Crime and Punishment See part d)s
Karuna / Metta à love and kindness
Crime can be perceived as an unskilful action as they come out of emotion instead of thoughts. Unskilful
acts cause suffering: suicide caused suffering to family and friends so they can be considered unskilful.
The Aims of Punishment Retribution
• Many believe that criminals deserve to suffer
Protection
for what they have done. One of the aims of
• The public has the right to feel protected from
this type of punishment is to enable the victims
criminals, which can be achieved through
to feel that justice has been done.
imprisonment.
•
• Sometimes this can be seen as getting revenge
• Some believe it is best that criminals stay locked for what the criminal has done.
up until we are sure they are no longer a danger
to society.
Deterrence Reformation
One aim of punishment is to try and stop similar crimes • If criminals are not going to be locked up
being committed in the future. forever, it makes sense to help them
reform. They need to see the error of
Many think we should have harsher punishments, to make their ways, and learn how to make a
an example of offenders and deter potential criminals. positive contribution to society.
• Some people think this makes punishment
too soft; it is meant to punish!
Dhammapada 197-202
Verse 197: Indeed we live very happily, not hating anyone among those who hate; among men who hate
we live without hating anyone.
Verse 198: Indeed we live very happily, in good health among the ailing; among men who are ailing we live
in good health.
Verse 199: Indeed we live very happily, not striving (for sensual pleasures) among these who strive (for
them); among those who strive (for them) we live without striving.
Protection – The story of the buddha Reformation – The story of Angulimala
as the ship’s captain • Angulimala lived at the time of the Buddha and was a well-
known terrorist in India, 2500 years ago. He killed for his
The Buddha discovers a criminal who own enjoyment and he coined the ‘finger necklace’, where
intended to kill the 500 onboard he could make a garland of his victim’s fingers.
passengers. He decided to save the
passengers himself as alerting the • Angulimala came with the intention of killing the Buddha
passengers would cause panic. He however after hearing him teach he reformed his
killed the convict, saving the passenger. character and decided to become a Buddhist himself.
• "Some prisoners are tamed with punishment of a stick, or a
à this evidence can be seen as weak – hook or a whip. I was tamed without a stick or a weapon. I
did he analyse all possible ways, could was tamed by the kind words of the Compassionate
he have restrained the criminal. Buddha."
Karuna / Metta à love and kindness
Crime can be perceived as an unskilful action as they come out of emotion instead of thoughts. Unskilful
acts cause suffering: suicide caused suffering to family and friends so they can be considered unskilful.
The Aims of Punishment Retribution
• Many believe that criminals deserve to suffer
Protection
for what they have done. One of the aims of
• The public has the right to feel protected from
this type of punishment is to enable the victims
criminals, which can be achieved through
to feel that justice has been done.
imprisonment.
•
• Sometimes this can be seen as getting revenge
• Some believe it is best that criminals stay locked for what the criminal has done.
up until we are sure they are no longer a danger
to society.
Deterrence Reformation
One aim of punishment is to try and stop similar crimes • If criminals are not going to be locked up
being committed in the future. forever, it makes sense to help them
reform. They need to see the error of
Many think we should have harsher punishments, to make their ways, and learn how to make a
an example of offenders and deter potential criminals. positive contribution to society.
• Some people think this makes punishment
too soft; it is meant to punish!
Dhammapada 197-202
Verse 197: Indeed we live very happily, not hating anyone among those who hate; among men who hate
we live without hating anyone.
Verse 198: Indeed we live very happily, in good health among the ailing; among men who are ailing we live
in good health.
Verse 199: Indeed we live very happily, not striving (for sensual pleasures) among these who strive (for
them); among those who strive (for them) we live without striving.
Protection – The story of the buddha Reformation – The story of Angulimala
as the ship’s captain • Angulimala lived at the time of the Buddha and was a well-
known terrorist in India, 2500 years ago. He killed for his
The Buddha discovers a criminal who own enjoyment and he coined the ‘finger necklace’, where
intended to kill the 500 onboard he could make a garland of his victim’s fingers.
passengers. He decided to save the
passengers himself as alerting the • Angulimala came with the intention of killing the Buddha
passengers would cause panic. He however after hearing him teach he reformed his
killed the convict, saving the passenger. character and decided to become a Buddhist himself.
• "Some prisoners are tamed with punishment of a stick, or a
à this evidence can be seen as weak – hook or a whip. I was tamed without a stick or a weapon. I
did he analyse all possible ways, could was tamed by the kind words of the Compassionate
he have restrained the criminal. Buddha."
