Religion crime and punishment

• The Golden Rule


  Treat others as you would want to be treated yourself
• Some people might act with bad action

  Trying to feed their family
• Some people feel it is very wrong to break the law


  They have a duty to obey God
• Some people feel such actions are not as bad


  It is not loving to make people follow the law
• There will be bad consequences

  For breaking the law
• Good intentions and actions


  Obeying the law and doing what is right
• People can be judged on their intentions behind their actions, not just the actions themselves
• Bad intentions and actions


  Most people feel it is wrong for people to act with bad intentions and carry out bad actions
• Someone might act with good intentions but actually cause harm
• Many religious people might think they had good intentions but actually caused harm
• Designing may do people more harm than good, even if the intention was good
• Reasons for crime


  • Poverty
  • Upbringing
  • Mental illness
  • Addiction
  • Greed
  • Hate
• Everyone is equal before God, so there should be no reason to treat certain groups differently
• Some Christians believe there is a duty to obey the government and the law, even if the law is unjust
• Some Christians believe it is more important to do what is right and obey God, than to obey an unjust law
• Some people may oppose others breaking the law because it could make society less stable
• Aims of punishment


  • Retribution
  • Deterrence
  • Reformation
  • Protection
• Retribution


  Punishing the criminal to punish them for what they've done
• Deterrence


  Used to persuade others not to commit crimes
• Reformation


  Trying to change the criminal so they do not continue offending
• Protection


  Keeping the public safe from criminals
• Different forms of punishment


  • Prison
  • Corporal punishment
  • Community service
  • Electronic tagging
  • Probation
  • Parole
  • Early release
• Retribution


  Supported in the Old Testament, which encourages people to take revenge
• Reformation


  Supported in the New Testament, which emphasises forgiveness and a second chance
• The death penalty does not appear to deter criminal behaviour
• Someone might be guilty but still stay on death row for many years
• The death penalty is costly and uses up resources
• The Quran says certain crimes should be punished with fixed corporal punishments, which are compulsory and aim to act as a deterrent
• These Quranic punishments are seen as harsh, and difficult to apply fairly
• Islam encourages forgiveness, and believes Allah may forgive even the most undeserving of criminals
• Christianity traditionally allowed the death penalty for some sins, but Jesus stopped the punishment for adultery in John 8
• The death penalty is still allowed for some crimes in some Muslim countries, and is traditionally allowed in theory in Christianity, though many Christians today do not believe it should be used