Criminal and Civil Justice

Question 1

Why do we have laws

Answer 1

To protect people
To stop people from hurting others
To make sure society runs smoothly

Question 2

Who would suffer if there weren’t any laws

Answer 2

The vulnerable people in society e.g. the weak, poor, elderly, young, ill

Question 3

Why do people break the laws

Answer 3

They can profit from crime
They think the law is unfair
They don't think they are hurting anyone 
They are angry with society
To make a point

Question 4

What is Criminal Law

Answer 4

Offences such as murder and drug dealing. There are cases between the state and the offender

Question 5

What courts are used for Criminal Law

Answer 5

Crown courts for serious cases

Magistrate’s courts for less serious cases

Question 6

What is Civil Law

Answer 6

Disputes between individuals or groups. It is often about rights e.g. complaints about noisy neighbours

Question 7

What courts are used for Civil Law

Answer 7

County court … used for most cases
High court … deals with complex family or money matters
Small claims court… deals with small cases

Question 8

Who decides the outcomes for court cases

Answer 8

For Criminal Cases
A judge and jury decide serious cases in a crown court
A magistrate decides less serious cases in a crown court
For Civil Cases
A judge without a jury

Question 9

Who puts the law into practice

Answer 9

A judge - decides punishments to give to offenders in serious cases
Magistrates- 7 years experience as solicitors
Jury - 12 random adults in a crown court who decide if someone is guilty or not
Police - enforces the law
Solicitors - prepares the case before going to court & gives legal advice
Barristers- biased representatives of their clients

Question 10

What is the point of punishment

Answer 10

Separation of the criminal
Protects the public
Shows society will not accept the behaviour
Deter people from committing crimes
To try and make people become better citizens through rehabilitation

Question 11

Types of punishment given in the UK

Answer 11

Prison
Community service
Curfew (Electronic tagging)
Exclusion order
Reparation order
Fines - Crown courts can impose unlimited fines but they must reflect the offender’s ability to pay
Absolute discharge- Going to court is punishment enough
Conditional discharge - Keeping out of trouble for a set period or you’ll be punished for the original offence

Question 12

Definition of an appeal

Answer 12

Trying to get the court’s decision to be changed if you don’t think you had a fair trial or the sentence is too harsh