Causes of Crime

1
Causes of Crime

• Social Reasons lack of education and
  qualifications, broken homes, kids having nothing
  constructive to do which leads to boredom, drugs,
  gambling or alcohol addiction, and committing
  crime to support them.
• Environmental Reasons high unemployment-increase
  in crime.
• Psychological Reasons violence on TV, selfish
  and greedy attitudes

2
Christian views on crime

• One teaching is A man reaps what he sows
  (Galatians 67). This is similar to the Buddhist
  idea of karma.
• Most Christians teach that criminals need to be
  punished but also forgiven and given a second
  chance. If your brother or sister sins against
  you, rebuke them and if they repent, forgive
  them.
• They believe that it is important to work towards
  stopping the causes of crime.
• Christians are encouraged to be law-abiding.

3
Buddhist views on crime

• Buddhist believe that if a person breaks the law
  his or her karma will be affected and the actions
  will have consequences.
• For Buddhists, this is not a cause of God judging
  or punishing people, but a persons own karma
  will ensure that justice will eventually be done
  in either this life or the next.

4
Types of Crime

• Civil and criminal law
• Civil law concerns disputes between private
  individuals or groups. Cases are taken to small
  claims court or the High Court if its more
  serious.
• Examples- disputes over wills, divorces, landlord
  and tenant arguments etc.
• Criminal Law when the state law has been
  broken. Police gather evidence and forward to the
  Crown prosecution Service. Less serious crimes
  are dealt with at a magistrates court. More
  serous go to the High Court, usually with a jury.
• Examples burglary, murder, breaking speed limit
  etc

5
Types of Crime

• Crime against the person wrongdoing that
  directly harms a person e.g. murder, assault.
• Crime against Property damaging items that
  belong to somebody else e.g. vandalism
• Crime against the state an offence aimed at
  damaging the government or a country e.g. treason
• Religious offence an offence against religion
  e.g. blasphemy (disrespecting God or anything
  held sacred by the religion), sin (going against
  Gods laws/rules e.g. do not covet (be jealous of
  others).

6
A sense of how to behave/ what is right and wrong
Key term Match up
An inner sense of what is right or wrong/ Voice
of God
Responsibility
A duty/ commitment to do something
Justice

• Morality

Conscience
Fairness/ equality based on right and wrong.
Includes punishment when laws are broken
7
Right and Wrong- Morality

• Some religious people say we learn what is
  right and wrong from God or from teachings in
  religious books like the Bible.
• Some believe that God speaks to people through
  their conscience. It is the voice of God telling
  you what you should do.
• Other people believe we learn what is right from
  our family/ school/ laws.

8
The Aims of Punishment
What is the point of Punishment?
9
Protection The aim of the protection is to keep
society safe from people who are otherwise likely
to cause harm. For example, prison, mental
institution.
Retribution The aim of retribution is pay
back for wrongdoing. The idea is to inflict a
penalty that is deserved, which is fitting for
the crime you've committed. For example, fine,
taking driving license away after speeding.
Deterrence The aim of the deterrence is to put
people off committing the offence in the future,
either the wrongdoer him/herself, and/or
discourage others from following his/her example.
For example, cutting a hand off a theif.
10
Reformation (rehabilitation) The aim of the
reformation is to help the wrongdoer to change
his/her ways, to be reformed. The idea is to
provide skills, counselling, education so that
they dont feel the need to rely on committing
crime. For example, anger management, drug and
alcohol rehab, giving education or skills like
carpentry.
Vindication The aim of vindication is to
punish offenders to show that the law must be
respected. Laws need to be respected to allow a
harmonious society e.g. car drivers must respect
traffic lights otherwise there would be chaos on
the roads.
Reparation (restorative justice) The aim of
reparation is to help an offender to put
something back into society. To make up for the
crime they committed. For example, community
service.
11
Christian views on the aims of punishment

• Most Christians do not support the idea of
  retribution (pay back) but would support the
  other main punishments.
• Christians believe that laws need to be upheld
  (the idea of vindication).
• They also believe in crime prevention and the
  need to work towards removing the causes of
  crime, which may include poverty, unemployment
  and bad social conditions.
• The most important aim punishment is to reform
  criminals and to help them become law-abiding
  citizens.
• Most Christians believe that offenders should
  repent of their wrongdoing and receive both
  punishment and forgiveness, so that once the
  penalty is paid they have a second chance and can
  start afresh.
• Helping someone who has repented and is
  determined to change is a priority, and this is
  often achieved through reparation.

12
Buddhist views on the aims of punishment

• Buddhist believe that it is important to protect
  society from the actions of criminals but are not
  in favour of retribution.
• Getting revenge goes against the teaching of
  loving kindness (metta) and compassion (karuna).
• Using excessive cruelty to punish a criminal will
  injure both the offenders mind (making them
  bitter and resentful) and also the mind of the
  person doing the punishing.
• The best approach is to help the offender to have
  a change of heart and to modify/reform their
  behaviour.
• This would be in keeping with the Five Precepts.
• Reparation (making up for offence) is also
  important because criminal activity creates bad
  karma and so making amends helps not only society
  but the lawbreaker as well.

13
Forms of punishment

• Community service picking up litter, reading to
  senior citizens, helping in a charity shop. This
  can also include a curfew.
• Electronic tagging a monitoring device. This
  could even include permitting a sex offender to
  leave home because the electronic tag will alert
  the authorities if the offender goes within a
  hundred metres of a school or park.
• Fines The maximum fine form the magistrate's
  court is 5,000 but no limit the High Court can
  fine.
• Probation sometimes offenders are given
  suspended sentences, which means they can go to
  prison if they get in trouble again. Probation
  officers give advice, help the offender obey the
  law, and reports to the court about the progress
  made.
• Parole being released early from prison,
  depending on a parole board hearing.
• Life imprisonment average life sentence is 15
  years before the criminal becomes eligible for
  parole.
• Early release some prisoners are released
  before they are eligible for parole, either
  because of a political decision (often low risk
  prisoners), good behaviour, theyve repented, or
  been reformed.
• Prison reform providing education, skills,
  counselling, drug/alcohol rehab to allow the
  offender to change their life on release.

14
Life imprisonment, parole and prison reform

• Community service picking up litter, reading to
  senior citizens, helping in a charity shop. This
  can also include a curfew.
• Electronic tagging a monitoring device. This
  could even include permitting a sex offender to
  leave home because the electronic tag will alert
  the authorities if the offender goes within a
  hundred metres of a school or park.
• Fines The maximum fine form the magistrate's
  court is 5,000 but no limit the High Court can
  fine.
• Probation sometimes offenders are given
  suspended sentences, which means they can go to
  prison if they get in trouble again. Probation
  officers give advice, help the offender obey the
  law, and reports to the court about the progress
  made.

15
Age of Responsibility

• If children who commit crime are under the age of
  10, the parents would be held responsible, as the
  age of criminals responsibility in England, Wales
  and Northern Ireland is 10.
• Until 10, children are not deemed old enough to
  take total responsibility for their actions.
• Some religions have ceremonies to mark the
  occasion when a child becomes an adult.
• An example Jewish Bar Mitzvah. Jewish boys
  become responsible for their actions in the eyes
  of God from the age of 13. Until 13, their
  parents are responsible. Jews believe in the Book
  of Life which is symbolic for God keeping account
  of everyones actions (think of Santa's good and
  bad list). The book will be looked at on the Day
  of Judgment and if the child is under 13, the
  parents are responsible for their sins, but if
  they are 13, the child is responsible for their
  sins. They are therefore responsible for making
  up for their sins and asking for forgiveness.

16
Young Offender

• A young offender is under 18.
• Minor crimes are dealt with by means of
  reprimands, ASBOs, child safety orders.
• More serious crimes are dealt with before the
  Youth Court by means reparation e.g. community
  service or fines, curfew.
• Serious crimes are dealt with before the Crown
  Court and the young person is held in custody
  such as in a secure training centre (focus on
  education and rehabilitation), secure childrens
  home (run by local authority - look at the
  physical, emotional and behavioural needs) or
  young offenders institution (run by prison
  service take ages 15-21 in separate juvenile
  wings.

17
Arguments For and Against Prison

• For
• To protect society form dangerous and violent
  criminals
• To isolate those who deserve such punishment from
  their family and friends (retribution)
• To stop people reoffending, because they are
  locked away
• To act as a deterrent to others and ensure that
  the law is respected (vindication)
• To give offenders a chance to reflect on their
  actions and decide to reform.

18
Arguments For and Against Prison

• Against
• Its expensive. It costs a taxpayer 30,000 a year
  to keep someone in prison.
• They are often called schools for crime
  prisoners can educate each other in criminal
  methods
• Prisons often breed resentment, bitterness and a
  determination to get back at society.
• Most prisoners reoffend on release, so the system
  does not bring about reform.
• A prison record makes it very difficult to get a
  job on release, which may lead back into crime.

19
Religious views on prison

• All major religions accept the need for prions.
• Imprisonment is seen as necessary to deprive
  offenders of their freedom and prevent them
  continuing a life of crime.
• Religions support the idea of seeking to reform
  offenders, so that on release they become
  responsible and law-abiding members of society.
• They support the idea of rehabilitation.
• Buddhist and Christian chaplains regularly visit
  inmates and also help prisoners families.
• Christians may take inspiration from the Parable
  of the Sheep and The Goats see next slide.

20
Design your own cartoon drawing to explain the
parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matthew 25)
X
Matthew 25 the Parable of the Sheep and the
Goats When the Son of Man comes in his glory he
will separate the people like the sheep and the
goats. Jesus said whatever you did for one of
the least of these brothers of mine, you did for
me. This teaches that people should treat
others with care and respect. In short, love thy
neighbour.
21
Capital Punishment
22
Methods used to execute people

• There are eight main methods of execution in
  current use worldwide 
• Beheading Only two countries execute people by
  chopping their head off Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
• Electric chair Nobody knows how quickly a person
  dies from the electric shock, or what they
  experience, in two cases prisoners apparently
  lived for 4 to 10 minutes before finally
  expiring US only
• Firing squad The prisoner is bound and shot
  through the heart by multiple marksmen. Death
  appears to be quick, assuming the killers don't
  miss Utah, US, Belarus, China, Somolia, Taiwan,
  Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and others.
• Poison gas Cyanide capsules are dropped into
  acid producing Hydrogen Cyanide, a deadly gas.
  This takes many minutes of agony before a person
  dies.

23
Methods used to execute people

• Hanging if properly conducted, this is a humane
  method. The neck is broken and death comes
  quickly. However, if the free-fall distance is
  inadequate, the prisoner ends up slowly being
  strangled to death. If it is too great, the rope
  will tear his/her head off Egypt, Iran, Japan,
  Jordan, Pakistan, Singapore and others.
• Lethal injection Lethal drugs are injected into
  the prisoner while he lays strapped down to a
  table. Typically, sodium pentothal is injected to
  make the prisoner unconscious. Then pancuronium
  bromide is injected. It terminates breathing and
  paralyzes the individual  Finally, potassium
  chloride is injected to stop the heart. If
  properly conducted, the prisoner fades quickly
  into unconsciousness China, Guatemala,
  Philippines, Thailand, and the U.S.
• Stoning The prisoner is often buried up to her
  or his neck and pelted with rocks until they
  eventually die. The rocks are chosen so that they
  are large enough to cause significant injury to
  the victim, but are not so large that a single
  rock will kill the prisoner North Afghanistan
  and Iran, as a penalty for murder, adultery,
  blasphemy, and other crimes.

24
Arguments for Capital Punishment

• FOR
• Retribution Terrorist and murders deserve to
  die a life for a life.
• Deterrence The death penalty deters people from
  doing horrendous crimes because they know if they
  are caught they will die.
• Protection The public needs to be protected.
  However, those given a life sentence are often
  let out of prison after about 15 years.
• Finance It costs taxpayers thousands of pounds
  to keep murderers alive in prison.

25
Arguments against Capital Punishment

• AGAINST
• Mistakes - Innocent people have been executed.
• Protection Putting a murderer in prison
  protects society.
• Deterrence There is no evidence that the death
  penalty is more of a deterrent than life
  imprisonment.
• Reformation Reformed criminals can be an
  enormous influence for good.
• Right Only God has the right to end a persons
  life.

26
Christian views on Capital Punishment

• Some Christians support capital punishment using
  the principle of whoever sheds the blood of a
  man, by man shall his blood be shed (Genesis
  96)
• An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth
  Retribution.
• Those who live by the sword, will die by the
  sword.
• They see the threat of the death penalty as a
  deterrent that helps to prevent serious crimes.
• Others Christians believe in the 5th Commandment
  Do not murder as executing a murderer is still
  killing.
• Forgiveness - Love your enemy
• - For if you forgive men when they sin against
  you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
  

27
Buddhist views on Capital Punishment

• There is no single Buddhist policy on capital
  punishment, however the death penalty is not in
  keeping with
• The First Precept Do not harm others.
• The Buddhist Teaching on non-violence (ahimsa).
• The teachings of Metta loving kindness and
  Compassion should help Buddhists be forgiving.
• The Buddha taught anything a person does, even if
  it brings good to them, like getting justice for
  a crime, it cant be considered a good action if
  it causes physical and mental pain to another
  human, which being on death row and the
  executions can cause.

28
Tick List for the exam

• Explain religious beliefs about law and order
• Explain the concepts of right and wrong,
  conscience, duty and responsibility
• Describe and evaluate the causes of crime
• Understand the different types of crimes
• Explain the aims of punishment
• Evaluate whether or not the different forms of
  punishment achieve the aims of punishment,
  including consideration of young offenders,
  imprisonment, parole, early release and the death
  penalty
• Evaluate alternatives to prison and issues
  concerning prison reform
• Discuss topics from different points of view,
  including religious ones

29
Exam style Questions

1. Explain, using an example, what is meant by a
   religious offence. (2 marks)
2. Give three ways in which a young offender may be
   punished by the law. (3 marks)
3. Prisoners should be given religious teaching.
   What do you think? Give reasons for your opinion.
   (3 marks)
4. Explain two of the aims of punishments. (4 marks)
5. Greed and selfishness are the main causes of
   crime. Do you agree? Give reasons and explain
   your answer, showing you have thought about more
   than one point of view. Refer to religious
   arguments in your answer. (6 marks)