Aims of punishment

• Aims of Punishment

  • Protection
  • Retribution
  • Deterrence
  • Reformation
• Protection

  Protecting society from criminals so that people are safe e.g by putting them in prison or even execution. The Catholic Church supports this.
• Retribution

  Making criminals pay for their actions according to the seriousness of their crimes. Some Christians support this because it is seen as fair.
• Deterrence

  Putting other people off from committing a similar crime. E.g. If a potential criminal sees a criminal being executed, they might not commit a crime.
• Reformation

  Helping offenders to understand what they have done wrong and to choose not to do it again. This is a popular Christian view because this is how Jesus treated sinners eg the adulteress
• Jesus to the adulterness: 'Go and leave your life of sin'
• The ultimate goal of punishment is always to rehabilitate
• The Bible teaches to protect the weak and vulnerable (Psalm 82:3)
• Old Testament teachings on punishment

  • People could be put to death for a range of crimes including murder and blasphemy
  • 'An eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth' (Exodus 21:24)
• Some Christians use the 'eye for an eye' passage to support the death penalty
• In the New Testament, Jesus updates the 'eye for an eye' passage and emphasises forgiveness
• Jesus: 'I tell you, not seven times, but seventy seven times (Matthew 18:21-22)'