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Crime & Punishment - Coggle Diagram
Crime & Punishment
Justice
God is a God of justice, he is the ultimate judge
Jesus said in the parable of the sheep and the goats that people who help those in prison will go to Heaven. This is because Jesus identifies himself with the outcasts
Leviticus taught “an eye for an eye”. This was the principle of limited revenge. It said that the punishment should fit the crime and not be too extreme
Some believe that he has delegated the right to judge crimes to the state. When the law sentences a criminal, it is exercising justice on God’s behalf
Want to see prison helping the criminal to reform
According to Jesus, we do the work of bringing justice through our love and persistence
"And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy" -Micah
God wants the world to be ruled justly
Christian
attitudes
towards crime
Groups such as Prison Fellowship believe in rehabilitation and are against harsh prison conditions
Paulist Prison Ministries work with prisoners and detainees, helping to rehabilitate them into society
"You have been taught an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, but I tell you do not repay evil for evil. If someone hits you on the right cheek, turn the other cheek." -Jesus
'' Focusing on poverty and sacrificing for the poor are the heart of the gospel. If Christians don't dig deep and generously open up their wallets, they do not have genuine faith." -Pope Francis
This shows a focus on the causes of crime rather than punishment or rehabilitation
An offender should receive a punishment that matches the severity of their crime
Punishment
Offenders must be punished according to the severity of the crime
An early form of retribution, introduced in the Old Testament, is called
lex talionis (the law of retaliation).Criminals should receive the same
injuries and damage that they caused to their victim
“If there is serious injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for
hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” -Exodus
An offender should
receive a punishment severe enough to match the seriousness of their crime
Criminals treat people unfairly, punishments ensure that justice is done
As well as reform, some Christians would consider protection and deterrence to be important aims of punishment, these help to ensure safety in society
Many believe that if offenders see that crimes are punished severely then it should put them off from committing those crimes
Aims of punishment
Want to see prison helping the criminal to reform
Deterrence – To put people off committing a crime in the future. A long prison sentence or large fine and driving ban for example should act to deter criminals from breaking the law
Retribution – This means to take revenge on the offender. Retribution could take the form of a long prison sentence, which reflects the nature of the crime, or in some countries corporal punishment such as whipping may be used. The principle behind retribution is that the punishment should fit the crime
Reformation – This means to encourage a criminal to change for the better eg prisons support inmates to gain qualifications or complete job training, which should hopefully give them a chance to stay away from a life of crime
Protection – The public must be protected from dangerous criminals. Prison is one way of taking dangerous criminals off the streets
Vindication – People must see justice being served so they can have faith in the criminal justice system
Reparation – To give something back to society and repair the damage that has been done eg. a person guilty of graffiti might be asked to clean it up or perhaps put their artistic talents to good use such as decorating a community centre
Capital punishment
Reasons Christians oppose capital punishment include...
The death penalty does not respect the right to life
The right to life is absolute
The death penalty is not an effective deterrent
The death penalty is based on a fallible justice system, here is a real risk of executing innocent people
The death penalty is discriminatory: it is applied in particular to minorities, to the poor and to members of ethnic or religious groups
The death penalty does not seriously protect society, executing a guilty person is an easy way out which avoids facing up to the real problems, such as the reform of the prison system or even of society as a whole
The death penalty does not allow the guilty person to repent the death penalty is irreversible. It interrupts any process of healing, of reinsertion into society
They believe Jesus Christ came to Earth to reform sinners, as he did with the woman caught in adultery
“You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” -Matthew
"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody … Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to revenge; I will repay, says the Lord.'” -Romans
The vast majority of Christian Churches are against the death penalty and actively campaign for its abolition
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” -Matthew
"Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.'" -Matthew
Reasons Christians support capital punishment include...
Some Christians argue that capital punishment helps to maintain order and protection in society
The Bible sets down the death penalty for some crimes, so it must be acceptable to God
“Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” -Genesis
The one who intentionally takes life by murder forfeits the right to their own life
“The Laws of the Realm may punish Christian men with death for heinous and grievous offences.” -The Church of England
Saint Thomas Aquinas argued that peace in society was more important than reforming the sinner
The law of the Old Testament stipulated the death penalty for various crimes (murder, kidnapping, adultery, rape, etc.)
"Man was made like God, so whoever murders a man will be killed by his fellow-man." -Exodus
"Everyone must obey the state authorities, because no authority exists without God’s permission." -Romans
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God” -Matthew
Treatment of prisoners
Some Christians believe a punishment should be as severe as the crime committed
Some believe they should be helped in order that they do not offend again
In the parable of the sheep and goats, Jesus gave various actions that are pleasing to God, and these include treating prisoners well
"If Jesus were on earth today, would we find Him in the prisons? Of course we would. He would be there "to seek and to save the lost" and to restore them to sonship, just as He did with Zacchaeus." -Prison Fellowship
"NO ONE—is beyond Christ's love and power to redeem" -Prison Fellowship
"Jesus admonishes us to show no partiality to others on the basis of their status in life. All are equally in need of Christ for forgiveness and salvation. All have equal potential to become mighty men and women of faith" -Prison Fellowship
God seeks to set prisoners free—not always from their physical prison, but certainly from their imprisonment by sin, ignorance, rebellion, and foolish choices. Jesus identified Himself as the source of this freedom. As this is an important part of God's work, it is an important part of the Church's work as well
Good, evil and suffering
God must have a reason for allowing evil and suffering but the reason is beyond human understanding
Christians also pray for those who suffer and try to help them
Evil and suffering in this life is a preparation for Heaven
Evil and suffering give people a chance to become better people and improve their souls
God has given people free will. He has shown people how they should obey the Ten Commandments and follow Jesus' life and teaching. It is then up to human beings to decide whether or not to follow God's instructions
God has a plan for people's lives that they may not always understand. This may include evil and suffering but Christians should trust and have faith in God's plan
The faith teaches that Christians should follow Jesus' example in life. This means that they should help those who are suffering, through their actions
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats in Matthew 25:31-46, in which Jesus returns to reward all those who have fed the hungry, clothed the naked, visited those in prison, and cared for the sick, teaches Christians to care for those who are suffering