Study Hub

Study Guides

This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.

Back to Study HubBrowse Year 10 Citizenship Guides

Year 10 - Citizenship

What is sentencing?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of the legal system?

Unit Summary

Pupils learn how laws are made and enforced and about the purpose and types of punishment.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to explain different purposes and types of sentencing and evaluate their effectiveness.

Key Notes

  • The five purposes of sentencing are to punish, reduce crime, reform, protect the public, and offer reparation.
  • There are different types of sentences: discharge, fine, community sentence, and custodial sentence.
  • Judges decide sentences based on Sentencing Council guidelines, considering both aggravating and mitigating factors.
  • Parliament creates laws that set maximum and minimum sentences for crimes.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • sentencing: the punishment that a judge or magistrate decides someone should be given after they have been convicted of a crime
  • crime: an illegal act that is punishable by law
  • offender: someone who has committed a crime

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Judges and magistrates have complete freedom in deciding sentences.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain the lesson in two key points.

The five purposes of sentencing are to punish, reduce crime, reform, protect the public, and offer reparation. There are different types of sentences: discharge, fine, community sentence, and custodial sentence.

2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'sentencing'

the punishment that a judge or magistrate decides someone should be given after they have been convicted of a crime.

3. Correct this common mistake.

Mistake: Judges and magistrates have complete freedom in deciding sentences. Correction: Parliament sets the laws that determine maximum and minimum sentences, and the Sentencing Council provides guidelines that judges and magistrates must follow.

More Lessons In This Unit

Browse all guides in the Year 10 Citizenship guide library.