crime and punishment

Question 1

good and evil intentions and actions-christians

Question 2

good and evil intentions and actions-buddhist

Question 3

reasons why people commit crimes-poverty

Answer 3

-christians- stealing is wrong but people should do what they can to help make sure nobody finds themselves in the position of having to steal becauseof poverty
buddhists- stealing contradicts the second moral precept

Question 4

reasons why people commit crimes-upbringing

Answer 4

-christians- parents should teach their children the right way to behave through their own words and actions- —
- buddhists-people need supportive conditions growing up in order to develop sensitivity to others and to learn ho to behave ethically

Question 5

reasons why people commit crimes-mental illness

Answer 5

• christians- treating the causes of the illness is the most loving and compassionate way of dealing with it
• buddhists- everyone sees reality in a distorted way which leads people to inflict suffering on themselves

Question 6

reasons why people commit crimes-addiction

Answer 6

-christians- against taking illegal drugs and support rehabilitation as a way of of defeating an addiction
- buddhists - people under the influence of drugs lose awareness and so are less sensitive to others. fifth moral precpt

Question 7

reasons why people commit crimes-greed

Answer 7

-christians- the ten commandments forbid evy that often causes greed
-buddhists- acting out of greed i s unskilful and leads to suffering

Question 8

reasons why people commit crimes-hate

Answer 8

-christians- jesus taught to love everybody icluding their enemies
-buddhists- hatred is one of three poisons and one of the main causes of suffering

Question 9

reasons why people commit crimes-opposition to an unjust law

Answer 9

-christians- may agree if no violence is involved and nobody gets harmed
-buddhists- might disobey a law that expresses prejudice and hatred

Question 10

religous beiefes on law breaker-christians

Answer 10

• offenders must be punished
• have basic rights
• helped to become responsible members of society
• parable of sheep and goats

Question 11

religous beiefes on law breaker-buddhism

Answer 11

-does not favour the idea of punishment
- rooted in vengeance
- there will be consequences for people who act unskilfully

Question 12

type of crime-Hate crime

Answer 12

christians-condemn hate crimes because they believe god created all humas equal
- taught his followers to love your neighbour mark 12:31
buddhists-one of the three posuons
- - no justification for hatred or intolerance

Question 13

type of crime-theft

Answer 13

christians- teft is against the ten commandments
- christians do not agree with any theft including theft caused by need rather than greed
buddhists- theft breaks secondmoral consept
- stregthens greed
- expresses lack of respect

Question 14

type of crime-murder

Answer 14

• christian- murder is wrong only god cant take away life
• againts ten commandemnts exodus 20:13
  buddhists- breaks first moral precept
  inflicts suffring

Question 15

retribution- to change someones behaviour for the better

Answer 15

• aims to use punihsment that helps offenders to give up crime
• may involve therapy or counselling
  -christians- favour reformation over other aims of punishment
  – positive reather than negative
• buddhists- should be encourage to recognisethe sufferingthey have caused apolagisr to their victims

Question 16

detterence- to put someone of f committing crimes

Answer 16

• use punishment to put people off of repeating the crime
• christians- dont have a real problem with it
• do not support punishments that are exccessively harsh
• buddhists may not work if people are in grip of three poisons
• ## might agree it is important t protct society from certain criminals

Question 17

reformation- to get your own back

Answer 17

-criminals shpoudlbe made to suffer in proportion to how serious their crimes
christians- ‘do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good’ romans 21:21’
- focus on other aims of punishment
- some support the death penalty ‘eye for eye tooth for tooth’exodus 21:23-24
- buddhist- form of violence and is wrong
-

Question 18

christian attitudes to suffering

Answer 18

• they hage a duty to help those who are suffering
• follow example of jeus
• try nto to cause others ufferimng
• ’ we also glory in our sufferings because we know that suffering produces perseverence ‘ romans 5:3-4

Question 19

buddhist attitudes to suffering

Answer 19

• overcome suffering and achive enlightenment
• ## inevitable part of life

Question 20

prison

Answer 20

• loss of liberty
• locked in cells
  reserved for serious crimes
  christian- support use of prisons for serious crime
• prisoners should be treate well involved in positive activities and education that help them to reform
  buddhist- protect society from dangerous criminals
• time and space for rehabilitayion

Question 21

corporal punishment

Answer 21

• inflicting physical pain
• breach of human laws
  -christians- support cotporal punishment negstive and harmful
  -buddhists- expresses violnec encourages resent ment

Question 22

community service

Answer 22

• includes work in commmunity
• minor offences
  -christians- approve of community service as it allows offenders to make up for what they have done wrong
  -buddhists- approve of community service to rehabilitate criminals
  -directlt addresses the crime