisoners were held in in the 138 UK prisons?

A)32685
B)38789
C)44268
D)59231
E)85450

Question 9

According to the Prison Reform Trust (2012: 4) the average prison population was what in 1992-93?

A)32685
B)38789
C)44268
D)59231
E)85450

Question 10

The picture presented by the statistics is that prisoners in England and Wales are disproportionately young, poor, ethnic minorities, with few occupational skills, or academic qualifications, and are likely to be suffering from psychiatric distress (Sparks, 2001: 215-16)

Question 11

Why is there a sound case for treating women differently in prison to male prisoners?