Order Description
Imagine you are working as an intern with the Criminal Justice Social Work
Department, which is responsible, amongst other things, for conducting social
enquiry reports on young offenders under the age of 21.
You have been asked to prepare an academically-informed report on Sandy, who
is facing a custodial sentence for breaking the terms of an anti-social behaviour
order. Your report should draw on relevant concepts and theories related to
understanding crime and punishment and make recommendations on what
outcome would best serve ‘justice’ in this case. In addition to the particulars of
the case itself, some issues you might like to reflect upon are:
? What matters relating to Sandy’s background or present circumstances
could have had a bearing on the offence committed?
? Are there any personal circumstances that should be taken into account in
terms of understanding the offending behaviour and how ‘best’ to
respond to it?
? What potential risks are there of re-offending?
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? What are the likely effects on the individual of the various kinds of
sentences available (i.e. imprisonment or a community punishment)?CASE STUDY
17-year-old Sandy has lived his whole life on a housing estate on the edge of a
large city, which is acknowledged as having more than its fair share of
deprivation.. He was raised by his
Gran, who has been his sole guardian since his Mum passed away when he was
a toddler. He knows his Dad, but rarely sees him as the latter is in and out of
prison, largely for petty offending. In recent years, his Gran’s health has been
waning and he has become her main carer.
In his local area Sandy is generally perceived to be a ‘bit of a yob’: provoking
admiration among some of his friends; concern and sometimes derision by those
in authority. He is regularly stopped by the police, and subject to search
procedures. He has also repeatedly been taken home by the police for loitering.
Sandy attended high school until he turned 15, when he more or less stopped
going altogether. Throughout high school Sandy got into trouble for his poor
attendance and lack of academic progress.
Sandy appears to have some creative and artistic ability, which is clear from the
artwork he shares freely with the local community. Whilst some people like it,
others dismiss it as graffiti and, therefore, vandalism.
As a result of this petty vandalism, the local authorities successfully applied for a
Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) against Sandy (in November 2015).
Sandy was recently caught, by the local community officer, trespassing on the
grounds of his former school, in possession of spray paints, and now faces a spell
in a young offenders’ institution for breaching the conditions of his CBO.