crime and punishment

• community service


  unpaid work that an offender performs for the benefit of the local community rather than going to prison
• crime


  an offence that is punishable by law
• crime against the person

  wrong doing that directly harms a person
• crime against the state

  an offence aimed at damaging the government or a country (eg. treason)
• crime against property


  damaging items that belong to someone (eg. vandalism)
• death penalty


  capital punishment; form of punishment in which a prisoner is put to death
• deterrence


  an aim of punishment - to put people off committing crimes
• electronic tagging


  an offender has to wear an electronic device which tracks their movements
• fine


  money paid as punishment for an offence
• forgiveness


  showing grace and mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done
• haram


  forbidden by Islamic law
• imprisonment


  when a person is put in jail for committing a crime
• justice


  bringing about what is right and fair according to law
• life imprisonment


  a prison sentence that (theoretically) keeps people in prison until they die
• prison reform


  a movement that tries to ensure offenders are treated humanely in prison
• probation


  an alternative to prison when an offender has to meet regularly with a parole officer to ensure that they don't re-offend
• protection


  keeping the public from being harmed, threatened or injured by criminals
• punishment


  something done to a person because they have broken a law
• reform


  an aim of punishment - to change someone's behaviour for the better
• religious offence


  an offence against religion (eg. blasphemy)
• repentance


  being truly sorry and trying to change one's behaviour so as not to do the same again
• retribution


  an aim of punishment to get your own back - "an eye for an eye"
• sanctity of life


  life is sacred because it is God given
• sin


  the breaking of a religious or moral law
• social environment


  the background in which a person lives
• utility


  the state of being useful, profitable or benficial
• young offender


  a person under 18 who has broken the law
• what are the benefits of rules and laws?

  they ensure everyone is safe and keep the world in harmony
• "You shall not murder... you shall not commit adultery... you shall not steal" - what does it teach Christians?

  teaches that unjustly taking/keeping the goods of one's behaviour or wronging him in any way is forbidden
• "No authority exists without God's permission" - what does it teach Christians about God's power?


  the law is there because God put them there - every Christian should trust God to provide what is needed through those in authority
• "Love your neighbour" - what does this teach Christians?

  love everyone and be caring and forgiving, forgive even people who have wronged you
• what does Christianity teach about crime?

  sin is a part of human nature and that all people have the potential to commit a crime - everyone is a child of Adam and Eve, who committed the Original Sin
• what does Christianity teach about justice?

  God wants the world to be ruled justly so Christians should forgive the sins of others, in the same way that they believe God forgives them for their sins
• "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times" - what does it teach?

  keep forgiving; punishments ensure that justice is done so they do not need to be vengeful
• what are the Christian attitudes towards lawbreakers?

  God created all humans equally so lawbreakers also have rights, which should be protected
• what are the Christian attitudes towards suffering and causing the suffering of others?

  Christians believe they should help people who are suffering and the Bible explains that good can come out of suffering - "...we know that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope"
• what is an advantage of protection as an aim of punishment?

  prison can stop offenders from reoffending as it acts as a deterrent and convinces them not to commit a crime again
• what is an advantage of reformation as an aim of punishment?

  if there was a crime committed by a drug addict, and the crime was committed by using drugs, then rehab would be a good way for the offender to get help and change
• what is an advantage of deterrence as an aim of punishment?

  deterrence aims to dissuade others from following the offender's example.
• what is an advantage of retribution as an aim of punishment?

  it is the idea of "getting even" with the criminal