RS Theme E key terms (crime & punishment)

Crime

An offence which is punishable by law eg stealing, murder

Crime against the person

Wrongdoing that directly harms a person eg murder, assault

Crime against property

Damaging items that belong to someone else e.g. vandalism

Crime against the state

An offence aimed at damaging the government or a country eg treason, tax evasion, terrorism

Law

The system of rules a country/community recognises as regulating the action of its members, often enforced by the imposition of penalties

Greed

Wanting to possess wealth, goods, or items of value which aren't needed

Hate crime

A crime, often including violence, that's targeted at a person because of their race, religion, sexuality, disability, or gender identity

Retribution

An aim of punishment - to get your own back ('an eye for an eye')

punishment should be about making someone pay for what they've done

too harsh, waste of time/resources, criminal might not be guilty

Deterrence

An aim of punishment - to put people off committing crimes

if we punish people harshly enough, it will put other people off doing the same crime

Too harsh, Might not work (especially for more serious crimes), criminal might not be guilty

Reformation

An aim of punishment - to change someone's behaviour for the better

punishment should be about trying to make a person realise that what they did was wrong and never want to do it again

Not harsh enough - person doesn't deserve reformation, Waste of time/resources/government money that can be spent elsewhere

Free will

The ability of people to make decisions for themselves without constraint

Corporal punishment

Punishment of an offender by causing them physical pain. Now illegal in the UK

Purpose: use physical pain as a deterrent to stop the offender (and others) from committing a crime. Also can be seen as retribution to ensure the person 'pays' for their actions.

Forgiveness

Showing mercy & pardoning someone for what they've done wrong

Capital punishment

The legally authorised killing of someone as punishment for a crime

Criminal law

a system of law concerned with the punishment of offenders - the state prosecuting acts deemed harmful to society to punish offenders. Require proof ‘beyond a reasonable doubt’. Eg murder, theft

Civil law

the system of law concerned with private relations between members of a community rather than criminal, military, or religious affairs. Handles disputes between individuals/organisations seeking compensation. Cases require a lower ‘balance of probabilities’ standard. Eg family law, property disputes

Punishment

something legally done to someone as a result of being found guilty of breaking the law

Restitution

the return of something wrongfully taken and to compensate for loss/injury.

Civil - focuses on disgorging ill-gotten gains & restoring benefits to the plaintiff.

Criminal - a court-ordered payment from a convicted offender to a victim to cover financial losses eg medical bills, property damage, or lost wages

Sin

an action that separates humans from God / behaviour that goes against God’s laws, wishes, or mitzvot

Evil

a force or the personification of a negative power that’s seen in many traditions as destructive and against God / immoral/wicked

Tikkun Olam

healing the world - being involved in god's work to sustain the world e.g. working to increase social justice or preserve the environment

Reform

to make changes in something, especially an institution or practice in order to improve it

Repentance

the action of repenting / sincere regret or remorse

Tzedakah

obligatory charity giving - jews have to give some of money to those in need. The highest form of this is to help people become self-sustaining. For example, lots of synagogues have a tzedakah box, and lots of people have them at home for extra change which they then give to charity

Tzedek

justice - making a better world by challenging & changing the system. A more long-term fix than chesed or tzedakah

Justice

just behaviour or treatment - doing what is fair and right

Free will

the ability of people to make decisions for themselves without constraint

Chesed

voluntary love & kindness - e.g. Giving someone food who needs it, visiting the sick, helping people

Community service

A way of punishing offenders by making them do unpaid work in the community.

Purpose: reform the offender and allow them to learn new skills and experience the positive impact of giving back to society. Also services as reparations by letting the offender 'pay back' the community for harm caused by their crime.

Prison

A secure building where offenders are kept for periods of time set by a judge.

Purpose: punish wrongdoing, provide justice for families, protect society, provide an opportunity for the criminal to reflect on actions and realise were wrong

Forgiveness

showing mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done wrong

Repentance

saying sorry, a way of believers acknowledging to god that things have gone wrong

Teshuvah

the process of returning to one’s true self, moral integrity, and alignment with God. Jewish version of repentance, or ‘returning to God’

Yom Kippur

the most solemn religious fast of the Jewish year, the last of the ten days of penitence that begin with Rosh Hashana

The Ten Days of Repentance between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are traditionally the time to ask forgiveness for an offence.

On Yom Kippur, Jews traditionally believe that transgressions between people and G-d are forgiven. However, any transgressions between people can only be forgiven if the transgressor has sought forgiveness form the person they have hurt.

Death penalty

capital punishment, a form of punishment in which a prisoner is put to death for crimes committed. Permanently abolished in the UK in 1969