Catholic belief + attitudes about Crime+ aims of punishment

• A crime can be defined as any offence that is punishable by law
• The Gov makes laws which govern our behaviour
• The criminal justice system is there to enforce the laws and punish crime
• For Catholics , sinful behaviour can lead to personal suffering

  • it can also cause offence to God + even exclusion from heaven
  • sometimes a person’s behaviour can lead to being excommunicated
• Some people are at greater risk of becoming offenders because of the circumstances they were born in
• It’s widely accepted that poverty, parental neglect, low self - esteems and alcohol / drug abuse can sometimes explain why crimes are committed
• Catholics agree that the law in society is very important