CSS Criminology Criminal Justice System and Penology Syllabus

Distinguish general deterrence from specific (individual) deterrence.

General deterrence aims to discourage the public at large from committing crime by example; specific deterrence aims to discourage the particular offender from reoffending.

What is the incapacitation theory of punishment?

The theory that punishment protects society by physically preventing the offender from committing further crimes, e.g., through imprisonment, exile, or capital punishment.

What is the deterrence theory's key assumption about human behaviour?

That offenders are rational actors who weigh the costs and benefits of crime, so punishment that is certain, swift and severe enough will outweigh the benefits and prevent offending.

What is corporal punishment?

The infliction of physical pain on an offender's body as punishment, such as whipping, flogging, branding, or amputation.

Name two key arguments against corporal punishment.

It violates human dignity and the prohibition on cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment; and there is little evidence that it deters crime more effectively than other sanctions, while it may brutalize offenders.

What is imprisonment as a mode of punishment?

The deprivation of an offender's liberty by confinement in a prison for a period fixed by the court, serving deterrent, incapacitative and reformative aims.

What is the difference between simple and rigorous imprisonment?

Simple imprisonment confines the prisoner without compulsory labour; rigorous imprisonment requires the prisoner to perform hard labour.

What is the reformative (rehabilitative) theory of punishment?

The theory that the purpose of punishment is to reform the offender into a law-abiding citizen through education, vocational training, counselling and treatment, rather than mere infliction of pain.

What methods are typically used in reformative and rehabilitative treatment of offenders?

Education and literacy programs, vocational/skills training, psychological counselling and therapy, drug treatment, religious/moral instruction, and work programs.

What is the difference between rehabilitation and reintegration?

Rehabilitation focuses on changing the offender internally (skills, attitudes, behaviour) during the sentence; reintegration focuses on the offender's successful re-entry into society and community after release.

What is probation?

A court-ordered alternative to imprisonment in which a convicted offender remains in the community under supervision and specified conditions, instead of being sent to prison.

What law governs probation in Pakistan?

The Probation of Offenders Ordinance, 1960 (administered through Reclamation and Probation Departments and probation officers).

What is parole?

The conditional early release of a prisoner from custody before completing the full sentence, allowing them to serve the remainder in the community under supervision and conditions.

What is the key difference between probation and parole?

Probation is granted by the court instead of imprisonment (the offender usually never goes to prison), whereas parole is granted by an authority releasing a prisoner who has already served part of a sentence.

What law governs parole in Pakistan?

The Good Conduct Prisoners' Probational Release Act, 1926 (administered through the Reclamation and Probation Department).

What is remission in the prison context?

A reduction in the length of a sentence granted for good conduct, work, or other meritorious behaviour while in prison.

What law primarily regulates the management of prisons in Pakistan?

The Prisons Act, 1894 together with the Prisoners Act, 1900 and provincial Jail Manuals (e.g., the Pakistan Prison Rules).

What are the main classifications of prisons in Pakistan by function?

Central Jails (for long-term and high-security prisoners), District Jails, Sub-Jails, Women's Jails, Juvenile Jails/Borstal Institutions, and special facilities for high-profile/condemned prisoners.

What is a Borstal Institution?

A custodial institution for the detention, training and reformation of juvenile/young offenders, emphasizing education and vocational training rather than punishment.

Name three major problems facing the prison system in Pakistan.

Severe overcrowding (often exceeding sanctioned capacity), a high proportion of under-trial prisoners, and poor health, sanitation and rehabilitation facilities.

What is an under-trial prisoner and why are they significant in Pakistan's prisons?

A person detained in custody while their trial is pending (not yet convicted); they form a large majority of Pakistan's prison population, contributing greatly to overcrowding.

What is community-based corrections?

Programs that supervise and manage offenders within the community rather than in prison, including probation, parole, community service, house arrest and day-reporting centres.

What are the main advantages of community-based corrections?

They reduce prison overcrowding and cost, avoid the criminalizing effects of incarceration, keep offenders connected to family and work, and promote rehabilitation and reintegration.

What is community service as a sentence?

A non-custodial penalty requiring the offender to perform a specified number of hours of unpaid work for the benefit of the community as reparation.

What is house arrest / home confinement, and how is it often enforced?

A sanction requiring an offender to remain at home except for approved activities, frequently enforced through electronic monitoring (ankle tags).

What is restorative justice?

An approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by crime through cooperative processes involving the victim, offender and community, rather than solely punishing the offender.

What are the three core stakeholders ('three pillars') in restorative justice?

The victim, the offender, and the community — all of whom participate in addressing the harm and its repair.

Name three common restorative justice practices.

Victim-offender mediation/reconciliation, family group conferencing, and sentencing/peacemaking circles.

How does restorative justice differ from retributive justice?

Retributive justice asks what law was broken, who did it, and what punishment they deserve; restorative justice asks who was harmed, what their needs are, and whose obligation it is to repair the harm.

Define recidivism.

The tendency of a convicted offender to relapse into criminal behaviour and reoffend, often measured by re-arrest, reconviction, or re-incarceration after release.

What are key factors that contribute to high recidivism?

Lack of education and employable skills, social stigma and unemployment after release, weak or absent reintegration support, substance abuse, criminal peer networks, and prisonization (adopting prison subculture).