Punishment: aims, capital punishment and forgiveness

Theme E2 covers the purposes of punishment, capital punishment, the role of forgiveness, and the treatment of criminals. Religious and secular views are compared throughout.

Aims of punishment

Why do we punish wrongdoers? Four main theories:

Aim	Description	Key supporters
Retribution	Offenders deserve to suffer proportionate to their crime ("an eye for an eye")	Kant, traditional religious views
Deterrence	Punishment discourages the offender and others from reoffending	Utilitarian; Bentham
Reformation/rehabilitation	Changing the offender's character so they do not reoffend	Christian restorative justice; modern psychology
Protection	Keeping dangerous offenders away from society	All traditions accept this

Religious perspectives:

• Christianity: Reformation is often prioritised — every person is imago Dei and capable of change. Retribution is not the same as revenge; justice is not the same as vengeance ("Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord" — Romans 12:19). Prison Fellowship, Restorative Justice.
• Islam: Shari'a law aims to protect the five essential values (life, intellect, progeny, property, religion). Punishment serves retribution and deterrence, but Islam strongly emphasises repentance and mercy. The Qur'an: "And whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, indeed, Allah will turn to him in forgiveness" (Qur'an 5:39). Judges are encouraged to consider mitigating factors.
• Humanism: Rehabilitation and protection are the most justifiable aims — punishment for its own sake (retribution) serves no social purpose and increases suffering.

Capital punishment

Capital punishment (the death penalty) is the execution of a criminal by the state for serious crimes (murder, treason, terrorism).

• Currently practised in ~55 countries, including the USA, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran. Abolished in the UK in 1969.
• Arguments for capital punishment:
  • Retribution: some crimes (mass murder, terrorism) deserve death.
  • Deterrence: may discourage potential murderers.
  • Protection: guarantees the offender cannot reoffend.
  • Old Testament: "Whoever sheds human blood, by humans shall their blood be shed" (Genesis 9:6). Exodus 21:24 — "Eye for an eye."
• Arguments against:
  • Miscarriages of justice are irreversible — many death row inmates have been exonerated (Innocence Project: 190+ in the USA alone).
  • Does not effectively deter — no correlation between death penalty and murder rates.
  • Sanctity of life — all human life is sacred, including criminals.
  • Christian: Jesus replaced "eye for an eye" with forgiveness (Matthew 5:38–39).
  • Catholic Church: The Catechism (§2267, revised 2018 by Pope Francis) now states capital punishment is "inadmissible" — it violates human dignity.
  • Islam: The death penalty exists in Shari'a for specific crimes (murder — qisas, apostasy, adultery in some schools) but the Qur'an sets very high evidentiary standards and strongly encourages forgiveness: "If someone forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is with Allah" (Qur'an 42:40).

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is releasing a person from blame or resentment for a wrong they have done — it does not necessarily mean ending punishment.

• Christianity: Forgiveness is central. Jesus forgave those who crucified him (Luke 23:34 — "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do"). Peter asked how often to forgive — "Seventy times seven" (Matthew 18:22). The Lord's Prayer: "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us."
  • The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa, 1996–98) — Desmond Tutu applied Christian forgiveness to post-apartheid justice.
  • Gordon Wilson — whose daughter Marie was killed in the Enniskillen IRA bombing (1987) — publicly forgave the bombers; became a symbol of Christian forgiveness.
• Islam: Allah's most frequently emphasised attributes are al-Rahman al-Rahim (the Compassionate, the Merciful). Forgiveness of offenders brings reward from Allah (Qur'an 42:40). However, victims have the right to demand justice; forgiveness is noble but not obligatory.
• Humanism: Forgiveness can be psychologically healthy for the victim — releasing resentment. But it is a personal choice, not a moral duty. Justice (protection, rehabilitation) must still be served.

Suffering of criminals

• Should criminals suffer? Traditional retributivists say yes — proportionate suffering is just. Reformists say no — punishment should reform, not merely inflict pain.
• Restorative justice — offender confronts the impact of their crime on the victim; makes amends through community service, apology or reparation. More effective at reducing reoffending than custodial sentences alone.
• Prison conditions: many religious organisations (Prison Reform Trust, Quakers, Prison Fellowship) advocate humane conditions as consistent with human dignity.

Examiner tips

• Know all four aims of punishment — retribution, deterrence, reformation, protection.
• For capital punishment, give arguments on both sides and cite a specific example (wrongful conviction, Innocence Project).
• Quote Catholic Catechism §2267 (2018) for the Catholic "inadmissible" position.
• Gordon Wilson and Desmond Tutu are powerful examples of religious forgiveness in practice.