Criminology - U2 - AC4.1 - Functionalist/Right Realist Crime Control Policies

Penal Populism

Refers to the government’s attempts to propose laws that punish offenders in ways that are believed to be popular with the public.

Crime Control: Prison Functions

Prisons serve two main functions: incapacitation and deterrence.

Incapacitation Definition

Making offenders incapable of harming the public by physically removing them from society, often through imprisonment.

Deterrence Definition

Discouraging others from committing crime by making an example of those who are punished.

Penal Populism: Political Competition

Political parties compete to appear tougher on crime, especially during elections, proposing harsher sentencing and more remands to prison.

ZTP: Zero Tolerance Policing Definition

Strictly enforcing laws, even for minor offences, based on the idea that tackling low-level crime prevents more serious offences.

ZTP: Broken Windows Theory Link

ZTP is based on the idea that visible disorder encourages further crime if left unaddressed.

SCP: Situational Crime Prevention Definition

Aims to reduce crime opportunities by increasing the risks and difficulties of offending and decreasing the rewards.

SCP: Rational Choice Theory

Criminals weigh the costs and benefits of offending; SCP aims to tip the balance against committing crime.

SCP: Target Hardening Examples

Locking cars, CCTV, security guards, reinforced doors and windows.

SCP: Target Hardening Definition

Making potential crime targets more secure and harder to access to discourage offenders.

SCP: Environmental Design

Designing public environments to make criminal behaviour less attractive or more difficult.

SCP: Environmental Design Example

Public benches with armrests discourage loitering or rough sleeping, reducing opportunities for crime.

Broken Windows Theory

Developed by James Q. Wilson and George Kelling; suggests visible signs of disorder, like broken windows, lead to more serious crime if not addressed.