{"id":71,"date":"2025-08-07T20:50:44","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:50:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/politicsuk\/?p=71"},"modified":"2025-10-10T13:16:27","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T13:16:27","slug":"chapter-23","status":"publish","type":"content","link":"https:\/\/routledgelearning.com\/politicsuk\/part-6-the-policy-process\/chapter-23\/","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 23"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\tHome\n<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Chapter 23<\/h1>\n\n\n

The politics of law and order<\/em><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Chapter Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Conservative thinkers have tended to base their law and order policies on a pessimistic view of human nature, while Labour has tended to be more optimistic. However, both views began to converge in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Crime figures suggest a crime wave, but there are many qualifications to bear in mind. It is doubtful whether the Conservatives substantially reversed the crime wave in the early 1990s. It seems likely that crime breeds in poor, rundown areas of big cities. Police attempts to control crime have not been very successful and have received much criticism, even from the Conservatives. Tougher prison sentences are favoured by the Conservatives, but experience suggests that this is no real answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Home Office is the department in charge of the security services, although it has transferred constitutional responsibilities to the Lord Chancellor\u2019s Department. The 2000 and 2005 Terrorism Acts offended those concerned with the defence of human rights though polls show considerable support for tough laws against terrorism and terrorists.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Learning Objectives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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  • To explain the connection between political ideas and the problem of law and order.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • To consider the causes of crime and its profile as a political issue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • To examine some related issues like penal policy and prisons.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • To explain and analyse the secret security services.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Quizzes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Test your knowledge with the Chapter 23 quizzes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Quiz<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n