Crime & Punishment

• "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who trespass against us.": 'Lord's Prayer'
• "Lord, how many times shall I forgive, up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.": 'Bible'
• "Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing.": 'Bible'
• "O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you.": 'Hadith'
• "If a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from God": 'Qur'an'
• "Let harm be repaid by an equal harm though anyone who forgives and puts things right will have his reward from God himself": 'Qur'an'
• "He who spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them": 'Bible'
• "As to the thief, male or female, cut off their hands: a punishment by way of an example.": 'Qur'an'
• "The woman and the man guilty of adultery or fornication, flog each one of them with a hundred stripes.": 'Qur'an'
• "an eye for an eye, a life for a life.": 'Old Testament'
• "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed": 'Old Testament'
• "Allah does command you...when you judge between man and man, that you judge with justice.": 'Qur'an'
• "We ordained for them a life for a life.": 'Qur'an'
• "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'vengeance is mine, says the Lord'.": 'Old Testament'
• "Take not life except by way of justice and the law.": 'Qur'an'
• "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn away from their ways and live': 'Bible'
• "The commandment "You shall not murder' is absolute and valid for both the innocent and the guilty": 'Pope Francis'
• "When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.": 'Parable of the Sheep and the Goats'
• "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free": 'Jesus'
• "It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails.": 'Nelson Mandela'
• "You shall not murder ... You shall not commit adultery... You shall not steal.": 'Ten Commandments'
• "Everyone must obey the state authorities, because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God.": 'Old Testament'
• "Love your God and love your neighbour as you love yourself.": 'Jesus'
• Forgiveness - links to reformation
• The Rwanda genocide: Imaculee's story her forgiveness
• The Murder of Anthony Walker in Liverpool: A mother's forgiveness
• The Murder of Abdallah: A mother's forgiveness
• The Prison Reform Trust aims to reduce the use of prison, improve conditions for prisoners, and promote equality and human rights in the criminal justice system
• In a prison in Norway, less than 20% reoffend, prison guards have 3 years of training, prisoners can earn £6 a day, are given individual dorms and food allowances, and are taught life skills and vocational skills to help them function as better people
• In UK prisons, more than 70% reoffend, prison guards have 6 weeks of training, prisons are overcrowded, and many prisoners are further criminalised
• Elizabeth Fry (Quaker) was an early prison reformer
• Islamic states that use Shari'ah Law and corporal punishment have much lower rates of crime
• Kenzer Drider defied French law regarding the Burqa
• Evil


  Causes suffering, injury, death, may be connected to the devil or Satan, if psychological then the criminal needs support, not judgement
• Causes of crime (more secular)

  • Poverty
  • Hate
  • Greed
  • Addiction
  • Mental illnesses
  • Upbringing
  • Opposition of unjust laws
• Christianity


  Sin is part of human nature - shown in the story of Adam and Eve, God ordered the Ten Commandments to teach people right from wrong, crimes treat people unfairly and God doesn't want that, not revenge but forgiveness, the devil and his jinns (spirits) tempt people into committing crime or causing people to suffer, when someone commits a crime, they have given into temptation, not resisting temptation doesn't make them inherently a bad person, humans are NOT perfect
• Islam


  Shari'ah Law places emphasis on intentions and beliefs of a person, attitudes to law breakers: religious people may feel the need to challenge laws that go against their morals, religion encourages people to follow the law of the state unless it goes against the religion, suspects are innocent till proven guilty, lawbreakers should be treated humanely because they still have rights, lawbreakers should be helped so they don't reoffend, some believe that punishment should be as severe as the crime
• Christianity


  The Bible explains that good can come from suffering 'We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance, character and hope'
• Islam


  God is aware of all types and allows suffering to happen for reasons not apparent to humans, may be beneficial, a test from God to see how they respond - God does not allow suffering greater than a person can bear, result of people giving into the temptation of the devil, causing it is wrong: you should try to alleviate people's suffering, but humans aren't perfect and make mistakes but if they are the cause of suffering then they should repent and ask for forgiveness, and make amends, then ask for forgiveness from God
• Aims of punishment


  • Protection
  • Reformation
  • Deterrence
  • Retribution