Custodial Sentencing

What are the 4 aims of custodial sentencing

• Deterrence

• Incapacitation

• Retribution

• Rehabilitation

What is the aim of deterrence

• Individual & general deterrence / prisoner and others are put off offending

• Occurs through the unpleasantness of prison

What is the aim of incapacitation

• Removing offenders from society to protect the public

• Very important for serious offences like serial killings

What is the aim of retribution

• Allows society/victims to enact revenge

• Sentence should reflect offence seriousness

What is the aim of rehabilitation

• Prison should help offenders adjust to society

• E.g. education, job training, mental health treatment

Explain possible effects of custodial sentencing on stress and depression

• self-harm and suicide rates are much higher in prison

• Risk of disturbance persists after release

Explain the effects of custodial sentencing on institutionalisation

• Because prisoners rely on institutional structure for routine they find it difficult to take the initiative on release

• Prisons have strict rules and surveillance, causing own internal restraints on wrongdoings to weaken

Explain the effects of custodial sentencing on prisonisation

Because prisoners learn to live by prison code, they’re encouraged to participate in behaviour which is unacceptable on the outside e.g. drug dealing

What does recidivism mean

• relapsing into an undesirable behaviour

• E.g. a convicted criminal who reoffends

Around what proportion of offenders in the UK are convicted of a crime within 1 year of release from prison

• around half

• 2013 - 57%

• 2019 - 45%