Crime, Society and Punishment
Why do people commit crime, and what should happen when they do? Explore the aims of punishment, the types of sentence, and how to weigh up what justice should try to achieve.
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Crime and justice
When someone breaks the law, society has to decide what should happen next. Should punishment pay back the wrong, protect the public, or reform the offender? This module covers the aims of punishment, the types of sentence a court can give, and how citizens weigh up what justice should try to achieve.
Crime and punishment words
Four terms run through the topic:
Match each aim of punishment to its meaning
- Retribution
- Deterrence
- Rehabilitation
- Protection
- The offender pays for the harm they caused
- Putting people off committing crime
- Reforming the offender to change their behaviour
- Keeping the public safe from the offender
Which aim is this?
A prison programme teaches offenders new skills so they can find work when released. Which aim of punishment is this?
- Rehabilitation
- Retribution
- Deterrence
- Reparation
The aims of punishment
Courts weigh up five aims when they sentence an offender: - Retribution - the offender pays for the crime - Deterrence - putting people off offending - Rehabilitation - reforming the offender - Protection - keeping the public safe - Reparation - making amends to the victim or community
Genuine aims?
Select the TWO that are genuine aims of punishment.
- Rehabilitation of the offender
- Protection of the public
- Making a profit for the government
- Entertaining the public
Two kinds of sentence
Courts choose the sentence to fit the crime and the offender.
Custodial or community?
Which of these is a community sentence rather than a custodial one?
- Unpaid work in the community
- A fixed term in prison
- A life sentence
- Being held in prison on remand
Put it together
A _____ is an act that breaks the law. Courts can impose different punishments. _____ aims to reform the offender, while _____ aims to put people off offending. A _____ sentence means prison, while a _____ sentence is served outside it.
A case through the system
Put the stages of a criminal case into the correct order.
- A crime is committed and reported
- The police investigate and arrest a suspect
- The suspect is charged and goes to court
- The court hears the case and reaches a verdict
- If guilty, the court decides the sentence
Match each response to its description
- Custodial sentence
- Community sentence
- Fine
- Reparation
- Time served in prison
- Unpaid work and supervision in the community
- A sum of money paid as a penalty
- Making amends directly to the victim
Choose the aim
Three sentences, three aims. Identify the aim of punishment each one serves best.
- A young offender is given a course to tackle the causes of their offending. Which aim is this?
- A dangerous offender is given a long prison term to keep the public safe. Which aim is this?
- An offender is ordered to repair the damage they caused to a victim's property. Which aim is this?
Evaluate the statement
"The main aim of punishment should be rehabilitation, not retribution." Evaluate this statement.
- Explain what rehabilitation aims to do
- Give one argument in favour of the statement
- Give one argument against it, for example for retribution or protection
- Reach a justified conclusion of your own
Apply the aims, then weigh them
Weaker answers just list the aims. Top answers apply and weigh them: match the right aim to a situation, then argue which aims matter most and why. For an evaluation, give arguments on both sides - rehabilitation reduces reoffending, but retribution and protection also matter - and reach a justified conclusion. Apply, weigh, conclude - top band.