Crime and punishment Flashcards
Why do we need laws?
- So people know the sort of behaviour to expect - if not it would be chaos
- Businesses and work couldn’t operate and the country would come to deadlock
- Protect the weak from the strong
- To ensure fairness and so nobody can be exploited.
Why does there need to be a link between the law and justice?
- If a law is unjust, people will feel that it is right to break the law.
- If they are unjust they don’t fulfil purpose of protecting the weak….. so theres no point
- If unjust people won’t obey laws and society will not know how to live and be in chaos
- If people think laws are unjust they will believe the government is falling and turn against them - possibly starting a civil war.
What are the theories of punishment?
- Retribution - pay for what they have down wrong.
- Deterrence - put people off committing crimes
- Reform - change criminals
- Protection - keep people safe
Why is justice important for christians?
- Bible says God is a god of justice and is just and will reward the righteous and punish the sinful
- Churches have organised successful Jubilee campaign to persuade governments of rich countries to cancel debts on poor countries as they believed it was unjust.
- The bible says that people should be treated fairly and that God wants the world to be ruled justly
- In the bible it says “blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”
Why is justice important for Hindus
- Believe that if your promote justice and are just you get good karma and gain moksha
- Ahimsa - encourages justice because the rich treating the poor badly is a form of violence.
- Mahatma Gandhi based his campaign for India’s independence of justice and developed many concepts of Hinduism based on justice
- Hindus believe they must perform dharma which is based on the ideas of justice
- Gurus and swarmis teach that peoples souls are improved if they treat people justly.
Non-religious arguments for capital punishment
- If people know they will die if they commit crimes then murders and crimes will drop
- Remove threats to society
- It is the only fitting punishment for those who commit murder is murder
- Saves us money and space in prisons
Non-religious arguments against capital punishment
- If people are wrongly convicted then they can be released from prison but not if they have been killed
- It hasn’t worked in the past as in USA more people commit murder with the death penalty then countries that don’t have it.
- Many regard life in prison worse than the death penalty
- It is revenge not punishment - no chance to let the person learn from their mistakes and gives courts too much power.
- If criminals know they will die they are more likely to kill more people anyway
Christians attitudes for capital punishment
- Bible gives the death penalty for many offences
- There is nothing to say it can’t be used as the Church haven’t cancelled their statement to say it can’t be used
- The church itself has used the death penalty for those who didn’t believe in the teachings
- Thomas Aquinas said that protection of society is more important than reforming the criminal to prevent mass murder and have ordered society.
Christian attitudes against capital punishment
- Jesus came yo save the sinners and you can’t reform them if they are dead
- Jesus said that an eye for an eye is wrong for christians
- Life is sacred so all life is sacred even criminals so its wrong
- It is still murder which is against the ten commandments
Christian attitudes against capital punishment
- Jesus came yo save the sinners and you can’t reform them if they are dead
- Jesus said that an eye for an eye is wrong for christians
- Life is sacred so all life is sacred even criminals so its wrong
- It is still murder which is against the ten commandments
Hindu attitudes against capital punishment
- Killing gives you bad karma which delays moksha
- Ahimsa
- Ghandi said an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind
- Life in prison is just as bad and doesn’t involve killing
Hindu attitudes for capital punishment
- The Vedas says ahimsa doesn’t apply to criminals
- Law of Manu says that you can kill someone to maintain ordered society
- Dharma says its peoples duty to protect society and capital punishment removes threat
- The Vahara Purana says a king can executer criminals to restore dharma and an ordered society.
Laws on TAD
Tabacco - Illegal to sell, buy under eighteen
All tobacco must have health warning on packaging
All tabaco adverts are banned
Cannot smoke in public areas like pubs, schools, workplace…
Alcohol - Illegal to give drink to kids under 5,
Kids under 16 can go to pubs but not smoke
16/17yrs can have wine/beer with parental supervision
Under 18s can’t buy alcohol
Drugs - It is illegal to sell, buy, supply or hold drugs
Laws on TAD
Tabacco - Illegal to sell, buy under eighteen
All tobacco must have health warning on packaging
All tabaco adverts are banned
Cannot smoke in public areas like pubs, schools, workplace…
Alcohol - Illegal to give drink to kids under 5,
Kids under 16 can go to pubs but not smoke
16/17yrs can have wine/beer with parental supervision
Under 18s can’t buy alcohol
Drugs - It is illegal to sell, buy, supply or hold drugs
Health issues caused by TAD
Tabacco - Increases risk of cancers, stroke, emphysema and bronchitis,
Pregnant mother can cause babies to be weaker, smaller and develop innormalities if they smoke.
Alcohol - Increased risk of liver,stomach and heart problems and cancers, you can become addicted
Leads to increase in road deaths
Drugs - Drugs can be toxic, develop infections and liver disease
Increased risk of self-harm.
