crime and punishment ep

• Crime


  Any action which is against the law
• Punishment


  Offenders found guilty by a court face a legal punishment
• Most serious offences include murder and rape which carry a life sentence (25 years)
• Under no circumstances can the UK impose a sentence intended to cause physical harm (corporal punishment) or the death penalty
• In some parts of the world the death penalty is permitted
• Civil law


  Disputes between individuals or groups. E.G. Divorce, disputes between landlords and tenants and disputed wills. Usually dealt with in small claim courts and some more serious cases will go to Crown Court
• Good actions


  Actions that are good but are not specified in the law- E.G. generosity, charity and love
• Evil actions


  Actions that cause suffering, injury or possible death. Some actions are considered evil even know they are not against the law
• Evil


  Linked to Satan but sometimes it can link with being immoral rather than being linked to the devil
• Intention


  Can determine how severe the punishment should be. Some argue that intention is not as important as the impact of the crime
• Christians


  • Believe there is no such thing as an evil person
  • Believe humans are not perfect and make mistakes
  • Believe original sin means that all humans have a tendency to commit evil
• Muslims


  • Believe there is no such thing as an evil person
  • Believe evil and wicked things in life are a result of someone giving into Iblis' temptations
  • Believe humans are not perfect and do make mistakes
• Shari'ah law


  • The severity of a punishment is related to the seriousness of the religious value that had been breached by the crime
  • Puts great emphasis on the beliefs and intentions of a person, and even if you have thoughts of committing a crime, it is considered as serious as committing the crime itself
• Reasons for crime


  • Poverty
  • Upbringing
  • Mental Illness
  • Addiction
  • Greed
  • Hate
  • Opposition to an unjust law
• Poverty


  Cannot afford the necessities of life, stealing for essentials that they cannot afford to buy
• Upbringing


  Growing up in home where crime is a way of life, parents might encourage them
• Mental Illness


  Kleptomania is a mental condition that makes people steal, anger management may lead to violence
• Addiction


  Addicts may resort to stealing to get what they need, alcohol can make people lose control of their thoughts
• Greed


  Wealth and possessions can be seen as a sign of status, greed can lead to crimes such as theft or fraud
• Hate


  Can lead to violence or aggression towards whoever or whatever the offender hates
• Opposition to an unjust law


  Laws that are biased or prejudice or that breaches basic human rights is wrong and should be changed. Example, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, The Suffragettes
• Christian views on crime

  • Condemn stealing
  • Should help one another so they do not need to steal
  • "If Christians don't dig deep and generously open up their wallets, they do not have genuine faith." – Pope Francis
  • "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority that which God has established"
  • Should get help for their illness but also have the punishment they deserve
  • Alcohol is not forbidden but drunkenness is a sin and no denomination encourages excessive drinking
  • The 10 commandments says do not be jealous of what others have, envy is seen as one of the 7 deadly sins
  • Hatred is against Christian morality
  • Protests must be peaceful and not cause violence, against discrimination
• Muslim views on crime

  • Zakah is in place to help them
  • Muslims hope that community support will prevent Muslims turning to crime
  • Muslims place emphasis on a strong extended family and that they should bring children up to follow the law
  • Should get help for their illness but also have the punishment they deserve
  • Muslims forbid the taking of illegal drugs and alcohol, they believe that they are temptations which will lead people to do wrong
  • "Competing for more distracts you until you go into your graves"
  • Hatred is against Muslim morality
  • Shari'ah law is God's law and therefore cannot be unjust, against discrimination
• Religious views on lawbreakers


  • Both are against people committing crimes
  • God has made it clear that Shari'ah law had to be obeyed and so should any just and fair laws in non-Shari'ah counties
  • All are presumed innocent until proved guilty, if they are found innocent they are able to resume their normal life without any punishment
  • Punishments under Shari'ah law are severe but they do not apply in the UK
  • Lawbreakers have rights that should be protected, even while they are being punished
  • Christians believe that the offended should be helped so they do not offend again, the parable of the sheep and goats shows that we should treat prisoners with compassion
  • Christians believe that inhumane treatment of offenders is wrong
  • "God commands justice and prohibits wrongdoing, and injustice."- Qur'an
• Christian attitudes to types of crime

  • Murder is condemned, Jesus taught "Love thy neighbour", "Thou shalt not kill"
  • Hate crime makes a society without discrimination impossible to achieve, God created all humans equal, Jesus taught "Love thy neighbour", "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, you are all one in Christ Jesus"
  • Christians are sympathetic towards people committing theft out of need rather than greed, the needy should be cared for by the community, so they have no reason for resorting to crime, "Treat others how you want to be treated"
• Muslim attitudes to types of crime

  • Murder is against God, "Thou shall not kill", "To kill one is to kill all mankind"
  • Hate crime makes a society without discrimination impossible to achieve, God created humans with equal value and none is inferior to others, Islam means peace
  • Muslims are sympathetic towards people committing theft out of need rather than greed, the needy should be cared for by the community, so they have no reason for resorting to crime
  • Shari'ah law classifies crimes into four types: Unforgivable crimes (Hadud), Forgivable crimes (Al-Jynayaat), Community crimes (Al Ta'azir), Crimes against the state law (Al-Mukhalafat)
• Aims of punishment


  • Retribution
  • Reformation
  • Deterrence
• Retribution


  An aim of punishment to get your own back- "Eye for an eye." Getting your own back on behalf of society and the victim, criminals receive the same damage caused to their victim, match the fate of the victim. Least positive - teaches revenge and anger
• Reformation


  An aim of punishment to change someone's behaviour for the better, helps offenders understand their behaviour, hopes they will change and become law abiding citizens, may involve group therapy sessions, counselling, treatment and understanding the harm they have caused
• Deterrence


  An aim of punishment to put people off committing crimes, seeing others punished severely might put others off, it might deter them from reoffending, punishments used to be in public to deter others
• Christian attitudes to suffering


  • Suffering can be caused by people or natural causes like illness, Christians should try help others who are suffering, good can come out of suffering, "Suffering produces perseverance; character and hope", follow the example of Jesus who helped the suffering, "We are never really happy until we try to brighten the lives of others", free will causes suffering, Christians should use their free will wisely and follow God's commands
• Muslim attitudes to suffering


  • Suffering can be caused by people or natural causes like illness, God is aware of all types of suffering, suffering is a test from God to see how faithful a person is, God would not allow suffering greater than a person can endure, suffering is caused by giving into Iblis' temptations, "If you are steadfast and mindful of God, this is the best course", hope and faith can endure suffering, suffering is caused by free will, they should follow the teachings of the Qur'an and the Prophets
• Christian views on causing suffering


  • Against causing suffering to others, taught to 'Love thy neighbour', Jesus spoke out against violence- even in self-defence
• Muslim views on causing suffering


  • Against causing suffering to others
• Follow the example of Jesus who helped the suffering: '"We are never really happy until we try to brighten the lives of others."'
• Free will


  Causes suffering
• Christians


  Should use their free will wisely and follow God's commands
• Causes of suffering


  • People
  • Natural- Illness
• God


  Is aware of all types of suffering
• Suffering


  Is a test from God to see how faithful a person is