Criminology: Examining Bias, Discrimination, and Sentencing Policy

This essay delves into various aspects of criminology, beginning with definitions of key concepts such as bias, prejudice, discrimination, and oppression. It highlights the presence of gender and racial bias within the Criminal Justice System (CJS), referencing the Stephen Lawrence case as an example of racial discrimination. The essay then outlines core values of British culture, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect. It emphasizes the role of workers in challenging biases through trade unions and organizational policies. Furthermore, the essay critically analyzes societal attitudes towards current sentencing policies in the UK, noting public dissatisfaction and a desire for stricter punishments to combat rising crime rates. Finally, it discusses the importance of values and ethics in the social and criminal justice process, emphasizing ethical standards and human rights within the judicial system. The essay concludes by referencing academic sources related to social disorganization and crime.

Criminology

Definitions
 Bias: A discriminated behaviour at the workplace on the
basis of gender, religion etc.
 Prejudice: Harm or injury caused to a person due to
ineffective rights.
 Discrimination: Biased behaviour and unequal rights based
upon gender, religion etc.
 Oppression: Unjustified or cruel treatment given to
employees.

Gender Bias
 The biasses is present in CJS where unequal wages are given
to the workers providing them unequal preferential rights as
well.
 Black people in the UK are proportionally more likely to be
in prison than those in the US, an independent study on the
treatment of BAME people in the criminal justice system has
found.
.

Stephen Lawrence Case
22 April 1993 - Stephen Lawrence murdered. The eighteen year
old stabbed to death. The ganged murdered the youth on the
basis of racial discrimination. The public inquiry goes long
and a new public inquire has been set up in 6th March 2014

British Culture
The people in Britain enjoys liberalized democracy where major
power is held by the people of the country. The value of
British culture are:
 democracy
 The rule of law
 Individual liberty
 Mutual respect and tolerance

Workers make difference
Worker can prepare their own trade union through which they
can fight for their own rights. It helps in challenging biasses
and oppression that is prevailing in the organization.
Racial biasses can be mitigated by ensuring that appropriate
amount of policies are present in the organization.

Critical Analysis of current societal
attitudes to sentencing policy
• The focus of this study is on variations in perceptions of
sentencing policy and how these are influenced by the mass
media.
• Societal attitude plays an important role in influencing the crime
rate in the country.
• From the analysis it is identified that Britishers are not satisfied
with the current sentencing policy designed by the criminal
justice of the country.

Cont...
• From the research studies it was identified that British society
wants stricter punishment to the criminals.
• This will help in eliminating the rapid rising of crime rates in
the country.
• The British Society and community negatively sees criminal
and their crimes.

Cont..
• Due to rapid rising of diversity and migrants in the country
leads to increase in crime rates.
• Thus, society wants stricter policies and laws in order to
minimize the crime rates in the country.
• From this it can be understood that British communities are
not satisfied with the current sentencing polices and practices.

Values and Ethics in relation to social
and criminal justice process
• The criminal justice system maintains its own system of
values that is distinct from other fields and occupations.
• Values and ethics plays vital roles in social and criminal
justice process in the United Kingdom.
• Criminal justice community be highly committed to ethical
standards that surpass those of an ordinary citizen.

Cont...
• Ethics considered to be judgements that involve the
application of what an individual consider to be moral.
• Ethics bound the judicial system of the country to take
decisions in accordance with human rights and values.
• Ethical socialisation within criminal justice organisation
derives from interpersonal ideologies and training.

References
Bruinsma, G.J. and et.al., 2013. Social disorganization, social
capital, collective efficacy and the spatial distribution of crime
and offenders: An empirical test of six neighbourhood models for
a Dutch city. British Journal of Criminology. 53(5). pp.942-963.
Kaylen, M.T. and Pridemore, W.A., 2013. Social disorganization
and crime in rural communities: The first direct test of the
systemic model. British Journal of Criminology. 53(5). pp.905-
923.

Cont...
Emerick, N.A., and et.al., 2014. Homicide and social
disorganization on the border: Implications for Latino and
immigrant populations. Social Science Quarterly. 95(2). pp.360-
379.
Wilcox, P. and Land, K.C., 2017. Social disorganization and
criminal opportunity. Challenging Criminological Theory: The
Legacy of Ruth Rosner Kornhauser.

Thank You