Crime And Punishment

Question 1

Why would someone commit a crime?

Answer 1

• to fit in - peer pressure
• if someone is living in extreme poverty - may steal food or clothes
• someone who is addicted to drugs/alcohol may commit crimes to feed this habit
• because of rage, jealously or greed
• during riots/acts of rebellion

Question 2

What are the five aims of punishment?

Answer 2

• deterrence
• reformation
• retribution
• justice
• protection

Question 3

What is deterrence?

Answer 3

• punishment that aims to put people off committing a crime or reoffending.

Question 4

What is reformation?

Answer 4

• punishment that aims to reform a criminal

Question 5

What is retribution?

Answer 5

• a punishment that aims to make the criminal pay for what that have done

Question 6

What is justice?

Answer 6

• the aim to ensure that the right and fair thing is done

Question 7

Types/aims of punishment

Answer 7

• prison - deterrence/reformation
• electronic tagging - deterrence
• fines - retribution
• community service - reformation/retribution
• capital punishment - deterrence
• probation - reformation

Question 8

What is protection?

Answer 8

• Keeping society safe from criminals

Question 9

Catholic attitude to death penalty

Answer 9

• traditionally allowed, but not encouraged
• Pope John Paul II - non lethal punishments are ‘more in keeping with the concrete conditions of the common good’ ‘dignity of the human person’

Question 10

Conservative Christians

Answer 10

• advocate for DP because follows the Old Testament - law of ‘an eye for an eye’
• argue it was therefore created by God

Question 11

Non-religious attitude for the death penalty

Answer 11

• criminally insane cannot be reformed
• only way to truly protect society
• only way victims get closure

Question 12

Non - religious attitude against the death penalty

Answer 12

• just state - sanctioned murder
• evidence innocent people have been executed (miscarriage of justice)
• state should be a moral force for good

Question 13

Liberal Christian attitude to the death penalty

Answer 13

• believe only God has the right to take a life, goes against sanctity of life - ‘thou shall not kill’

Question 14

Quaker attitude to death penalty

Answer 14

• Quakers - campaigned against since 1818, all life should be respected because it reflects God
Believes punishments should be used to reform, ‘do what is right’

Question 15

Role of a prison reformer

Answer 15

• person who changes prisons for the better
• EXAMPLE - Elizabeth Fry was a Quaker who visited females in prison, led them to study the bible and set up classes for job skills
• wanted separate female rooms

Question 16

Role of prison chaplains

Answer 16

• provide religious guidance for prisoners
• listening to confessions
• briefed on new members
• see everyone within 24 hours
• inmates attend chapel - no barriers
• improve mental health and self-worth
• many feel it is their vocation