Year 11 RE

Religion, Crime & Punishment

NAME ................................................ TUTOR GROUP.........

THEME E: RELIGION, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

1. Crime and punishment

Essential information

Crime and punishment are both governed by the law

Not all good actions are required by law and not all evil actions break the law

Do you know the key terms?

Crime…

Punishment…

Evil…

How does punishment for crime work in the UK?

Explain the link between good

actions and intentions…

Explain the link between evil actions and

intentions…

2. Reasons for crime

Essential information:

Religious believers think crime is hardly ever justified, no matter the reason

Some reasons why people commit crime include poverty, mental illness, addiction

and greed.

Cover the key terms up and write down their

meaning:

Poverty…

Mental illness…

Addiction …

Greed …

What might be the religious response to this?

Explain the difference between evil actions and evil intentions…

Reasons why some people commit crime

“Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked, but those who heed instruction

fight them. Evil men cannot discern judgement, but those who seek the Lord

discern all things.” Proverbs 28;4-5 (Tenakh)

Reasons why

people commit

crimes

Explain how poverty

causes crime…

Explain how

upbringing causes

crime…

Explain how mental

illness causes crime..

Explain how addiction

causes crime…

Explain how greed

causes crime…

Explain how opposition

to unjust law causes

crime…

Explain how hate causes

crime..

How might Christians

respond to these

reasons?

3. Attitudes to lawbreakers and different types of crimes

Essential information

Many Christians and Jews condemn the crimes people commit but do not hate

the people who commit them

Attitudes to lawbreakers

What are the Christian attitudes to lawbreakers?

Jewish attitudes to lawbreakers…

The law of the country should be respected

so long as it does not contradict Torah Law

Lawbreakers should be punished in

accordance with the law

Punishment should be severe enough to

deter others

Punishment should be merciful and just

Offenders should be helped so they do not

re-offend

“The wickedness of the wicked shall be accounted

to him alone.” Ezekiel 18;20 (Tenakh)

What do these points suggest

about Jewish attitudes to

lawbreakers?

The different types of crime

Which other religious teachings could you apply to this issue?

Jewish attitudes to different

types of crime…

Hate crime…

Theft…

Murder …

Christian attitudes to different types of

crime

“You shall not murder.” Exodus 20;13 “Do to others what you want them do to

you.” Matthew 7;12

Explain the similarities and differences between hate crime and murder…

4. Three aims of punishment

Essential information:

Three aims of punishment are retribution, deterrence and reformation

Aims of punishment

What do these passages

suggest about

punishment?

Retribution… Deterrence…

Reformation…

What would be the Christians views on the THREE aims of punishment

Retribution …

Deterrence … Reformation…

Give two reasons why punishment for crime is important………………………………………….

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“But if other damage ensues, the penalty

shall be life for life, eye for eye, tooth

for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot,

burn for burn, bruise for bruise, wound

for wound.” Exodus 21;23-25 (Tenakh)

“Do not seek revenge or bear a

grudge against one of your people,

but love your neighbour as

yourself.” Leviticus 19;18(Tenakh)

“It is not my desire that the wicked shall die, but that the wicked turn from his evil ways

and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways.” Ezekiel 33;11 (Tenakh)

What do the above passages suggest about Jewish views on the aims of punishment?

5. Religious attitudes to suffering and causing suffering to others

Essential information:

Suffering can be caused by natural events (such as illness or an earthquake) or

by human behaviour (such as an assault or a car crash)

Christians and Jews believe they must not ignore any suffering they have

caused to others, and they should repair any damage they may have caused

Suffering is an unfortunate part of life that no one can avoid

Religious attitudes to suffering

Why does a loving God allow people to suffer?

Religious attitudes to causing suffering to others:

What are the Christian beliefs about this?

What are the Christian attitudes to

suffering?

What are the Jewish attitudes to

suffering?

What would be a Christian response? What would be a Jewish response?

Key term: Free will – the belief that God gives people the opportunity and ability to make

decisions for themselves.

What are the Jewish beliefs about

this?

6. Treatment of criminals – prison, corporal punishment and

community service

Essential information

Understand the three forms of punishment

Christian and Jewish beliefs and attitudes to the treatment of criminals vary

What is the difference

between these forms of

punishment?

Explain how each of the forms of punishment works:

Prison

Corporal punishment

Community service…

Religious attitudes to these forms of punishment

Christian response to prison as a form of punishment…

Christian response to corporal punishment…

Christian response to community service…

Jewish response to prison as a form of punishment…

Jewish response to corporal punishment…

Jewish response to community service…

7. Religious attitudes to forgiveness

Essential information

Christians and Jews believe that forgiveness is important for living a peaceful

life

Christians and Jews do not think forgiveness is a replacement for punishment

Forgiveness is

What do these passages

suggest about Christian

attitudes to forgiveness?

Jewish attitudes to forgiveness…

How does this story of Maureen show Christian teaching and beliefs about

forgiveness?

For Jewish views on forgiveness, also look at what you did on the

topic of Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah…

8. Religious attitudes to the death penalty

Essential information

The death penalty is illegal in the UK but still exists in some other countries

Many Christians and Jews oppose the death penalty

How does the death penalty go against the sanctity

of life?

What else might people use to justify death

penalty?

What arguments might some people use to oppose the death penalty?

Religious attitudes to the death penalty

Some Jews support the death penalty

because…

Some Christians support the death

penalty because…

Some Christians oppose the death

penalty because…

Some Jews oppose the death penalty

because…

What is your personal opinion on the death penalty?

Exam Practice Questions…

Give two aims of punishment (2marks)

Give two different reasons why some people commit crime (2marks)

Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about whether the

death penalty should be restored in the UK. In your answer you should refer to the

main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more religious traditions. (4marks)

Explain two contrasting beliefs in contemporary British society about community

service. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great

Britain and one or more religious traditions. (4marks)

Explain two similar religious beliefs that support retribution as an aim of punishment.

In your answer you must refer to one or more religious traditions. (4marks)

Explain two religious beliefs about reformation as an aim of punishment. Refer to

sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.

(5marks)

Explain two religious beliefs about causing suffering to others. Refer to sacred

writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer. (5marks)

Explain two religious beliefs about hate crime. Refer to sacred writings or another

source of religious belief and teaching in your answer. (5marks)

Evaluation questions (12marks)

“It is right to forgive all offenders whoever they are and whatever they have done.”

“The idea of sanctity of life shows the death penalty is wrong.”

“There is no good reason why anyone should commit a crime.”

In your answer you:

Should give reasoned arguments in support of this statement

Should give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view

Should refer to religious arguments

May refer to non-religious arguments

Should reach a justified conclusion