Year 11 - Religious education
Views about people who commit crime
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 different views on how offenders should be treated, including Christian beliefs and the role of chaplains and charities.
Key Notes
- Treatment of people who commit crime has changed over time, from harsh punishment to a focus on rehabilitation.
- Chaplains support offenders at every stage, working with groups like Prison Fellowship (restorative justice) and PACT.
- Bible verses such as Genesis 1:27 and Matthew 25:36 support dignity, forgiveness and visiting those in prison.
- Churches support rehabilitation, but agree that crime is wrong.
- Views on offenders vary, some stress punishment and deterrence, others support dignity and rehabilitation.
Vocabulary To Learn
- humane: showing kindness, care and sympathy towards others, respecting their dignity and aiming to reduce suffering
- justice: ensuring fairness by responding to crimes in a way that holds the offender properly accountable
- rehabilitation: the process of helping offenders regain skills, change behaviour and reintegrate into society after committing a crime
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Rehabilitation and reform mean the same thing.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Treatment of people who commit crime has changed over time, from harsh punishment to a focus on rehabilitation. Chaplains support offenders at every stage, working with groups like Prison Fellowship (restorative justice) and PACT.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'humane'
showing kindness, care and sympathy towards others, respecting their dignity and aiming to reduce suffering.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: Rehabilitation and reform mean the same thing. Correction: Rehabilitation focuses on helping offenders change through support like education and therapy, while reform is the wider goal of changing behaviour and becoming a better person. Rehabilitation is one way to achieve reform.
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: greed and hate 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
Browse all guides in the Year 11 Religious education guide library.