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Different methods are used to punish criminals for their offences. Each punishment is associated with different aims.

What does Christianity say about crime?

Christianity teaches that sin is a part of human nature and that all people have the potential to commit a crime. This is shown in the story of the fall of Adam and Eve in Genesis, when they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit.

Christianity also teaches that:

• People should be treated fairly.
• God wants the world to be ruled justly.
• Criminals treat people unfairly. Punishments ensure that justice is done.

Christians do not believe in taking revenge when they have been wronged. They believe that they should forgive the sins of others, in the same way that they believe God forgives them for their sins.

What does Christianity say about how criminals should be treated?

Christians believe in justice, therefore Christians believe that criminals should be treated justly. They follow the example of Jesus, who taught that Christians should reform sinners and not be judgemental in their attitude:

As well as reform, some Christians would consider protection and deterrence to be important aims of punishment. These help to ensure safety in society.

Some Christians consider Old Testament teachings to be as important as New Testament teachings. Therefore they may believe that retribution is an important aim of punishment. They may think that criminals should be treated in a way that reflects the crime they have committed.

In Exodus it states:

This punishment is limited, eg it is only one eye for one eye. But it is also important to note that Jesus qualified this teaching:

In this passage, Jesus teaches that violent and evil people should be dealt with in unexpected ways, which will hopefully encourage them to think about and amend their ways.