death penalty Conscience sense of right and wrong usually the guilty voice in our head Corporal punishment Physically hurting the criminal as punishment Deterrence aim of punishment where the punishment puts someone off committing the crime ID: 920617
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Slide1
Key terms:
Capital punishment: death penalty.Conscience: sense of right and wrong, usually the guilty voice in our head.Corporal punishment: Physically hurting the criminal as punishment.Deterrence: aim of punishment where the punishment puts someone off committing the crime.Forgiveness: letting go of anger towards someone for a wrong they have done.Hate crime: a crime committed because of prejudice.Justice: making things fair again.Law: the rules which govern a country to keep it safe.Order: the enforcement of rules, e.g. by the police.Protection: aim of punishment; to keep people safe.Reformation: aim of punishment; helping the person see how and why they should be behave better.Reparation: aim of punishment; making up for, compensating.Retribution: aim of punishment ; getting back at the person for what they done.Vindication: aim of punishment; the punishment exists because the law does.Young offenders: Persons under 18 who commit crime.
Reasons for crime
Christian views on Good and Evil:
Evil is seen as an abuse of free will God gave to humans which allowed them to choose right from wrong. To appreciate ‘good’, evil has to exist. Most Christians believe in a figure called the devil or Satan, who is an evil power, though ultimately less powerful than God. The Devil continually tries to tempt people and encourage them to behave badly. So, evil is a combination of internal and external factors.
Aims of punishment
Suffering and religious attitudes towards it:
Religious teachings tell us it is wrong to cause suffering. There is also a responsibility to deal with people who cause this suffering. Christians look to God to help them overcome suffering or be forgiven for the suffering they have caused. Religious teachings give humans the path to righteous actions, but human nature (emotions, reactions and needs) make it virtually impossible to choose the right actions all the time, so we cause suffering. All religions have rules to try to prevent suffering, using the concept, ‘Love your neighbour’. Christianity gives us teachings to keep emotions in check to prevent suffering. Christianity supports the law to prevent suffering but believe law-breakers should be punished fairly with justice and the victims must be helped. Religions try to provide wrong-doers with the means to right their wrongs.
Quotations:
‘Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone’ (Christianity)
‘If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him’ (Christianity)
‘A man reaps what he sows’ (Christianity)
‘Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth..’ (Christianity)
‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’ (Christianity)
Religion, crime and punishment
Deterrence
– An aim of punishment designed to
put people off committing
crime in the
first
place.
Protection
–
An aim of punishment designed to protect society, for example Prison.
Retribution
– An aim of punishment designed to ‘get your own back’,
to get revenge
or justice for
what someone
has done.
Reparation – An aim of punishment designed to make for what damage has been done. To give back to society.
Reformation – An aim of punishment designed to change the behaviour of the criminal so they no longer commit crime.
Vindication – An aim of punishment designed to ensure people respect the rules because it is the law.
Upbringing – This could include; a person’s environment, the morals of family/friends.
Mental illness – serious psychological problems, may not understand right from wrong, could be victims which has disturbed their minds.
Poverty – A person may commit a crime as they see no other way to survive. They may have no money, job or cannot provide for others.
Opposition to existing laws: some crimes are committed in protest about laws that exist that are considered unfair.
Greed/hate – We always want more so we are inherently greedy. People do bad things to us so hate leads us to take revenge and commit crimes.
Addiction – to alcohol, drugs, sex or money which leads them to crime to feed their habit or their cravings. They may even be addicted to crime.
Slide2Christian views on forgiveness:
This is very important in Christianity, with Jesus sating we should forgive ‘not seven times but seventy times seven’. As long as someone repents for their sins, they should be forgiven.They also believe in justice when the law is broken. , the crime is not forgotten but the criminal has the opportunity to move on from their mistakes. A victim can forgive even though the criminal does not repent and this allows them as the victim to move on. Prayer is often used by Christians to help them forgive, they do with the help of God. Prisons:Agree:It protects society from dangerous and violent criminals.It isolates those who deserve such punishment from their family and friends, (retribution)It stops people reoffending because they are locked away.It acts as a deterrent to others and ensures that the law is respected (vindication).It gives offenders a chance to reflect on their actions and decide to reform.Disagree:They are often called ‘schools of crime’ – prisoners can educated each other in criminal methods.Prisons often breed resentment, bitterness and a determination to get back at society.Most prisoners reoffend on releaase, so the system does not bring about reform.A prison record makes it very difficult to get a job on release, which leads to reoffending.Offenders families suffer through no fault of their own.Prison is expensive, (£30, 0000 a year)Christian views:
Corporal punishment:
Agree:Some see it as a deterrent. It can fulfil the aim of retribution and quick reformation. Physical pain is a harsher punishment for more serious crime. It would be more effective than prison as people fear pain.
Disagree:
It is barbaric and inhumane. Makes criminals more hardened and does not reform. Revenge is wrong. To purposefully inflict pain is unacceptable. Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Some Christians:
Most do not support it as this type of punishment as it takes away human dignity. Using violence is seen as vengeful rather than merciful. Criminals dealt with in this way will not be reformed.
Other Christians:Some Christian groups allow parents to physically chastise their children for misbehaviour believing if you love your child you should discipline them.
Community service
:
What is it: Unpaid work that an offender performs for the benefit of the local community rather than going to prison.
What are the aims of CS:The aim is to combine punishment with changing offenders’ behaviour and making amends to the community. Sentences range from 40-240 hours and involve compulsory supervised unpaid work, which is stipulated by court.
Religious views:Christianity supports punishments such as CS as it allows the criminal to put something back into the community. It also gives them chance to reflect on their behaviour and reform, whilst often learning new skills.
The death penalty – Capital punishment:
Agree:Murderers should pay with their lives, an ‘eye for an eye, life for a life’. It acts as a deterrent. It brings justice to victims. Life sentences in prison, do not always mean life. Prison is too expensive and a waste of resources for offenders serving life imprisonment. It protects society from those who cannot be reformed.
Disagree:Retribution is uncivilised, two wrongs do not make a right. It is a contradiction to condemn murder and then execute (kill) a murderer. Most murders are done on the spur of the moment so it does not deter people. Killing the murderer does not end the pain suffered by victims and families. Innocent people can be executed. All life is sacred and murderers should be given a second chance to reform. It is inhumane and degrading.
Some Christians:
Do not support the death penalty as it goes against the commandment ‘Do not Kill’. It also denies the sanctity of life as the life of the criminal can be taken , and is against their human dignity. There is no choice of reform if they are denied the right to live.
Other Christians:
Believe it is right for those criminals who have committed the worst crimes, such as murder. Since they have taken life, they forfeit their own, ‘An eye for eye’.
Religion, crime and
punishment
Capital punishment – Agree:Retribution – Terrorists and murderers deserve to die – ‘a life for a life’
Deterrence – It deters people from doing horrendous crimes.Protection – It protects society, where those serving life sentences are sometimes released early.Finance – It costs taxpayers thousands of pounds to keep murderers alive in prison.
Disagree:Mistakes – Innocent people have been executed.Protection – Putting a murderer in prison protects society.Deterrence – There is no evidence that the death penalty is more of a deterrent than prison.Reformation – Reformed criminals can be an enormous influence for good.Hypocritical – Two wrongs don’t make a right.