Crime and Punishment

• crime

  an offence punishable by the law
• non-indictable crime

  less serious crimes eg. minor trafficking offences
• indictable crime

  serious crimes that can lead to prison if found guilty eg. murder
• sin

  breaking God's law eg. blasphemy
• punishment

  something legally done as a result of someone being found guilty of breaking the law
• evil

  opposite of good; a force or the personification (eg. Satan) of a negative power seen in many traditions as destructive and against God
• law and order

  rules of our society that exist to keep society calm and are based on right and wrong, and how they are enforced
• justice

  a belief in what is right or fair; the main aim of the criminal system
• conscience

  the voice in our head telling us right from wrong or sense of feeling guilty when you do something wrong; God's 'inner voice' and guidance for religious people
• intention

  the plan that someone has before they act
• Shariah Law

  Islamic law based on the Qur'an, Hadith and Sunnah
• civil law

  law concerning private issues between individual people eg. settling a divorce
• criminal law

  law concerning criminal offences which regulates, tries and charges suspects and punishes them where applicable eg. murder
• Christian Attitudes to Evil:

  • No such thing as an evil person, as no one is perfect and we all make mistakes
  • Explored in story of Adam and Eve and 'original sin'
  • If God created people to be good, they are unlikely to do evil things unless there is a specific reason eg. illness, for which they should be helped
• Muslim Attitudes to Evil:

  • Evil linked to Iblis, who tempts humans to choose to do wrong
  • Muslims view acts as evil if they are immoral as a result of giving into temptation, therefore are against the will of Allah
  • People are not perfect and make mistakes, so a person doing something evil doesn't make them a bad person and only that they've given into temptation
• reformation


  an aim of punishment aiming to change someone's behaviour for the better
• retribution


  an aim of punishment involving "getting your own back" and making the criminal suffer
• deterrence


  an aim of punishment to put other people off committing crimes by making an example of criminals
• Christian Ideas on Retribution:

  • Many Christians do not take the 'eye for an eye' teaching literally but believe that a criminal's punishment should be as severe as (not more severe than) their crime
  • Most Christians prefer aims of punishment that are less harmful and more positive
  • Romans 12:19 - 'Do not take revenge... but leave room for God's wrath for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay"'
• Muslim Ideas on Retribution:

  • Qur'an 5:45 - 'We prescribed for them a life for a life, an eye for an eye' implies that criminals should receive the same injury that their crime caused (not more)
  • The victim's family can accept financial compensation from a murderer and show mercy to prevent them from being executed
  • Many Muslims in countries under Shari'ah Law favour retribution as actions against Shari'ah Law are against Allah
• Christian Ideas on Deterrence:

  • Most Christians agree with the concept of deterrence
  • Punishments that cause physical or mental harm to the offender or go against their rights are not condoned
  • Christians oppose public punishments as they think that criminals should still be treated with respect
• Muslim Ideas on Deterrence:

  • Deterrence is frequently carried out in countries under Shari'ah Law
  • Some forms of deterrence such as amputation of body parts and execution are carried out in public to deter other people from committing the same crime as the offender
  • Qur'an 5:38 - 'Cut off the hands of thieves, whether they are man or woman, as punishment for what they have done - a deterrent from God'
• Christian Ideas on Reformation:

  • Favoured aim of punishment for many Christians as it is positive and helps to improve the life chances of criminals
  • It is not a replacement for other forms of punishment but happens alongside them
• Muslim Ideas on Reformation:

  • An offender must seek forgiveness from Allah and become purified - reformation can help them to do so
  • Education and financial advice can assist the process of reformation
  • It is not a replacement for other forms of punishment but happens alongside them
• Reasons for Crime - Poverty:

  • Many people in poverty can't afford the necessities that they need to live so break the law to steal things that they need or earn money illegally
  • Christians condemn stealing and try to make sure no one is so poor that they need to steal
  • 10 Commandments: 'Thou must not steal'
  • Pope Francis: 'Focusing on poverty and sacrificing for the poor are the heart of the Gospel. If Christians don't dig deep and generously open up their wallets, they do not have genuine faith'
  • Zakah allows Muslims to help people in poverty so that people don't have to steal
• Reasons for Crime - Upbringing:

  • Growing up in a household where many members are committing crimes can make a young person think that this is normal
  • It is hard to get out of a life of crime
  • Muslims emphasize the importance of having a large extended family to teach children a good example
• Reasons for Crime - Mental Illness:

  • Some people suffering from mental illnesses such as kleptomania commit crimes as a result of the illness
  • In cases involving serious crimes where the offender has a severe mental illness, they will be given a different type of sentence to ensure that they are supported
• Reasons for Crime - Addiction:

  • If the human body cannot cope without a substance, the person with the addiction will be more likely to commit crimes in order to obtain it
  • Most Christians believe that it is acceptable to drink alcohol but do not encourage excessive drinking
  • Drunkenness is a sin for Catholics
  • Muslims forbid taking alcohol and drugs as they believe it is a temptation which leads people to do wrong
  • Qur'an: 'Oh you who believe. Intoxicants is an abomination. Avoid so that you may be successful'
• Reasons for Crime - Greed

  • In countries where personal possessions and wealth are seen as signs of status, some people may steal or commit fraud in order to have more material possessions
  • Envy is one of the 7 Deadly Sins
  • 10 Commandments: 'Thou must not covet'
  • Qur'an: 'Compelling for more distracts you until you go to your graves'
• Reasons for Crime - Hate:

  • Negative feelings towards someone can lead to a person acting with violence and prejudice towards them
  • Goes against both Muslim and Christian morals
  • Bible: 'Love thy neighbour'
• Reasons for Crime - Opposition to Unjust Laws:

  • Some people believe that it is acceptable to break laws in protest in order to break an unjust law
  • For example, Rosa Parks broke an unjust racist law by refusing to give up her seat on a bus for a white woman, which is seen as the right thing to do by religious people today
• Christian Attitudes to Lawbreakers:

  • Against lawbreaking if there is no just cause
  • Offenders presumed innocent until proven guilty
  • Some believe punishments should be as severe as the crime committed; others believe offenders should be helped to change
  • Against torture; believe prisoners should be treated with compassion
  • Matthew 25: 'When I was in prison you visited me... whatever you did for the least of my brothers you did for me'
  • St Paul: 'Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established'
• Muslim Attitudes to Lawbreakers:

  • Against lawbreaking as Shari'ah law is Allah's direct word
  • Muslims should respect all laws to promote order, even if they find it difficult to
  • Offenders presumed innocent until proven guilty
  • Some Muslims favour severe punishments such as those under Shari'ah law, whereas others prefer reformation - key aim of punishment is justice
  • Lawbreakers' rights must be protected
  • Qur'an 16:90: 'God commands justice... and prohibits wrongdoing, and injustice'
  • Qur'an: 'Those who do not judge according to what God has revealed are doing grave wrong'
• hate crime

  a violent crime targeted against someone because of their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or disability
• Christian Views on Prison:

  • Seen as acceptable
  • Should be used as a punishment for serious crimes
  • Many Christians want to support prisoners using training facilities and education
• Muslim Views on Prison:

  • Seen as acceptable
  • Shari'ah prisons are usually for people awaiting trial or punishment instead of for reformation
  • Some Muslims believe that imprisonment is a worse punishment than corporal punishment
• Christian Views on Corporal Punishment:

  • Mostly seen as unacceptable
  • Most Christians disagree with inflicting pain on someone under any circumstances
  • However not all Christians think this way: in 2005 a group of Christian headteachers tried to challenge the English ban on corporal punishment
  • Christians prefer to help people reform without physical punishment as Jesus always treated people with respect
  • Proverbs 13:24 - 'He who spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them'
• Muslim Views on Corporal Punishment:

  • Seen as acceptable
  • Public caning and flogging used in many Muslim countries eg. Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE
  • Seen to be better and more humane than imprisonment
  • Hands of thieves are amputated under Shari'ah law, but under such strict regulations (eg. there must be a high level of proof against the individual's innocence) that it happens rarely
  • Qur'an 5:38 - 'Cut off the hands of thieves, whether they are man or woman... a deterrent from God'
• Christian Views on Community Service:

  • Seen as acceptable
  • Christians support its use for minor crimes as it is positive and aids reformation
  • Church of England produced a report in 2007 commending programmes for offenders that required unpaid community work, counselling and addiction treatment in a mainstream setting
• Muslim Views on Community Service:

  • Seen as acceptable
  • Supported but rarely used under Shari'ah law as it is not seen as a serious enough deterrent
  • Usually used for Ta'azir (community) crimes as punishments are not specified for them under Shari'ah law