crime and punishment 💵🔫

What is crime?

What is punishment?

An offence which is punishable by law

Something legally done to somebody after being found guilty of breaking the law

What are crime and punishment ?

Magistrates and crown courts involved in hearing cases

Courts decide whether they are guilty

If guilty impose a sentence

In Uk most sever sentence is life in prison

Muslim countries follow Shari’ah law

Some Muslim countries use the death penalty

Death penalty does not exist in the Uk

What are good and evil intentions and actions?

Good actions can be performed outside the law

Eg giving to charity

Being kind

Many evil actions are against the law

Cause suffering or death

Not all evil actions come from evil intentions

In Uk the intention of the criminal will be accounted for

Why does poverty make people commit crimes?

Cannot afford to buy food for family so steal

Christian- society should ensure nobody has to steal food

They support food banks

Muslims- Zakah exists to ensure nobody lives in poverty

It cannot help everybody so the community should become involved as well

Why does upbringing cause people to commit crimes?

People grow up in a household where crime is a way of life

Encouraged to commit crime

Christian- parents should teach their children the right way to behave through their own words and actions

Muslim- the strong extended family should ensure Muslims are guided to respect the law

Why does mental illness cause people to commit crime?

Some mental illnesses may lead people into crime

Anger management and depression could lead to violence and drug abuse

Christian- treating the causes of the illness is the most loving thing to do

Muslim- should be treated, punishment is justified

Why does addiction cause people to commit crime?

Taking illegal drugs is a crime.

May commit further crimes to be able to buy drugs

Christian- against taking illegal drugs

Support rehabilitation

Permit alcohol but not excess

Muslim- illegal drugs and alcohol are not allowed in Islam

Addiction is no excuse for criminal behaviour

Why does greed cause people to commit crimes?

People want personal possessions that they do not need and cannot afford

Their greed may lead them to steal

Christian- ten commandments forbid envy and envy often causes greed

“You shall not covet… anything that belongs to your neighbour” Exodus

Muslims- greed is a temptation that should be avoided

“Competing for more distracts you until you go into your graves”

Why does hate cause people to commit crimes?

Can lead to violence or aggression towards whatever the offender hates

Christian- hatred is against Christian morality

Muslim- hatred is against Muslim morality

Why could opposition to an unjust law lead to committing a crime?

Laws that are biased or prejudice or breaches basic human rights is wrong and should be changed

Eg Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, The suffragettes.

Christian- protests have to be peaceful and not cause violence

Against discrimination

Muslim- Shari’ah law is God’s law and therefore cannot be unjust

Against discrimination

What are religious views to lawbreakers?

Both against people committing crimes

Shari’ah law has to be obeyed and so should any just and fair laws in other countries

If found innocent they are able to resume normal life

Lawbreakers have rights that should be protected even when punished

Christian’s believe that the offender should be helped so they do not offend again

Parable of sheep’s and goats

Christian’s believe that inhumane treatment of offenders is wrong

“God commands justice and prohibits wrongdoing, and injustice” Qur’an

What are religious attitudes to murder?

Christian- condemned by them

“Love thy neighbour”

“Thou shalt not kill”

Muslim- against God

“Thou shalt not kill”

“To kill one is to kill all mankind”

What are religious views on hate crime?

Christian’s- makes a society without discrimination impossible to achieve

God created all humans equal

“Love thy neighbour”

Muslims- God created humans with equal value and none are inferior

Makes a society without discrimination impossible to achieve

Islam- means peace

What are religious beliefs about theft?

Christian’s- sympathetic towards those doing it out of need rather than greed

The needy should be cared for so no reason to resort to crime

“Treat others how you want to be treated”

Muslims- sympathetic to those doing it out of need rather than greed

Needy should be cared for by the community so no reason to resort to crime

How does Shari’ah law classify crimes?

Unforgivable crimes (hadud)- such as adultery, theft, drinking alcohol

Forgivable crimes (Al-jynayaat)- crimes against right of individual, bodily harm or murder

Community crimes(Al Ta’azir)- crimes that affect the community eg fraud

Crimes against the state law(Al-Mukhalafat)- against the law of the state eg speeding

What is retribution?

An aim of punishment to get your own back

“An eye for an eye”

On behalf of society and the victim

Criminals receive the same damage to the victims

Match the fate of the victim

Religious beliefs about retribution

Christian- least positive

Teaches revenge and anger

Old Testament “ Take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth”

Muslim- “eye for eye, wound for wound”

An Al-Jinayaat crime means if life is taken the victim can grant mercy or ask for death penalty

Punishment for going against Gods law

Given on Gods behalf

What is reformation?

Aim of punishment to change someone’s behaviour for the better

Helps offender’s understand their behaviour

Hope they change and become good citizens

Involve group therapy sessions, counselling

What are religious beliefs about reformation?

Christian- prefer

“Do not take revenge my dear friends, leave room for Gods wrath…Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good”

Not a replacement for punishment but done at the same time

Muslims- necessary for offenders to seek God’s forgiveness and become purified

Education and financial advice help offender to reform

What is deterrence?

Aim of punishment to put people off committing crimes

Seeing others punished may put them off

Deter them from reoffending

Used to be in public to deter others

Religious beliefs about deterrence?

Christian- every human should be treated with respect regardless of what they’ve done

Public shaming is not acceptable

Muslims- way of controlling others and their behaviour

Public punishments to put shame to the offender and to warn others

Way of learning from the punishment

Christian attitudes to suffering

Cause by people or can be natural eg illness

Try to help others who are suffering

Good can come out of suffering “suffering produces perseverance; character and hope”

Follow example of Jesus

Free will causes suffering

Use free will wisely

Muslims attitudes to suffering

Cause by people of natural

God is aware of all types

God would not allow suffering greater than a person can endure

Suffering is a test from God to see how faithful a person is

“If you are steadfast and mindful of God, this is the best course”

What are Christian views on causing suffering?

Against

“Love thy neighbour”

Jesus spoke out against violence- even in self defence”

No human is perfect and if they cause suffering they should be sorry for what they’ve done

What are Muslim views on causing suffering?

Causing suffering is against Islamic teachings

The ummah is about caring for others

“Be compassionate towards the destitute”

Humans aren’t perfect and might cause suffering by accident

Should repair any damage caused

Good will forgive those who are truly sorry

Prison and religious beliefs

Given to those who have committed serious crimes

Threat to society of themselves kept in high security prison

Loss of freedom

Christian- prisons are good as they protect the community

Think that prisons should support the reformation process and help give an education and training

Muslim- different under Shari’ah law as they have less of a role in reforming the criminal

Only used when the offender is waiting for the trial

Some think it is a good punishment as criminal loses their freedom and see family

Corporal punishment and religious beliefs

Causing physical pain to the criminal

Many think it is a breach of human rights

Illegal in Uk

Used to be allowed in school till 1987

Christian- causing pain is not acceptable

“He who spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them”

Agree with discipline

Treat others with respect

Muslims- accepted in many countries

More humane than prison

“Cut off the hands of thieves, whether they are man or woman, as punishment for what they have done”

Less crimes committed than in uk

Community service and religious beliefs

Way for the criminal to make up for what they have done

Include picking up litter and cleaning graffiti

Type of reformation

Unpaid work

Christian- suitable punishment for minor offences

Help with addiction and help those with drug and alcohol addiction by sending them to therapy

Goes with aim of deterrence and reformation

Muslims- rarely used under shari’ah law as it is not considered enough of a deterrence

In case of community crimes, criminal might be sent to rehabilitation

Christian views on forgiveness

Core belief in Christianity as Jesus emphasised it

Forgive in order to be forgiven

Not a replacement for punishment

Jesus taught we should always forgive

Follows examples of Jesus

Muslims views on forgiveness

Forgiveness serves no part in the punishment process

Important element in Islam

Two categories:

Forgiveness from God- only God can truly forgive and will only forgive those who are truly sorry

Forgiveness from humans- goodness over evil and stopes evil from growing

“Pardon each others faults and God will grant you honour”

Christian views on the death penalty

Old Testament “whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall thief blood be shed”

“Life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth”

Justifiable retribution for serious crimes

Deters people

Protects society

Against:

Too many innocent people have been executed

Does not show forgiveness and mercy

Murder rates in other countries with the death penalty are the same as those without (not detterent)

Only God has the right to take life

Takes away human dignity

What are Muslim views on the death penalty?

Deterrent- carried out in public

Principle of utility- promotes the maximum amount of happiness for the most amount of people

Shari’ah law- God’s law- allowed the death penalty for serious crimes

“Do not take life that God has made sacred, except by right”

If someone has gone against the faith

Against:

Doesn’t show forgiveness and mercy

“If the culprit is pardoned by his aggrieved brother, he shall pay what is due. It is an act of mercy”

Some believe passages in Qur’an are misinterpreted

Promote non-violence