Edexcel R.E Crime and Punishment

• to know what behaviour to expect from each other, if there were no rules there would be chaos 

e.g. road laws - what side of the road to drive

• if there were no laws society and business wouldn't operate

e.g. people wouldn't go to work if they weren't sure they would be paid 

• to protect the weak from the strong

e.g. laws on stealing to protect the poor 

• to give a sense of security 

e.g. laws on murder 

• Laws restrict freedom and God gave free will

• if everyone embraced the christian teachings of love (love your neighbour) then you wouldn't need laws to protect the weak

• small societies know how to treat each other and so don't need laws 

• if laws are unjust people may think its right to break them or campaign against them 

• if a law is unjust its not forfilling its jod and rewarding good work and protecting the weak 

• peoplee who think the legal system isn't working may start a civil war

e.g. kosovo's civil war against the serbian laws

• unjust laws disrupt rather than unite society 

• if people know what the law is they can obey it if its just or not

• laws help society function whether they are just or not

• often people don't agree on what is just so no laws can be just for everyone 

For

• it makes criminals pay in proportion to the severity of their crimes 

• it makes criminals suffer for what they have done wrong

• it actually punishes the criminal 

Against

• it makes you as bad as the criminal because you are doing the same thing

• it won't stop the criminal from reoffending

• it was condemed by Jesus in the sermon on the mount 

For 

• if people know the punishment to their crime is serious they will be unlikely to commit it 

against 

• people commiting crimes don't think they will get caught 

• countries with the death penalty actually have a higher murder rate

• some crimes people think are necessary so are not detered still 

e.g. if people are stealing to feed their family 

For 

• the only way to stop crime is to turn criminals into law abiding citizens 

• many criminals have a bad upbring and so don't know how to live without crime 

• it gives criminals education and qualifications and so they can find a job (rehabilitate)

against

• reform doesn't work with many criminals as they still reoffend

• psychpaths cannot be reformed

• it can be more expensive than other forms of punishment

• capital punishment means they cannot kill again 

• long prison sentences keep criminals out of society so that they can't hurt any citizens

• comunity service keeps vandals of the streets in their leisure time 

• the Bible says God is just and will reward the righteous and punish those who sin 

blessed are the righteous, i will repay evil says the lord 

• the new testaments says people should be treated fairly

• the church makes staements about the need for christians to work for justice

• the Bible says God wants the world to be ruled justly 

• the qur'an says God is just and muslims should treal people fairly 

• part of their role as vice-gerents of the earth is to treat people fairly 

• shari'ah is based on justice for everyone being treated equally 

stand up for justice

• islam teaches it is unjust to charge interest on money as it takes money form the poor 

• it puts people off commiting crimes 

• murderers threaten society and so the death penalty protects society

• human life is the most important thing and so the severity of their crime is shown by taking thier life

• the only retribution for murder is the death penalty 

• no court system can be certain of the verdict and so innocent people can be executed 

• countries theat use the death penalty don't have a lower muder rate

• murderers are more likely to do drastic things in order to avoid getting caught 

• murderers consider it the easy way out as many commit suicide in prison rather than live with their conscience 

Some christians agree with capital punishment 

• The Bible gives the death penalty for various cirmes

i will repay evil says the lord, let those without sin throw the first stone

• The Roman catholic church and the church of england haven't cancelled their statements about the state use of the death penalty 

• the church itself has used capital punishment in the past for heresy 

if you do not do what is right you are not a child of God

• st thomas aquinas said protection is the most important part of punishment 

Most christians are against capital punishment 

• Jesus came to reform sinners but you cant reform the dead 

• Jesus said an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is wrong for christians 

• all life is sacred 

• most christian churches have condemmed capital punishment 

most christians are for capital punishment 

• it is a punishment set down by God in the Qur'an

take not life except for a just cause

• muhammad (pbuh) made several statements agreeing with capital punishment 

• muhammad (pbuh) sentences people to death when he was a ruler himself 

• shari'ah says capital punishment is the punsihment for muder

Some christians are against capital punishment 

• it is recommended by the Qur'an but it isn't compulsory 

• shari'ah says the family  of the victim can accept blood money instead of death

• it must not be sold to under 18s 

• it must have health warnings and pictures

• there must be no sponsership or adverts 

• you can't smoke in public places indoors 

• it must not be given to a child under 5 

• chuldren can go to a pub with an adult 

• 16-17 year olds can drink with a meal when bought by an adult 

• it must not be solf to anyone under 18 

• it is illegal to possess a drug

• it is illegal to possess with intent

• it is illegal to supply

• it is illegal to allow you premisis to be used for drug taking 

• in the netherlands cannabis isn't illegal and they have fewer drug problems 

• laws in the past banning alcohol caused problems with organised crime

• it should be the individuals  choice as it only affects an individuals body 

• it increases the risk of at least 50 medical conditions 

• it causes cancers, heart disease and bronchitis 

• in men it can cause impotence

• in pregnacy babies have a lower birth weight, are weaker and don't develop normally

• drinking heavily can lead to liver problems and some cancers 

• it can lead to addiction 

• 1 in 7 road deaths are caused by alcohol 

• physical health is effected by toxic effects of the drug 

• can cause infections by dirty equiptment or can cause self harm 

• heavy users can have psychiatric illnesses 

• smokers families suffer watching their loved ones die 

• it can ruin areas near clubs 

• it can cause accidental deaths

• it contributes to 70% of murder vitims 

• 50% of those who commit sex crimes abuse alcohol 

• drug dealers are criminals and it can cause violence between different gangs 

• the high cost of maintaining a habbit lead to crime 

• some users become violent under a drugs influence 

MOST CHRISTIANS USE DRINK ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO IN MODERATION

• Jesus turned water into wine

• st paul siad christians could drink in moderation

• jesus used bread and wine at the last supper and told his diciples to carry on the traditions 

SOME CHRISITANS DO NOT DRINK OR SMOKE 

• it is abusing God temple (our bodies)

your body is a temple of the holy spirit 

• the Bible warns against drunkeness

• the Bible says consumption of alcohol damages judgement, inflames passions and invites violence 

• christians work with alcoholics and support them by refusing alcohol too 

HARAM = PROHIBITED

• the qur'an says intoxicants are a means in which satan keeps people from God and from saying prayers 

• muhammad (pbuh) said every intoxicant is forbidden to muslims 

intoxicants are an abomination

• muslim lawyer say it is a formm of suicide because you are harming your body and suicide is forbidden

• muhammad (pbuh) said several times muslims musn't drink alcohol or have anything to do with the sale or production of alcohol 

SOME MUSLIM LAWYERS HAVE DECLARED TOBACCO MAKRUH (DISLIKED) BECAUSE IT ISN'T MENTION IN THE QUR'AN OR BY MUHAMMAD (PBUH)