Crime and punishment Flashcards
What is crime
An offence punishable by law
What are bye-laws
Laws that are made by local councillors
What are parliamentary laws
Laws made by the government
What are non-indictable offences
Minor crimes that are usually dealt with in a magistrates court
What are indictable offences
Serious crimes dealt with in criminal courts with a judges and jury
What are crimes against the person
Crimes that cause direct harm to people e.g. murder
What are crimes against the property
Crimes that damage people’s property e.g. arson
What are crimes against the state
These crimes potentially harm everyone in the country e.g. terrorism
Crimes against religion
These rules are set by religion and only apply to its followers. They may or not be classified as crime.
What causes crime
Lack of education and qualifications Abusive and violent parents Broken homes Drug, gambling or alcohol addiction Periods of high unemployment Gang rivalry Violence portrayed in films/TV Mental illness
What are the three types of Crime
Crime against the person
Crime against property
Crime against the state
What are the 6 aims of punishments
Protection Retribution Deterrence Reformation Vindication Reparation
What is blasphemy
Insulting God or sacred things and the making of images of God. It is also a religious offence, illegal in Ireland, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
What is a sin
Breaking a religious and moral law
What is a duty
A moral or legal obligation
What is a responsibility
A duty to care for or having control over something or someone
What is a conscience
The inner feeling you are doing right or wrong
What is protection
Keeping the public from being harmed, threatened and injured by criminals
What is retribution
Getting revenge and giving criminals what they deserve
What is deterrence
Putting people off committing crimes
What is reformation
Changing someone’s behaviour for the better
What is vindication
Showing offenders that the law is right and they will be punished if they don’t follow it
What is reparation
An aim of punishment designed to help an offender to put something back into society to help make up for their crime
What is forgiveness
Showing grace and mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done wrong
What is repentance
Being truly sorry and changing your behaviour so as not to do the same again
Who is a young offender
A person under 18 who has broken the law
What is imprisonment
When a person is put in jail for committing a crime
How are young offenders treated if the offence is minor
They are dealt with without court involvement e.g. the police can use warnings, ASBOs or child safety orders. The aim is to prevent further offences and give support from an early age
How are young offenders treated if the offence is serious
A hearing is held in a youth court. If found guilty, they may be fined, given a reparation order or receive a curfew.
The most serious cases are heard in a Crown Court and the young person is held in custody. If they’re found guilty, they would be sent to a:
Secure training centre or,
Secure children’s home or,
Young offender institution
What is a curfew
A certain time you have to be home
What is a youth court
A part of the Magistrate’s Court dealing with under 18’s
What is a Secure training centre
A purpose built centre for young offenders which have a focus on education and rehabilitation
What are Secure children’s homes
Homes run by the local authority social services department and focus on attending to the physical, emotional and behavioural needs of the young people they accommodate
What are Young offender institutions
Institutions run by the Prison Service and accommodate 15 - 21 year olds. Those under 18 are held in separate juvenile wings
What are the advantages of prison
Prison acts as a deterrent and ensures the law is respected (vindication)
Protects society from dangerous and violent criminals
Gives offenders a chance to reflect on their actions and decide to change
It isolates those who deserve such punishment from their family and friends (retribution)
What are the disadvantages of prison
70% reoffend, showing the system is not working
Children are deprived of a parent through no fault of their own
Prison is expensive, costing taxpayers £30,000/ year to keep one person
It is a school for crime
What is the death penalty
A form of capital punishment, where a prisoner is put to death for crimes committed
What are arguments for capital punishments
Cheaper alternative than keeping murders alive in prison
Meets aim of retribution - terrorists and murderers deserve to die, (‘an eye for an eye’ - Exodus)
Deters people from doing horrendous crimes because they know if they are caught they will die
What are arguments against capital punishments
Innocent people have accidentally been executed
Only God has the right to take life
Reformed criminals can be an enormous influence for good
Executing terrorists would make them martyrs & provoke further atrocities
Why do some Christians support capital punishment
‘Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed’ - Genesis
They see the threat of the death penalty as a deterrent to prevent serious crime e.g. in the USA, many Christians support the use of lethal injections and the electric chair
Why do some Christians not support capital punishment
No proof capital punishment is a better deterrent
An innocent person could be wrongly killed. Removes the possibility of repentance which is emphasised in Luke
Only God can take life
What are the different forms of punishment
Community service Electronic tagging Fines Probation Life imprisonment Early release
What is community service
A punishment for offenders who have committed crimes for which they could’ve gone to prison for months rather than years. The aim is to combine punishment with changing offender’s behaviour and making amends to the community
Advantages of community service
Cheaper than prison (1/10th of price)
Less contact with other criminals
Greater success rate with reformation
Disadvantages of community service
Seen as a soft option by some
Criminals may still continue to break the law
What is electronic tagging
Tagging prisoners who are serving 3-4 months but have been released early
Advantages of electronic tagging
Cheaper than prison (£2,000 approx./year)
Stops sex offenders from going within 100 yards of a school or park
Only 2% of offenders have committed more crimes while tagged
What are fines
Money paid as punishment for a crime
What is probation
When offenders are given suspended sentences, which means that if they get into trouble again within a specific time they will go to prison. A probation officer will give them advice and help them obey the law on a weekly basis
Advantages of probation
Offenders can continue working
They still have their freedom, family and friends and can receive support to reform
What is parole
When a prisoner is released without having completed their sentence because they have behaved well and accepted their guilt
Advantages of parole
Offender gets second chance and opportunity to become a law abiding citizen
Disadvantages of parole
Victim of original crime may feel this is unfair; although the offender has shown good behaviour in prison, they may not on the outside and reoffend
What is life imprisonment
A prison sentence that (theoretically) keeps people in prison until they die. However, the average sentence is about 15 years before the criminal becomes eligible for parole
Advantage of life imprisonment
The prospect of release does give hope to prisoners and reduces bad psychological impacts on them
Disadvantage of life imprisonment
Victims and their relatives may not be happy that for example, a convicted murderer may be released one day
Advantage of early release
The offender gets a second chance and a opportunity to become law abiding
Disadvantages of early release
The victim may feel it is unfair
The offender may reoffend
What is prison reform
There are several organisations e.g. Prison Reform Trust which are trying to improve conditions for prisoners. They feel that overcrowded prisons do not help prisoners reform and think that prisons should just be for the worst offenders, rather than those who commit minor crimes or have mental problems
Why do some people disagree with giving prisoners better conditions
They say prisons will become like holiday camps and will no longer be a deterrent too crime.
Hindus encourage education and meditation as a way of repairing the minds of lawbreakers.
Families of those in prison need more support instead
Buddhist attitudes to punishment
Important to protect society
Against retribution (First Moral Precept)
Believe in reformation and protection
Christian attitudes to punishment
Against retribution
Support vindication and reparation
Stress forgiveness & reformation
Hindu attitudes to punishment
Stress reformation for the importance of karma (to prevent bad karma)
4 main aims are: reformation, retribution, deterrence & protection
Muslim attitudes to punishment
Stress the importance of deterrence so there is a lot of public humiliation
Victim satisfaction is very important
The law also needs to be respected
Jewish attitudes to punishment
Find deterrence very important
Criminals also need to repent and ask for God’s forgiveness (reformation)
Sikh attitudes to punishment
Against retribution
Support protection and reformation
