Lesson video

Hello, my name's Mrs. Robe and I'm your RS teacher today.

I'd like to welcome you to this lesson on the Treatment of Criminals, Prison and Community Service.

In today's lesson, you'll be able to understand Christian and other responses to prison and community service as forms of punishment.

Community service, prison and punishment are all keywords we'll be using today.

Community service is punishment involving the criminal during a set number of hours of physical labour or work in their local community.

Imprisonment is a form of punishment where a criminal is locked in a secure, guarded building, a prison, for a period of time and punishment is a penalty given to someone who has broken the law, intended to achieve justice and discourage future wrongdoing.

There are two parts to our lesson today.

We'll be looking at prison and community service, and we'll be looking at views about prison and community service.

So let's get started on prison and community service.

Community service is a type of punishment used for less serious nonviolent crimes where an offender completes unpaid work to benefit the community.

The offender's work, a set number of hours tasks are supervised and it can be combined with other punishments such as fines, curfews, rehabilitation programmes or suspended prison sentences.

Examples of community service include cleaning public spaces and repainting vandalised buildings, helping in care homes and sorting donations at a charity shop.

It can also include things like maintaining parks or gardens.

Prison is a type of punishment where a person is sent to a secure facility and they lose their freedom for a set period as a result of committing a crime.

It's used for serious or repeated offences.

Sentences range from a few months to life and prison is often combined with other punishments such as fines, bans, for example, a driving ban and post-release supervision.

Prison usually means living in a locked cell, wearing a prison uniform, strict routines and timetables, accessing to counselling or behaviour programmes and attending classes or skills training.

So what is community service? Pause the video.

Take a moment to write down your answer and then come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You should have said something like punishment involving the criminal doing a set number of hours of physical labour or work in their local community.

Well done if you've got something along those lines.

Andeep, Sofia, Lucas and Aisha are sharing some viewpoints on prison.

Andeep says, "One benefit of prison is that locking people up protects the rest of society." Sofia says "One argument for prison is that it deters people from committing crime." Lucas says "Yes, and people say that in prison, people get help so that they can reform." Aisha says, "Surely people are sent to prison because it's retribution for the crime they have committed." So what other viewpoints on prison have you heard? Pause the video, turn and talk to someone nearby, or you can talk to me and then come back when you're ready to move on.

Prisons in the UK are divided into four categories.

Category A is high security for the most dangerous or high risk offenders.

Category B is a standard closed prison, it's secure, but it's not maximum security.

Category C is low security for prisoners who are not considered a high escape risk, and category D are open prisons with minimal security for trusted prisoners nearing release.

A person's experience in prison varies depending on which prison they're sent to.

First of all, they'll be sentenced in court and then everyone starts in a category B or C prison and is assessed based on risk, their sentence and their needs.

Following that they may be transferred to category A or they may remain in category B or C.

Whether the person who committed a crime is in a category A, B, or C prison, they should receive support such as education, work, or rehabilitation programmes.

Category C prisoners may move to a category D prison near the end of their sentence.

Sofia is asking Neil, who is a defence barrister about his views on prison as a punishment.

Sofia says, "I've heard people say prison is like a holiday, but others say conditions are tough and so prison is a good deterrence because it scares people into behaving." Neil says, "I've represented people accused of serious crimes and have visited lots of prisons.

Sometimes prisoners are locked in their cells for long periods and conditions can be harsh with overcrowding and poor mental support.

In my experience, prison isn't a deterrence because former prisoners often re-offend because they've spent time with others who have more criminal experience." Sofia says, "At least we know prison protects us from dangerous people and at the same time, gives them a chance to get the help they need." Neil responds, "It's worth bearing in mind that some prisoners are there for nonviolent offences like theft or unpaid fines, and while prisons are supposed to offer support, the reality is that the quality of support varies and many people don't get proper access to education, training or rehabilitation.

That's why so many people end up going back.

The system punishes, but it doesn't always help people change." So why might prison make re-offending more likely? Make a choice from A, prisoners are given too much freedom and choice.

B, people spend time around others with more criminal experience and little chance to change.

C, most prisoners are released too early without serving full sentences or D, prisoners have access to luxuries like the internet and games.

So pause the video if you need to, jot down your answer and come back when you're ready to check.

Well done if you put B, they spend more time around others who have more criminal experience and maybe also they don't get much chance to change.

Andeep, Sofia, Lucas and Aisha are sharing some viewpoints on community service.

Andeep says, "I'm not sure Dean community service is a fair punishment." Sofia says, "One problem is that it doesn't protect society from offenders." Lucas responds, "I've heard people question whether it really achieves justice." And Aisha says, "Some people say that it doesn't actually teach anyone a lesson or help them reform." So which of these viewpoints have you come across? Take a moment to turn and talk to someone nearby or you can talk to me, pause the video, come back when you're ready to move on.

Sofia is asking Neil who's a defence barrister about his views on community service as a punishment.

Sofia says, "Some people say community service is an easy way out, but others say it's helpful because it gets people to do something positive and encourages them to reform." Neil says, "I think it depends on how it's managed.

Giving up evenings and weekends doing physically demanding work can be challenging, but I've also heard of cases where it wasn't taken seriously enough and offenders did the bare minimum.

When properly organised, it can be a way of helping offenders to take responsibility and do something positive for the community." Sofia says, "Does community service actually work?" Neil responds, "Well, it does in some cases because offenders reform, they see the impact of their actions and give something back, but it's not a guarantee.

I've seen people who've completed community service and then gone on to offend again, sometimes more seriously.

Like any sentence, it depends on the person, the support they get and how well the system holds them to account." For task A, I'd like you to complete the table below, comparing prison with community service.

So we're going to look at three features of prison and community service as punishments.

The offences, they're useful, the pros, so what they offer and the cons or challenges.

Take your time, pause the video, have a think about the features of both of those types of punishment.

Write up your answer and then come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

So you could have said for prison that it's used for serious or repeated offences and for service for less serious or nonviolent offences.

The pros of prison, well, it protects society because it removes dangerous offenders.

It deprives the offender of their freedom and provides retribution.

It deters others from committing crimes and it encourages reformation by offering access to education or rehabilitation.

For community service, the pros are that it allows people to give back to the community and it encourages them to reflect on their actions and reform and the cons or challenges, well prison can cause emotional harm.

Access to support may be poor and it can result in an increase in re-offending, but community service can be seen as too soft.

Not all offenders take it seriously and it depends very much on good supervision.

So well done if you managed to identify those different features of prison and community service.

For the second part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at views about prison and community service.

A YouGov survey in 2025 asked participants whether they thought the prison system in the UK was functioning well, whether it punishes prisoners, whether it protects people, whether it prepares prisoners for a crime-free life and whether it treats the causes of crime.

Participants responded with either, well, I don't know, or badly.

So have a look carefully at the chart.

Does the data suggest people think the prison system is working well overall? Pause the video, come back to the lesson when you're ready to check your answer.

So in most areas, people say it's working badly.

So the view seems to be in the UK certainly that the prison system overall is not functioning well.

The same YouGov survey asked participants whether they thought community service was effective.

They were choosing from very effective through to not effective at all and don't know.

So looking at that data, do most people think community service is effective? Take a moment, pause if you need to and then come back when you're ready to check.

So you should have noticed that the answer is no because 64% in total don't rate it as effective.

Alan is a humanist.

He's expressing his views on prison and community service as punishments.

Alan says, "I support the Howard League for Penal Reform, which works for a system that helps people to change.

In my view, justice should be based on reason and involved compassion.

Every prisoner deserves to be treated with dignity and has the right to be given the chance to rebuild their lives.

For many less serious crimes, community service is an effective response because it allows people to make amends and stay connected to society." So how might Alan have responded to the YouGov survey question on community service? Take a moment, pause the video, come back when you're ready to move on.

This timeline shows how Christian views on prison and community service have developed over time.

From the fifth to 15th century during the Middle Ages, the church supported legal systems that used imprisonment, corporal punishment and execution, and courts run by the church punished moral and religious offences, often with imprisonment.

Moving to the 12th to 19th century, the mediaeval inquisition began in the 12th century and the Spanish Inquisition started in 1478.

Imprisonment, forced confessions and torture were used against people accused of heresy.

The 16th to 19th century.

Well during these times, people were often imprisoned for poverty, debt or political descent, churches sometimes remained silent or reliant with state power instead of challenging injustice.

In the late 18th to 19th century, John Howard, who lived from 1726 to 1790 and Elizabeth Fry, who lived from 1780 to 1845 were key Christian prison reformers.

They campaigned for better prison conditions, education for prisoners and an end to corruption.

And from the late 20th century until the present day, many Christian thinkers and charities have begun to support community service as a formal punishment.

The work of Christian prison reformers inspires modern views on reform and rehabilitation today.

John Howard was a Christian who exposed poor prison conditions across Britain and Europe leading to the 1774 Jail Act for cleaner prisons and inspections.

Elizabeth Fry, a Quaker, saw the conditions in Newgate prison in 1813 and gave women and children food, clothing, and education.

She was the first woman to speak to parliament on prison reform, and you can see her picture here.

The Howard League for Penal Reform, founded in 1866 by Quakers and named after John Howard, is now a secular, so non-religious charity that campaigns for a fairer and more humane justice system.

So what is the main focus of the Howard League for Penal Reform? Is it A, campaigning for harsher prison sentences? B, promoting prison expansion across the UK? C, working to reduce the use of prison and support rehabilitation or D, providing legal aid for police officers.

So take a moment, pause the video, jot down your answer and come back when you're ready to check.

So well done if you put C, working to reduce the use of prison and support rehabilitation.

Christian attitudes to prison and community services punishment are informed by different sources of authority, including the Bible and church teachings, the example of other Christians, Christian ethical theories such as natural law and situation ethics, their conscience and ability to reason.

They may interpret the sources differently or emphasise one more than another.

Father Gerald is a prison chaplain and is explaining what this verse from the Bible means to him as a Roman Catholic.

"I was in prison and you came to visit me." Matthew 25:36.

Father Gerald says "In the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus says that the righteous are those who see him in the faces of those the world often forgets.

When I visit prisoners, I offer confession, pray with them or simply listen.

I'm respecting their dignity as human beings.

Punishment should not just be about justice, but also about reform.

Even in prison, people can begin again." Frank is a Methodist who works for the probation service as a restorative justice practitioner.

He's commenting on the verse from Luke 4:18, "He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners." Frank says, "This verse reminds me that freedom includes release from guilt, anger, and re-offending.

I support people on community service and those recently released from prison.

Restorative justice gives them a second chance by helping them take responsibility, meet victims, write apologies, or do unpaid work.

As a Methodist, I believe justice includes the chance to change." Tamara volunteers as a prison visitor through a scheme organised by her Quaker meeting.

She's explaining what this teaching means to her.

"Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the spirit should restore that person gently." Galatians six verse one.

Tamara says, "This verse reminds me that justice should be compassionate.

I visit a women's prison each month to listen and offer support, and I volunteer with a community sentencing project where people do unpaid work instead of going to prison.

As a Quaker, I believe everyone has that of God within them and deserves the chance to change." So what is the missing word? I was imprison and you came to me.

Take a moment, pause if you need to and then come back when you are ready to check.

So well done if you put visit.

Most Christian denominations support the use of prison as a punishment to an extent, but they also favour the use of community service.

Quakers are strongly critical of the prison system, especially when it focuses on punishment over rehabilitation.

They support restorative justice and believe in healing and accountability, reflecting their belief in that of God in everyone.

While some accept the prison may be unavoidable in rare cases, many prefer non-custodial options like community service.

Some Quakers go further, campaigning for the complete abolition of prisons in favour of more transformative approaches.

Methodists belief prison should be a last resort and focus on rehabilitation, not just punishment.

They speak out against poor conditions and injustice and promote a justice system based on dignity and the chance for change.

The church supports prison chaplaincy and non-custodial options like community service, especially for nonviolent offences, as a more constructive way to take responsibility and stay connected to the community.

The Catechism of the Catholic church, paragraph 2,266 teaches that prison may be necessary to uphold justice and protect society, but the punishment must contribute to the correction of the guilty party.

Catholics are actively involved in prison chaplaincy and visiting prisoners is seen as an act of mercy.

The church supports community service in suitable cases as it helps offenders make amends, take responsibility and reintegrate into society.

So we can see there how there's some divergent views within Christianity on prison as a punishment.

Let's check your understanding.

Give one reason why many Christians support community service as a punishment.

Pause the video, take a moment, come back when you're ready to check your answer.

You could have said any one of the following.

It supports restorative justice by helping offenders repair harm and rebuild relationships.

It helps people take responsibility and change their behaviour.

It keeps offenders connected to the community and encourages reintegration, and it offers a compassionate and constructive response to wrongdoing.

So well done if you managed to include at least one of those points.

For part one of our task, I'd like you to explain two religious beliefs about prison as a punishment.

In your answer, you must refer to one or more religious traditions.

That means refer to two traditions within Christianity because that's the religion we've looked at today.

To answer this question, you might want to use the suggestions below.

Point, so some Christians develop, this means, point, other Christians develop, this means.

So take your time, pause the video, develop those two points, and then come back when you're ready to see what you could have said.

There are lots of ways to answer this question.

You could have said using denominations as your starting point, Roman Catholics believe prison can be a necessary punishment for serious crimes.

This means they support prison if it helps people to change and respects human dignity.

They see visiting prisoners as an act of mercy and support chaplaincy to offer care and hope.

Taking a different denomination, you could say Quakers believe prison should be a last resort.

This means they support restorative justice and often prefer community service.

Many Quakers are involved in prison reform and visit prisoners to offer support, reflecting their belief in that of God in everyone.

So well done if you managed to pick out two different Christian beliefs, whether that's focusing on just a belief or on a particular Christian group and how they respond.

For the second part of our task, I'd like you to practise a really important skill at GCSE.

I'd like you to choose one of your points and develop it further by naming a relevant source of authority, saying what it teaches and applying it to beliefs about prison as a punishment.

You might want to use suggestions in the table.

Firstly, name a source of authority.

For example, the Bible or Jesus says, or church leaders say.

Secondly, say what it teaches.

That could be a quotation, a paraphrase, so putting it into your own words or a general belief or teaching.

And thirdly, apply prison as a punishment, using phrases like this means or this shows.

So take your time, choose one of your points, make sure that you develop it really well, and then come back when you're ready to see how you could have done that.

Let's have a look at what you could have said.

So here I chose the point about Quakers and I said, "A key source of authority for Quakers is the belief that there is that of God in everyone.

This is a guiding principle in Quaker faith and shapes how they treat others, including those who have offended.

Now, I could have chosen something different.

I could have chosen a biblical quotation, but I went with a source of Quaker belief and teaching.

It teaches that every person has value and the potential to change.

This means Quakers often support prison reform and are involved in visiting prisoners, offering support and encouragement.

They believe prison should not just punish, but also respect human dignity and help people take responsibility and rebuild their lives.

So well done if you managed to develop one of your points by supporting it with a source of authority, naming that and linking it in to the point being made.

In today's lesson, we've looked at how prison is for serious crimes and is a custodial sentence which removes the person's freedom.

That community service is given for less serious offences and involves unpaid work to benefit others.

The Bible teaches compassion and justice, including visiting those in prison, Matthew 25:36, Christians have different views on how appropriate prison is compared to community service as a punishment.

Both punishments raise questions about justice, rehabilitation, and how to reduce re-offending.

So thank you very much for working with me today on this lesson.

I really do appreciate all of your efforts.