Crime And Punishment

Question 1

What is absolute morality

Answer 1

When a person has a principal and will never alter there views no matter the circumstances

Question 2

What is relative morality

Answer 2

When a person holds a moral principal but adapts it according to situations

Question 3

What examples cause crime

Answer 3

Alcohol and drug abuse
Poverty
Parental neglect

Question 4

What are the 6 main aims of punishment

Answer 4

Protection
Deterrence
Retribution
Reformation
Reparation
Vindication

Question 5

What are the statistics number of crimes committed in the uk listed by category of offence

Answer 5

Other theft offences- 1,105,117
Violence agaisnt person-762,515
Criminal damage-631,221
Burglary-501,053

Question 6

What is deterrence

Answer 6

Punishment should put people off committing crime

Question 7

What is protection

Answer 7

Punishment should protect society from the criminal and the criminal from themselves

Question 8

What is reformation

Answer 8

Punishment should reform the criminal making them a better person

Question 9

What is retribution

Answer 9

Punishment should make the criminal pay for what they have done

Question 10

What is reparation

Answer 10

Punishment should compensate the victims of the crime

Question 11

What is vindication

Answer 11

Punishment makes sure the law is respected

Question 12

What are the statistics of prisons

Answer 12

46% of adults released from prison reoffend within a year
Prisoners wirh sentence of under a year 58% reoffend
Prison population in 1993-44,246
In 2016- 85,641

Question 13

Christian attitudes to punishment and justice

Answer 13

Forgiveness is a key principle in Christianity. Therefore many Christina’s don’t support retribution as a purpose
Christian’s do believe in justice so forgiveness and punishment should go together
Christian’s try to follow examples of Jesus who forgave those who betrayed him

Question 14

Christian’s attitudes to justice and punishment (2)

Answer 14

Jesus taught compassion not revenge therefore many Christian’s actively involved in prison reform
Prisoners should be treated humanly. Society should try and address causes of criminal behaviour like poverty or unemployment
Hebrews 13:3
However fod wants justice - Amos 5:24

Question 15

What are the Islamic attitudes to punishment and justice

Answer 15

Although forgiveness is important in Islam so is the need to protect the ummah and keep law and order
Punishment is central to justice and essential in keeping people from straying from what’s good and just
Shariah law outlines both the rules to live by and the punishments if these laws are broken

Question 16

Islamic attitudes of justice and punishment

Answer 16

Shariah law punishments designed to deter as well as protext
Punishment has nothing to do with removing sin as only god can forgive. It’s a way of keeping law and order

Question 17

What are prison chaplains

Answer 17

They work with prisoners and detainees helping to rehabilitate them into society. Prison chaplains have an important role in the prison system offering support, counselling and hope to those inside. Chaplains will also work with the families of those who are in prisons as they also have a range of issues and needs that they may need someone to help or discuss with

Question 18

What do prison reformers do

Answer 18

Set out to improve the prison system. Their aim is to create a fair and humane justice system that not only punishes those who have committed crime but also helps with reform. The prison reform trust works across the uk to try and initiate change. Their main goals are

Question 19

What are the main goals of the prison reform trust

Answer 19

Reduce unnessacary imprisonment and promote community solutions to crime
Improve treatment and conditions for prisoners and their families
Promote equality and humans rights in the justice system
Reoffending rates in the UK are high and reformers argue that the prison systems doesn’t do enough to educate and train inmates so they don’t reoffend

Question 20

What are the current prison concerns

Answer 20

Overcrowding
Sanitary conditions
Violence
Drugs
Corruption

Question 21

What is capital punishment

Answer 21

Taking away the life of a condemned prisoner
The death penalty was abolished in the UK in 1973 except in the case of treason and abolished completely in 1998.
Under the european convention of human rights which Britain signed in 1999 execution was abolished throughout the European Union
Other nations such as certain states in the USA still have the death penalty although 12 states and the District of Columbia have banned it
It’s estimated that there’s 1 legal execution nearly every day somewhere in the world with the greates number being in china

Question 22

What are the Christian views against the death penalty

Answer 22

Only god has the right to take a life
“Thou shalt not kill”
“Turn the other cheek”- Matthew 5:39
“Love your enemies”matthew 5:44”
Goes against sanctity of life
Jesus taught compassion and forgiveness
Some Christian’s work as prison reform
Quakers have campaigned against the death penalty for nearly 200 years since they believe all human life should be respected
In romans 12:17-19

Question 23

What are Christian’s arguments in favour of the death penalty

Answer 23

Believe the death penalty is keeping with the Old Testament exodus 21:24 “ an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” and genesis 9:6 “ whoever sheds the blood of a man by man shall his blood be shed”
Often this is further justified by saying that the death penalty is administered by the authorities and not carried out in anger by an individual and that it’s designed to maintain law and order
Some would also argue that failure to show the seriousness of certain crimes leads to criminals not fearing serious punishment so being more prone to committing serious crimes
St Thomas Aquinas argued that peace in society was more important than reforming the sinner. He reflects the catholic church’s teaching that the protection of the whole of society is more important than the individual

Question 24

What we’re the Islamic attitudes in favour of the death penalty

Answer 24

Islam as a whole accept the death penalty
A severe sentence for severe crimes
While criminals will be punished by god on the day of judgement they should also be punished on earth
Forgiveness is important but so is the need to protect the ummah
See punishment as central to justice and stops people from making wrong choices
Quran 17:33 states “never take life” but also adds “except for just cause” and it’s thought that murder or attacking Islam are such just causes
In some countries shariah law is the law of the country. This sets out rules and the punishments including use of executions

Question 25

What are the Islamic attitudes against the death penalty

Answer 25

Quran 17:33 forbids taking a life
Some see “just cause” as permitting death penalty for murder
Many Muslim countries have the death penalty for crimes including adultery, homosexuality, terrorism and treason like Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran and Qatar
Growing number of Muslims oppose the death penalty as shariah law often used against women and the poor
Examples of executing the accused without access to a lawyer or proper trial
Some want to stress the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation within the religion
Many agree that punishment is integral to the principle of justice but there are more beneficial ways to punish an offender and keep law and order in society