The Criminal Justice System in External Social Control

The criminal justice system, comprising various agencies, is a crucial component of external social control:

1. The Police:

   • Positive sanctions include warnings instead of arrests and public praise for cooperation
   • Negative sanctions involve citations, arrests, and the risk of stop and search

2. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS):

   • Positive sanctions include pursuing lighter charges and offering plea bargains
   • Negative sanctions involve prosecuting individuals and pursuing more serious charges for uncooperative behavior

3. The Courts:

   • Positive sanctions include lighter sentences for guilty pleas and showing remorse
   • Negative sanctions involve contempt of court charges and harsher punishments for wasting court time

Vocabulary: Plea bargaining is a process where the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a more lenient sentence.

4. HM Prison Service:

   • Positive sanctions include better living conditions, more visitation rights, and rehabilitation programs for good behavior
   • Negative sanctions involve isolation, denial of early release, and removal of privileges

5. National Probation Service (NPS):

   • Positive sanctions include probation as an alternative to prison and support for ex-convicts
   • Negative sanctions involve stricter monitoring and potential return to prison for violations

Definition: Coercion is the act of persuasion through force or threats, while deterrence is an action intended to discourage someone from doing something.

These agencies of the criminal justice system work together to maintain social order through a combination of punitive measures and rehabilitative approaches, exemplifying the complex nature of external forms of social control in criminology.

The Role of Criminal Justice System in External Social Control

The criminal justice system plays a pivotal role in maintaining social order through various mechanisms of external control. This system, comprising law enforcement, courts, and correctional facilities, acts as a formal means of enforcing societal norms and laws.

Highlight: The criminal justice system is a key component in external forms of social control criminology, utilizing both positive and negative sanctions to shape behavior and maintain social order.

1. Law Enforcement (Police):
   • Serves as the front line of social control
   • Uses discretion in applying sanctions, from warnings to arrests
   • Presence alone acts as a deterrent to criminal behavior

Example: Police may give out warnings or fines for minor offenses, demonstrating how external forms of social control in criminology can be applied with varying degrees of severity.

2. Courts:
   • Interpret and apply the law, determining guilt and appropriate punishments
   • Use sentencing as a form of both deterrence and rehabilitation
   • Provide a formal setting for the application of social control

Quote: "If a defendant pleads guilty, they can be given a lighter sentence. If someone shows remorse and accepts responsibility for their actions, a judge may be more lenient."

3. Correctional Facilities:
   • Implement punitive measures while also focusing on rehabilitation
   • Use token economies and privilege systems to encourage good behavior
   • Provide a clear example of how society removes freedoms as a form of control

Vocabulary: A token economy is a system of behavior modification based on the systematic reinforcement of target behavior, often used in correctional settings.

The criminal justice system's role in external social control extends beyond mere punishment. It aims to deter future criminal behavior, rehabilitate offenders, and reinforce societal norms. By doing so, it contributes significantly to maintaining social order and protecting public safety, demonstrating the complex interplay between formal institutions and societal behavior in the context of external forms of social control in criminology.

External Forms of Social Control

External forms of social control are societal mechanisms used to persuade or compel individuals to conform to norms, laws, and expectations. These controls are external factors that society employs to ensure understanding and adherence to rules.

Definition: External forms of social control in criminology refer to outside influences that society uses to make individuals understand and follow societal rules, compelling conformity.

Various agencies of social control utilize both positive and negative sanctions to shape behavior:

1. Family:

   • Positive sanctions include reinforcing good manners and behavior
   • Negative sanctions involve punishments for misbehavior

2. Media:

   • Positive sanctions include portraying conformity positively
   • Negative sanctions involve depicting those who deviate from norms negatively, often in films and news

3. Peers:

   • Positive sanctions include group encouragement for academic success
   • Negative sanctions involve peer pressure and potential isolation for non-conformity

Example: In peer groups committed to academic excellence, good grades are positively reinforced, encouraging others to strive for similar achievements.

4. Education:
   • Positive sanctions include rewards for good grades and behavior
   • Negative sanctions involve detentions, calls home, and poor grades for undesirable behavior

Highlight: The education system plays a significant role in external social control, using both rewards and punishments to shape student behavior and academic performance.