Year 11 - Religious education
Reasons for crime: greed and hate
Religion, crime and punishment
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will study ideas of crime and how people may view crime is caused. From that, they will examine different ideas of punishing crime and treating criminals focussing especially on a case study of the death penalty and ideas of forgiveness.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain how greed and hate can cause crime and describe Christian and secular responses to these causes.
Key Notes
- People driven by greed may commit crimes like fraud, bribery or tax evasion to gain money, power or status.
- Hate can cause crimes such as vandalism, violence or online abuse, often based on prejudice against certain groups.
- The Bible teaches that both greed (1 Timothy 6:10) and hatred (Matthew 5:21–22) can lead people to serious sin and harm.
- Christian denominations teach that greed and hate are sinful and cause harm to individuals and society.
- Charities like Church Action on Poverty and Hope Not Hate aim to address greed and hate to help prevent crime.
Vocabulary To Learn
- crime: action which breaks the law; can be against the person (e.g., murder), against property (e.g., vandalism), or against the state (e.g., treason)
- greed: reason for committing crime – wanting or desiring something or more of something
- hate: reason for committing crime – prejudice or hatred against a person or group
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Hate crime is only about violence.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
People driven by greed may commit crimes like fraud, bribery or tax evasion to gain money, power or status. Hate can cause crimes such as vandalism, violence or online abuse, often based on prejudice against certain groups.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'crime'
action which breaks the law; can be against the person (e.g., murder), against property (e.g., vandalism), or against the state (e.g., treason).
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Hate crime is only about violence. Correction: Hate crime can also include speech, vandalism or online abuse driven by prejudice.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Different religious views about corporal punishment Study Guide
- Different religious views about forgiveness Study Guide
- Different religious views about the death penalty Study Guide
- Ethical arguments relating to the death penalty Study Guide
- Good and evil intentions Study Guide
- Opposition to an unjust law Study Guide
- Reasons for crime: mental illness and addiction Study Guide
- Reasons for crime: poverty and upbringing Study Guide
- The aims of punishment Study Guide
- The concept of forgiveness Study Guide
- The treatment of criminals: corporal punishment Study Guide
- The treatment of criminals: prison and community service Study Guide
- Views about different types of crime Study Guide
- Views about people who commit crime Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 11 Religious education guide library.