1. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT Good and evil
I can define key words for this topic
I can explain why ‘good’ and ‘evil’ are relative terms
I can evaluate the claim that there is never a good reason to carry out a bad action

2. Crime and Punishment Key words
Match the key word to the definition.
Challenge:
Write a sentence or a short paragraph containing three of more key words.
Hate crimes
retribution
deterrence
reformation
free will
corporal punishment
community service
capital punishment
sanctity of life

3. Place the actions on the continuum:
GOOD
BAD
murder
helping a friend
euthanasia
telling a lie
eating meat
terrorism
‘Good’ and ‘bad’ are relative terms because whether something is good or bad depends on the situation.
Explain this idea in your own words, using an example.

4. Good and evil intentions and actions
Can ‘bad’ actions ever be done for good reasons?
Euthanasia – ending someone’s life because they are in great pain
Capital punishment – to protect society
Stealing food for survival?
Killing someone – in a war / in self-defence
2. Are all illegal actions evil/immoral?
No – euthanasia and abortion are illegal in some countries but arguably not immoral
3. Is there such a thing as an evil person? How might a Christian / Buddhist answer this?
Many Christians believe that there is no such thing as an evil person. Original sin means we have a tendency to do evil things, but we are not evil in ourselves. People misuse their free will and are tempted by the Devil. People who commit truly evil crimes should receive treatment whilst being punished.
Buddhism: motivation to do evil comes from the Three Poisons: greed, anger and ignorance. We are responsible for controlling our actions and their consequences.

5. Do you think Myra Hindley is an evil person?
The Moors murders were carried out by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley between July 1963 and October 1965, in and around Greater Manchester. The victims were five children aged between 10 and 17, at least four of whom were sexually assaulted. Characterised by the press as "the most evil woman in Britain", Hindley made several appeals against her life sentence, claiming she was a reformed woman and no longer a danger to society, but she was never released. She died in 2002, aged 60. Background Hindley’s father was an alcoholic and was physically abusive. He taught Hindley how to fight when she was young, wanted her to be ‘tough’. Ian Brady influenced Hindley to such an extent that she said she would have believed anything he told her. She claimed he started talking to her about ‘committing the perfect murder’ in 1963, the year in which they killed their first victim.
Do you think Myra Hindley is an evil person?

6. ‘There can never be a good reason to carry out a bad action.’

7. Reasons for Crime I can explain reasons why people commit crime
I can evaluate whether it is ever right to break the law

8. Why do some people commit crimes?
Use p to write a sentence to explain each reasons for crime.
Are some of these reasons more acceptable than others?
Challenge: Explain how one reason for crime could cause another reason.
Why do some people commit crimes?
opposition to an unjust law
poverty
Why people commit crime
upbringing
hate
mental illness
greed
addiction

9. Rosa Parks
Arrested in 1955 for breaking segregation laws by refusing to give up her seat in the bus to a white person.
Was she right to break the law?
What impact did this and similar actions have?

10. Religious Attitudes
Buddhism teaches that laws should be obeyed as they uphold Buddhist values on non-harm.
A life of crime goes against Right Livelihood and since crimes hurt others they break the First Precept. Breaking the law also leads of bad karma.
However, breaking unjust laws might follow Right Action. The Zen Master Tich Nhat Hanh said ‘have the courage to speak out about situations of injustice, even when doing so may threaten your own safety.’
Christianity teaches that laws should be obeyed unless they are unjust. Since many Christian rules are reflected in UK law (such as the Ten Commandments), breaking the law also means committing a sin.
However, many Christians believe that unjust laws can be broken. Martin Luther King and his supporters broke the law non- violently to fight for equal rights for black citizens. Martin Luther King was influenced by the teaching that all people are created equal in the image of God. Protest should be peaceful because Jesus did not approve of violence.
Thích Quảng Đức was a Vietnamese Mahayana Buddhist monk who burned himself to death at a busy Saigon road intersection in He was protesting the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government.

11. ‘There is never a good reason to
commit a crime.’
Some people may agree with this because…
Furthermore…
However, other people may disagree with this because…
Additionally…
After considering both views, it seems that…

12. Explain two religious beliefs about breaking the law in order to get a bad law changed. (5) Refer to scripture or sacred writings in your answer.

13. What is the worst crime to commit? Make sure you justify your opinion.
Murder
Theft
Hate crime
Hate crime: Crimes, often including violence, that are usually targeted at a person because of their race, religion, sexuality, disability or gender

14. Types of crime I can describe examples of hate crime, theft and murder
I can evaluate Christian attitudes to these crimes

15. REAL LIFE NEWS
In tables or rows pass around the the news articles. Find an article to match each type of crime.
Sentence starters
This story is called…
The Type of crime it matches is…
My opinion about the crime is…
What I think the punishment should be
What I would like to ask the criminal?
You will feed this back to the class later.

16. Christian Attitudes
1. Use the ideas below to explain why Christians oppose each type of crime (murder, theft and hate crime). Christians oppose murder because of the teaching… which means (link to the crime) 2. Do you think Christians would think that any of these crimes can ever be justified? Challenge: Utilitarianism is the philosophical theory according to which we should do whatever will lead to the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people. Could this theory ever be used to justify any of these crimes?
The sanctity of life: all life is sacred, so it should be protected and cherished.
Jesus taught people to love thy neighbour: this means caring for others and avoiding causing suffering.
Jesus taught the Golden Rule: treat people how you would like to be treated.
‘You shall not steal’ and ‘You shall not kill’ are two of the Ten Commandments.
All people are made equal in the image of God.

17. ‘Stealing can never be justified.’ ‘Murder can never be justified.’
What do you think? How might a Christian answer?
On the one hand…
On the other hand…