Crime and punishment

• What are the 7 causes of crime?


  Poverty, upbringing, mental illness, addiction, greed, hate, opposition to unjust law
• Poverty


  - poverty is the parent of crime

  - young people on probation following a criminal offence were questioned - only 10% had more than £100 a week and 2/3 were unemployed.

  - religious people accept these reasons but also think that people are ignoring their conscience leads to crime.
• Upbringing


  - boys age 15 committing crime are more likely to come from divorced, single parents or high conflict between homes.
• Mental illness


  - people with mental illnesses are responsible for 1 in 20 violent crimes.

  - But this can be challenged by: 1 in 4 people are said to have had a mental illness at some point but 25% of the population haven't killed someone/ committed a crime yet.
• Addiction eg drugs, alcohol


  - the addiction which causes the most crime = alcohol.

  - some people suggest that 50% of all theft and burglary is drug related.
• Greed


  - credit card fraud slightly fell in 2021 but identity theft increased by 79%
• Hate


  eg against Muslims or racism eg Anthony Walker
• Opposition to unjust law


  - eg Martin Luther King campaigned against segregation of black people in 1960s
• Christian's view on breaking the law

  - "the law must be obeyed as God gave the government authority to rule"

  - but others say God comes first if the government asks to do something against faith
• Muslims view on breaking the law

  - Islam means submission to allah so allahs wishes always come first.

  - expected to follow the law unless its preventing practicing of Islam or to put a right to injustice
• Attitudes to murder


  - wrong as ten commandment say do not murder life is sacred and special and all humans are made in the image of god. No one has the right to take away a life except God
• Attitudes to hate crime


  - wrong as the bible is against discrimination and predujice eg love ur neighbour as you love yourself and there is neither Jew nor Greek...
• Attitudes to theft


  - wrong as ten commandment say do not steal but if someone steals out of need instead of greed it's more understandable and reflects badly on the rest of society as we have failed in our duty to care for others.
• Aims of punishment

  retribution, deterrence and reformation
• Christianity aim of punishment

  'D n r a e p. I a s y o t r c t t t l c a'

  - Most Christian's think punishment should be about reform and second chances.

  - Big belief in Christianity is forgiveness and repentance.

  - Jesus said "Do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn them the other cheek also"

  Jesus taught that evil and violent people should be dealt with in unexpected ways which will encourage them to think about and amend their ways.
• However, some xians believe the aim of punishment should be about..

  'A e f a e a t f a t'

  'I y b s r h a i h r f h'

  Retribution and deterrence.

  - Adam and Eve were punished by god after they disobeyed him in the Garden of Eden (gen3) so we must copy gods example

  - "an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth"

  - " if your brother sins rebuke him and if he repents forgive him"
• Muslim attitudes to aims of punishment

  'T r f a i i a e i b b i a p f i a i r t w e r f A'

  - Key idea is to deter and ensure retribution. Criminals will reform because the punishments are so harsh. Only Allah can forgive so this is not an aim for Islamic courts.

  - "The reward for an injury is an equal injury back, but if a person forgives instead, and is reconciled, that will earn reward from Allah"

  - Justice must be in public to ensure there is no miscarriage of justice and punishment in public deters others.

  - sura 5- the punishment for theft is a hand cut off
• Prison advantages


  - protects society from dangerous criminals

  - deters the criminals and others from breaking the law
• Prison disadvantages


  - Expensive £50000+ per year per prisoner

  - young prisoners can learn more about crime from older prisoners
• Life imprisonment advantages


  - sends a strong message that crime is wrong

  - good alternative to death penalty
• life inprisonment disadvantages


  - no possibility of reform

  - expensive
• Community service advantages


  - cheap £5000 per criminal per year

  - putting something back into the community you hurt eg removing graffiti
• Community service disadvantages


  - high profile if you're a famous celeb so could backfire with all the publicity
• Corporal punishment advantages


  - a physical punishment is more painful so you will remember and not do the crime again

  - its in the Quran

  - crimes are lower in countries where shariah law exists
• Corporal punishment disadvantages


  - it is a violation of human rights to inflict pain and suffering on a person
• Religious attitudes to prison


  -Some Xians would agree because an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth

  - most Christian's would prefer prisons to be used with the aim of reforming a criminal because the Lord's Prayer says "forgive our sins as we forgive others"
• Religious attitudes to corporal punishment


  - All Muslims agree with using corporal punishment because it was commanded in the Quran so it must be followed (sura 5)

  - Most Xians don't agree with corporal punishment because Jesus said violent and evil people should be dealt with in unexpected ways so that they amend their ways.
• Religious attitudes to community service


  - all Xians agree because it gives a chance to reform and repent. It is also an unexpected way to deal with violent crimes which encourages people to amend their ways.
• D n t r m d f b l r f g w'

  "Do not take revenge my dear friends but leave room for Gods wrath"
• Death penalty agree


  - justice 'life for a life'

  - sends a strong message that murder is wrong and the killer shouldn't get a second chance because the victims didn't

  - some argue it is a very effective deterrent to others think about crime

  - protection for society as life sentence is only 15 yrs

  - cheaper than prison for years
• Death penalty disagree


  - no opportunity for reform

  - tragedy if you kill the wrong person who is innocent

  - in USA if you are black and poor you are more likely to be on the death row than a white and rich person that commits murder which is unfair

  - no evidence that it does deter- in America states with the DP have higher murder rates
• Christian attitudes to death penalty


  Key idea is sanctity of life. Most Christian's are anti death penalty because they believe in reform and second chances.
• Christianity pro DP

  'I a t a p l t s f t o'

  - The OT says an eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth

  - if anyone takes another persons life they should forfeit their own
• Christianity anti death penalty

  'L h w i w s c t f s'

  - only god created life so only god can take it away

  - Jesus taught forgiveness and the chance to reform when the woman was about to be stoned and he said ' let he who is without sin cast the first stone
• Muslim attitudes to the death penalty

  ' d n t l e f j c'

  - apostasy

  - adultery

  - murder "do not take life except for just cause"
• Christian attitudes to forgiveness


  - key teaching in Christianity

  - Lord's Prayer says to forgive
• Muslims attitudes to forgiveness

  ' w f a m a h r i u A'

  - forgiveness can only be given if criminal repents first

  - 'whoever forgives and makes amends, his reward is upon Allah