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Religion, crime and the causes of crime

• Good and evil intentions and actions, including whether it can ever be good to cause suffering.
• Reasons for crime, including:
  • poverty and upbringing
  • mental health problems and addiction
  • greed and hate
  • opposition to an unjust law.
• Views about people who break the law for these reasons.
• Views about different types of crime, including hate crimes, theft and murder.

Religion and punishment

• The aims of punishment, including:
  • retribution
  • deterrence
  • reformation.
• The treatment of criminals, including:
  • prison
  • corporal punishment
  • community service.
• Forgiveness.
• The death penalty.
  • Ethical arguments related to the death penalty, including those based on the principle of utility and sanctity of life.

Which one of the following expresses the religious idea that one aim of punishment should be to encourage people not to commit any more crimes?
A Reformation.
B Protection.
C Deterrence.
D Reparation.

 4 marker f

Explain two different beliefs in contemporary British society about the death penalty for murder. In your answer you should refer to the main religious tradition of Great Britain and one or more other religious traditions.

Some Christians disagree because of the sanctity of life which is a belief that all human life is sacred as we were made in God’s image  

Therefore we shouldn’t kill anyone, even a murder as a punishment for their crime 
However, some Christians think that the death penalty for murder is a loving action because it makes society safer 

This is because there are less murderers in society if they are executed. 

6-marker

Explain two religious beliefs about breaking the law in order to get a bad law changed. Refer to sacred writings or another source of religious belief and teaching in your answer.

Some Christians agree with breaking the law in order to get a bad law changed because that is what Jesus did.
In the Bible Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath which was against the law at the time.
This shows that Jesus thinks doing the right thing is more important that following the law
As such Christians like Martin Luther King were willing to break segregation laws as they were unjust.
However, other Christians think it is always wrong to break the law even if it is bad
This is because they believe Christians should follow the law as all authorities are from God
Therefore, if they want to change a bad law, they should do it legally.

12-marker ‘Corporal punishment can never be justified.’

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