Crime And Punishment Flashcards
What is sin?
Sin is acting against the will or laws of God.
Examples of sins include murder, stealing, adultery, and pride.
What is absolutism?
Absolutism is the belief that there are certain actions that are always right or always wrong.
Moral laws exist eternally and are not just human inventions.
What is relativism?
Relativism is the belief that there is no moral law and that rules governing right and wrong are human inventions that change over time and place.
Moral principles can vary from culture to culture and from era to era.
What constitutes a crime?
A crime is committed when someone breaks the law.
Laws define acceptable behavior for safety and can vary by country.
How do laws vary in different countries?
Laws can differ; for example, the legal age to buy alcohol is 21 in some states of America and 18 in Britain.
This shows how legal definitions and regulations can change between regions.
What is morality?
Morality is the process of deciding what is right or wrong.
It involves understanding behaviors related to sin and crime.
What is absolute morality?
Absolute morality is the principle that certain actions, like stealing, are always wrong regardless of context.
Examples include the belief that it is wrong to take innocent life in any situation.
What is an example of absolute morality?
Stealing is always wrong, even if one is starving.
The principle applies universally without exceptions.
What is relative morality?
Relative morality is the idea that moral principles can be adapted based on specific situations.
For instance, stealing may be acceptable if one has no other means to obtain food.
How can relative morality justify an action?
It allows for flexibility based on circumstances, such as killing in self-defense.
This contrasts with absolute morality, which does not permit exceptions.
What is the relationship between sin and crime?
Some sins are also crimes, like murder and stealing, while others, like adultery and pride, are not against the law.
This highlights the distinction between legal and moral transgressions.
Explain the difference between sin and crime with examples.
Sin is a moral wrongdoing against God’s laws, while crime is a violation of societal laws.
For example, murder is both a sin and a crime, but pride is only a sin.
What does the term ‘lawful’ refer to?
Lawful refers to actions that comply with the law, which can change over time.
For example, homosexuality was once illegal but is now lawful in many places.
What are the options available to a judge when sentencing a criminal?
Prison, fines, community service
Judges consider the advantages and drawbacks of various punishment options.
What is the purpose of deterrence in punishment?
To make a criminal think twice before breaking the law
Punishments must be proportionate to the crime to effectively deter.
Define punishment in the context of criminal justice.
The decision and a penalty imposed by a person in authority on the person who has committed wrong-doing.
How does seeing criminals punished affect society?
It puts other people off committing the same crime.
What should motivate punishments according to Christians?
Justice, not revenge.
What is the aim of rehabilitation in the context of punishment?
Helping criminals reform through education, counselling, and training.
What does retribution mean in the context of punishment?
Making the criminal pay for what they have done.
Fill in the blank: ‘An eye for _______’
an eye.
What societal factors contribute to criminal behavior?
Poverty and poor parenting.
What happens if societal factors like poverty are not addressed?
People will continue to offend.
True or False: Punishments can be too harsh to effectively deter crime.
True.
