Theme E: Religion, Crime and Punishment | AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062)
Theme E: Religion, Crime and Punishment
- 92 questions
- 7 subtopics
- Paper 2
- Paper 2
Theme E: Religion, Crime and Punishment is examined in Paper 2, Thematic studies — one of the four themes chosen, marked out of 24.
It covers good, evil and intention, reasons for crime, types of crime and views about criminals, the aims of punishment, the treatment of criminals, forgiveness and the death penalty.
Sample questions from Theme E: Religion, Crime and Punishment
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Good, evil and intention
Explain the Christian idea of original sin.
Show the answer
Original sin is the flawed nature that Christians believe all people inherit from Adam and Eve. Augustine argued that human beings cannot overcome it without God's grace. -
Good, evil and intention
Give one argument that it can sometimes be good to cause suffering.
Show the answer
Some believers argue that suffering is justified when it produces a greater good, such as surgery that saves a life. Punishment that reforms an offender is defended in the same way. -
Reasons for crime
How is addiction a cause of crime?
Show the answer
Addiction to drugs or alcohol can drive a person to steal to pay for the next supply. Judgement and self-control are weakened by the substance itself. -
Reasons for crime
Name a Christian who broke the law of his country on religious grounds.
Show the answer
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor, opposed Nazi law and joined a plot against Hitler. Bonhoeffer was executed in 1945. -
Types of crime and views about criminals
What does Islam teach about theft?
Show the answer
Islam forbids theft, and the Qur'an prescribes cutting off the hand of a thief (5:38). Most Muslim countries do not apply that punishment, and scholars set very strict conditions of proof. -
Types of crime and views about criminals
Which teaching of Jesus warns Christians against judging offenders?
Show the answer
Jesus taught 'Do not judge, or you too will be judged' (Matthew 7:1). A common Christian saying is to hate the sin but love the sinner. -
The aims of punishment
What is deterrence?
Show the answer
Deterrence is punishment designed to put people off committing crime. A harsh sentence warns the offender and everyone else what the consequences will be. -
The aims of punishment
What does the Qur'an teach about justice in punishment?
Show the answer
The Qur'an commands believers to stand firmly for justice, even against themselves or their relatives (4:135). Allah is called al-Adl, the Just, and Muslims are expected to mirror that justice.
The 7 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Good, evil and intention | The subtopic covers good and evil, sin and original sin with the Islamic contrast, why intention matters and the hadith on intention, Jesus on anger, whether causing suffering can be good, conscience, and humanist ethics. | 13 |
| Reasons for crime | These questions explain poverty, upbringing, mental illness, addiction, greed, hate and status as reasons for crime, unjust laws and those who broke them on religious grounds, and whether criminals are fully responsible. | 13 |
| Types of crime and views about criminals | Students learn hate crime, theft and murder with the religious teaching on each, Umar's reported suspension of the fixed punishment for theft, Qur'an 5:32, so-called victimless crime, Jesus on judging offenders, and the humanist view. | 14 |
| The aims of punishment | The subtopic covers retribution, deterrence and reformation with an objection to each, an eye for an eye and Jesus' answer to it, the further aims of punishment, qisas and diyah in Islam, and the aims humanists favour. | 13 |
| The treatment of criminals | These questions explain prison and its criticisms, Elizabeth Fry, corporal punishment with contrasting Christian and Muslim views, community service, restorative justice, parole, and Buddhist teaching on treating criminals. | 13 |
| Forgiveness | Students learn forgiveness in Jesus' teaching, the Lord's Prayer and the words from the cross, whether forgiveness cancels punishment, repentance, God's forgiveness in Islam, contrasting Christian and Muslim beliefs, and humanist views. | 12 |
| The death penalty | The subtopic covers capital punishment and its abolition in the UK, biblical texts and Romans 13, Catholic teaching and the sanctity of life, the principle of utility on both sides, Islamic, Buddhist and humanist views, and the risk of injustice. | 14 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA GCSE Religious Studies A Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,734 questions with their answers.