Crime And Punishment Flashcards
two reasons why crime punishment exists
- to suppress the people so government have control
- to protect our human rights
what are the three main types of crime
- crimes against the person
- crime against the property
- crime against the state
what are some causes of crime (6)
- mental illness
- poverty
- upbringing
- addiction
- greed
- hate
what are the three aims of punishment
- retribution
- reformation
- deterrence
what is retribution + neg and pos impacts
- it is to get your own back. ‘an eye for an eye’.
- pos is that is it simple and east to understand
- neg is that solving killing with more killing is like solving hate with more hate
what is reformation + neg and pos impacts
- it is to change someones behaviour for the better.
- pos is that its a peaceful method, doesnt involve more pain.
- neg is that offenders get treated with more care than they deserve
what is a deterrence + neg and pos impacts
- it is to put people off of committing crimes.
- pos is that it prevents crimes by innocent before they happen.
- neg is that it humiliates people and doesnt work well now
Christian attitudes towards different types of punishment
they dislike punishment that requires pain inflicted on offender and prefer methods of reformation
what are Christian beliefs towards criminals
- Christians believe we should cater for them. (parable of the sheep) ‘for i was in prison and you came to visit me’
- Christians believe we should treat them the way we treat everyone. ‘love thy neighbour’ (life has intrinsic value)
what is the parable of the sheep
the left sheep help all people and go to Heaven whereas the right sheep that dont are punished and go to Hell
religious beliefs about getting the law broken to get a bad law changed (scripture and case study)
- Christians against because authority has been given by God. ‘give to ceasars what is caesars’ - Jesus
- People can be for it if laws hold may people down. rosa parks breaking the law by not moving to the back of the bus, sparked civil rights movement
what is corporal punishment
physical punishment like caning
non-religious arguments for corporal punishment
- acts as a deterrent (Saudi Arabia crime rate is low)
- its a simple punishment (retribution) less time wasted in court
- psychological impacts, suffering. feared more than prison
non-religious arguments against corporal punishment
- inhumane and barbaric, human rights
- hardens criminals, becomes less and less effective
- purposefully inflicting pain is morally wrong
- doesnt change them, only leaves temporary physical scars
religious argument for corporal punishment
‘he who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly’