Theme E - Crime and Punishment

difference between a sin and a crime

• Sin is an action that separates humans from God

  • Examples in Christianity: adultery, stealing, worshipping idols, using God's name in vain, killing

  • Examples in Judaism: breaking one of the thirty-nine melachot, not keeping kosher (unless during shabbat or for Pikuach Nefesh reasons)

• Crime is an action that is illegal and punishable by law

  • Examples: murder, fraud, tax evasion, shoplifting, assault

christian view on good and evil

• christians believe evil is wrong

• they accept that god made people to be good but with a tendency to do bad things

christian and jewish view on stealing

• stealing for any reason is wrong

• christians try and ensure that nobody is forced to steal

this is the same for judaism

christian and jewish view on upbringing as a reason to commit crime

• christianity - parents should teach their children the right way to behave through their actions

• jewish - children should be brought up in the faith in a moral way

christian and jewish view on mental illness as a reason to commit crime

• christian: treating the cause of the illness is the most loving thing to do

• jewish: jews are expected to care for the mentally ill

chrisian and jewish view on additction as a reason to commit crime

• christian - christians are against taking illegal drugs. they support rehabilitation. they think alcohol is fine in moderation

• jewish - people should be helped to overcome their illness.

chrisian and jewish view on greed as a reason to commit crime + Quote

• christian - the ten commandments forbid envy and it is envy that often causes greed

• jewish - greed is discouraged by the ten commandments

• quote = You shall not covet

chrisian and jewish view on hate as a reason to commit crime

• christian - jesus taught christians to love everyone

• jewish - hatred is against Jewish morality

chrisian and jewish view on opposition to an unjust law as a reason to commit crime

• christian - some christians may believe in this if no violence is involved and no one is harmed

• jewish = jews do not encourage this but if a law is against Jewish morality they may work to change it

quote for following the law

“let everyone be subject to the governing authorities” - Romans 13:1

christian attitudes towards lawbreakers

• christians believe the law should be respected

• offenders should be punished by the law

• offenders have basic human rights so they shouldnt be given an inhumane punishment.

• instead their punishmen should help them become a useful member of society and encourage them not to reoffend

jewish attitudes towards lawbreakers

• the law of the country should be respected as long as it doesnt contradict the torah

• punishment should reflect the severity of the crime in order to deter others

• however punishment should not be unreasonably harsh

• offenders should be helped so they do not reoffend

parable of the sheep and the goats

• shows how helping prisoners is like helping jesus and it is a virtuous action

• “i was in prison and you came to visit me” - Matthew

different types of crime

• hate crimes = violence targeted at a person because of race, religion, sexuality etc

• theft = less serious than other crimes but still results in victim suffering

• murder = one of the worst crimes.

religious attitudes to different types of crime

• hate crimes are condemned by both christians and jews

• christians and jews also think murder is wrong because only God can give or take life and it goes against the ten commandments

• theft is not allowed according to the ten commandments

  • both jews and christians do not allow theft even if the victim needs it to supply food for their family

three aims of punishment

• retribution = getting your own back

• deterrence = put other people off committing the crime

• reformation = changing someones behaviour for the better

christian view on retribution (quote x2)

• many christians think other forms of punishment are better,

• a teaching to support this is - “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good”

• some christians support the death penalty (“eye for an eye”)

jewish view on retribution + quote

• jews to not take “eye for eye” literally and they think retribution goes against jewish teachings

• a teaching to support this is “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge”

christian view on deterrence

• although most Christians agree with deterring people from committing crimes, they do not support punishment that causes harm to the offender

• they oppose public punishments because they think offenders should be treated with respect

jewish view on deterrence

• the belief that humans should be treated with respect regardless of what theyve done discourages Jews from making examples of offenders to deter others

• punishment as a deterrent is accepted if it is necessary but should always be humane

christian view on reformation

• most christians favour reformation over other aims of punishment because it is positive and helps individuals improve their life chances

• it is not a replacement for punishment but should happen alongside punishment

jewish views on reformation

• most jews favour reformation over other aims of punishment

• punishment should be compassionate as an example of correct behaviour

• punishment should help offenders turn their lives around

• reformation should not replace punishment

christian attitudes to suffering + quote

• whatever the cause christians believe they have a duty to help those who are suffering

• paul wrote “suffering produces perserverance”

• christians follow the example of jesus, who helped many people that were suffering

jewish attitudes towards suffering

• jews try to help anyone who is suffering

• the holocaust has caused jews to question why such suffering happened to people chosen by god

• they accept that suffering is as a result of human evil due to free will - it is not caused by God

christian attitudes to causing suffering to others

• jesus taught love and respect

• this does not always work and sometimes christians cause suffering to others

• when this happens christians are taught to apologise and repair the damage

jewish attitudes to causing suffering to others

• jews are against causing suffering to others

• they believe you shouldnt do things to others that you wouldnt want done to yourself

christian beliefs - prison

• many christians believe that prisoners should be treated well when in prison

• they are keen to help prisoners have a useful stay in prison, for example encouraging programs that help them gain skills

jewish beliefs - prison

• the torah makes no mention of prisons but most Jews today agree with the use of prisons for those who commit serious crimes

• prisoners should be treated well and have the opportunity to reflect on their actions

christian beliefs - corporal punishment

• most christians do not support coroporal punishment

• it does not seek to reform an offender and it physically harms the person

• so it is negative and harmful

jewish beliefs - coroporal punishment

• the torah and talmud both allow corporal punishment but most jews today are against it

• they instead emphasise the importance of positive discipline that doesnt harm the offender but encourages the offender to reform their ways

christian beliefs - community service

• christians agree with community service for offenders who are likely to benefit from it

• it allows offenders to make up for what they have done wrong, deters them from committing offences in the future, and helps them realise the consequences of their actions

• no harm is done to the offender and it helps the community as well

success of community service

• a dutch study found that 40% of those given community service reoffended after 5 years, whereas 60% who were put in prison reoffended after 5 yrs

jewish belief - community service

• jews see community service as a way for offenders to repair the damage they have caused

• it can help offenders to reform and although it involves physical labour, it is not harmful

christian attitudes to forgiveness

• forgiveness is a key believe in christianity but they dont think it should replace punishment

quote for forgiveness - jesus on the cross

“father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”

quote for forgiveness - lord’s prayer

“forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”

jewish attitudes to forgiveness

• forgiveness is important in judaism but it is not expected to be an automatic response

• offenders should show remorse to their victims and ask for forgiveness, then be expected to be forgiven by the victim and God

• between rosh hashanah and yom kippur, jews ask for forgiveness

• it is not a replacment for punishment

views in favour of the death penalty

• the principle of utility states an action is right if it produces the maximum for the greatest number of people affeted by it

• death penalty is justified retribution for those who commit the worst possible crimes

• it protects society by removing the worst criminals

views against the death penalty

• there is a chance of killing an innocent person

• there is little evidence that it is an effective deterrent

• it is not right to take another person’s life

christian views - death penalty

• the sanctity of life - only god can give or take life

• however some christians think that the death penalty is sometimes justified (“Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed”)

jewish views - death penalty

• the torah identifies 36 offences that should be punishable by death

• however the talmud has conditions that make if difficult to pass a death penalty

• many jews use sanctity of life to argue against the death penalty