Crime and Punishment

Question 1

What is justice?

Answer 1

Being fair and reasonable

Question 2

What is a crime?

Answer 2

An illegal act which can be punished

Question 3

What is punishment?

Answer 3

The imposition of a penalty for wrongdoing

Question 4

What is protection?

Answer 4

A legal measure aimed at preserving another person’s rights and freedoms

Question 5

What is retribution?

Answer 5

A punishment given as vengeance for a wrongdoing. The act of taking revenge

Question 6

What is forgiveness?

Answer 6

To stop feeling angry or resentful towards a person for a wrongdoing

Question 7

What is restorative justice?

Answer 7

Justice which tries to rehabilitate offenders through reconciliation with victims and the community

Question 8

What is torture?

Answer 8

To inflict pain on someone as a punishment or in order to force them to do something

Question 9

What are human rights?

Answer 9

The basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person eg right to life, freedom from torture, just trial

Question 10

What is a fair trial?

Answer 10

A trial by a neutral court, conducted so it gives all people involved the rights required by law

Question 11

What is trial by jury?

Answer 11

A trial in which someone is judged by a group of ordinary people chosen for the purpose (jury)

Question 12

What is the greater good? Utilitarianism

Answer 12

Doing something that most likely will not only benefit the person doing it but many people

Question 13

What is the death penalty?

Answer 13

Punishment by execution

Question 14

What is capital punishment?

Answer 14

Punishment by execution

Question 15

What do Buddhists understand by justice

Answer 15

Kamma: actions and the consequences of those actions. Unskilful actions lead to suffering and a poor rebirth. This could be seen as justice in action.
Buddhists do support justice systems also as a skilful way of dealing with crime.

Question 16

5 precepts

Answer 16

to avoid harming any being
to avoid taking
to avoid sexual misconduct
to avoid intoxicants
to avoid wrong speech

Question 17

Sila

Answer 17

ethics. For Buddhists this is following 5 precepts, right action, right speech right livelihood, applying compassion and loving kindness and acting mindfully and skilfully

Question 18

Examples of bad people that changed in Buddhism

Answer 18

Angulimala
Milarepa

Question 19

Why is forgiveness important for Buddhists

Answer 19

allows person to let go of anger and hatred, which would be harmful
Allows the other person to change
could lead to reconciliation
Allows a person to move on in a positive way
“ hate does not end with hate, but with love”
Easier if other person is remorseful

Question 20

What do Buddhists understand by evil?

Answer 20

People are not born evil.
Evil actions are actions that are unskilful and based on 3 poisons and craving
“By oneself is evil done, by oneself is evil left undone”

Question 21

How should Buddhists treat prisoners

Answer 21

1st precept: To avoid harm
“ All tremble at violence”
No torture
Given opportunity to reform and rehabilitate
Treated with kindness and compassion (Angulimala)
Fair trial

Question 22

Vinaya Code

Answer 22

extra rules that monks have to follow on top of 5 precepts

Question 23

Punishments for monks that break vinaya code

Answer 23

censureship, demotion, suspension
But if they show true remorse will be allowed back