Lesson video

Hello, and welcome to today's lesson.

I'm so pleased that you're going to join me.

My name's Mrs. Rawbone, and I'm going to be your RE teacher today.

In today's lesson, you will be able to explain different views on how offenders should be treated, including Christian beliefs and the role of chaplains and charities.

Some keywords that we'll be using today are "humane," "justice," and "rehabilitation." Humane means showing kindness, care, and sympathy towards others, respecting their dignity and aiming to reduce suffering.

Justice is ensuring fairness by responding to crimes in a way that holds the offender properly accountable.

Rehabilitation is the process of helping offenders regain skills, change behaviour, and reintegrate into society after committing a crime.

Today's lesson will take two parts.

We'll be looking at treatment of offenders and views on those who have committed crimes.

So let's get started on treatment of offenders.

Andeep, Aisha, and Lucas are discussing views on people who commit crimes.

Andeep says, "Some people argue that those who choose to commit crimes must face the consequences." Aisha responds, "They might add that offenders need strict punishment to protect society and to deter others from crime." Lucas responds, "Others would argue that anyone who commits crime should receive education and mental healthcare to help them stop reoffending." The views expressed by Andeep, Aisha, and Lucas have been supported historically to varying degrees.

When Andeep says, "Some people argue that those who choose to commit crimes must face the consequences," we can trace that sort of view right back to ancient times, as far back as 1,750 BCE.

People who committed crimes were seen as responsible and deserving of harsh consequences, as shown in some ancient codes of justice.

And that view does continue today.

When Aisha says, "They might add that offenders need strict punishment to protect society and deter others from crime," she's adding in the idea that punishment can actually benefit other people, and it's not just about giving payback to the offender.

And we can see that back in the 19th century, offenders were seen as dangerous and strict punishment, which included public executions and transportation, was used to deter crime, and that view does continue today, although not necessarily the same kinds of punishments.

And when Lucas says, "Others would argue that anyone who commits crime should receive education and mental health care to help them stop reoffending," we see that kind of view starting to emerge in the 20th century.

People shifting to see that people who commit crime might be able to change, and rehabilitation perhaps becoming an important part of punishment, and that view also continues today.

Rehabilitation is a key purpose of imprisonment under UK law.

So alongside punishment, deterrence, and public protection.

The word rehabilitation comes from Latin.

The word "re" means "again" and "habilitation" comes from the Latin word "habilitare" meaning "to make able." So rehabilitation means to restore an ability or to make fit again, or to make able again.

So in the context of criminal justice, it refers to the process of helping offenders regain skills, change behaviour, and reintegrate into society after committing a crime.

Let's check your understanding.

What is rehabilitation? Take a moment, pause the video if you need to, jot down your answer, and then come back when you're ready to check.

So you could have said "The process of helping offenders regain skills, change behaviour, and reintegrate into society after committing a crime." Well done if you have talked about that idea of helping offenders return to society.

This timeline outlines how someone should be treated before, during, and after a prison sentence in the UK.

So before, everyone is entitled to a fair trial and sentencing.

During a prison sentence, humane treatment comes right at the beginning as one of the first things that should be happening for people who are imprisoned.

Rehabilitation is usually part of the programme.

We then have sometimes the opportunity for restorative justice, preparation for release near the end of the sentence, and then after the sentence has ended, reintegration into society.

So in UK law, everyone has the right to a fair trial and legal support, and an impartial judge.

Sentences must be fair and aim to punish, rehabilitate, deter, protect the public, and make amends.

Whilst in prison, from the very outset, prisoners must have food, healthcare, and a safe environment, fair treatment, limited solitary confinement if that's relevant, and reasonable family contact.

Inhumane or degrading treatment is banned.

During a sentence, prisoners should receive education, training, and support from staff.

It might be from chaplains, it might be charities like the Shannon Trust and The Clink.

Rehabilitation helps them gain skills and work towards change.

Restorative justice is an option.

It involves communication between the offender and the victim, and that can be offered.

It is supported by the prison staff, by chaplains, by probation staff, and groups like Prison Fellowship UK.

Release preparation helps prisoners plan housing, employment, and it supports their needs.

It's coordinated by prison staff, chaplains, the probation service, and charities like Pact and Switchback.

Reintegration support helps ex-prisoners find housing, work, and rebuild their relationships.

It's provided by the probation service, by chaplains, and also by charities such as St.

Giles Trust and the Timpson Foundation.

Both religious and non-religious groups support offenders.

Father Gerald, a Catholic prison chaplain, has worked with many of them.

Father Gerald says, "It's really important that offenders are treated humanely when they're in prison.

Pact, the Prison Advice and Care Trust, is a Christian charity focused on prisoner wellbeing.

I have worked with their team to help organise family visits and provide emotional support to prisoners during difficult times." So what does Pact focus on? Take a moment, pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

Father Gerald continues.

He says, "Education is an important part of rehabilitation.

The Shannon Trust is a secular charity that helps prisoners improve their literacy through peer mentoring.

I support their work by identifying prisoners who struggle with literacy, encourage them to join, and organising meeting spaces." So what does the Shannon Trust support? Take a moment, pause the video if you need to, and then come back when you are ready to check your answer.

So well done if you spotted that it is literacy.

Father Gerald continues to talk about his work in prisons.

He says, "Prison Fellowship UK is a Christian charity that runs restorative justice programmes in prisons.

It also offers mentoring for prisoners and supports victims of crime.

Restorative justice can help heal the hurt caused by crime so I work with them to facilitate sessions." What charity does Father Gerald support by facilitating restorative justice sessions? So they can be run by all sorts of people, but in this case, he mentions a particular charity.

Pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check.

So well done If you spotted that it is Prison Fellowship UK.

Father Gerald continues, "It's really important that people are ready for life after prison.

I've worked with St.

Giles Trust, a secular charity that supports prisoners by offering mentoring and practical help with housing and employment.

I've connected people nearing release to their team and referred former prisoners for ongoing support." So which charity does Father Gerald work with to support prisoners both before and after release? Take a moment, pause if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

well done if you spotted it's St.

Giles Trust.

Let's check your understanding of the support people can get in prison.

Name one organisation that supports the rehabilitation of people who have committed crime.

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

You could have said any one of the following: Pact, which is the Prison Advice and Care Trust, Prison Chaplaincy Service, Prison Fellowship UK, St.

Giles Trust, and the Shannon Trust.

Well done if you put any of those as your answer.

John McAvoy transformed his life in prison.

He grew up surrounded by wealth built through crime, and was drawn from an early age into a world where status and power defined by violence and money.

Although shaped by his environment, he has always accepted responsibility for his actions and acknowledges that he chose to commit serious offences.

In 2006, he was sentenced for armed robbery and firearms offences.

In prison, he was classified as a category A prisoner, and held in some of the country's higher security facilities.

Despite this, he was treated with basic dignity by some of the prison staff.

He later reflected that being treated as a human being rather than just a number or a threat gave him the space to think and change.

While in Belmarsh prison, he gained access to an indoor rowing machine.

His exceptional physical ability was soon noticed by physical education instructors and education staff who encouraged him to channel his energy into training and self-development.

With support from sports staff in the prison service and individuals connected to British rowing, he began training seriously.

Prison officers recognised his discipline and allowed him to concentrate on something constructive.

John had access to various rehabilitation programmes while in prison, including education, physical training, and pastoral care.

This support from prison education staff, chaplains, and sports mentors was vital in helping him develop new skills and perspectives.

John eventually broke multiple world records for indoor rowing while still serving his sentence.

His talent brought him into contact with people outside the criminal justice system who supported his rehabilitation.

With continued encouragement from prison education staff, chaplains, and later, athletic sponsors and mentors, he began to see himself differently, no longer defied by his past, but shaped by his potential.

Since his release in 2012, John has rebuilt his life as a professional Ironman triathlete with sponsorship from Nike.

He now worked with organisations such as the Alliance of Sport, promoting sport-based mentoring, and rehabilitation programmes in prisons.

He speaks in schools and institutions to guide young people away from crime, not by excusing his past, but by proving that change is possible when people are treated with fairness and offered the opportunity to grow.

However, John's story is not the experience of many prisoners.

Too often, prisoners face overcrowded, under-resourced conditions with little access to meaningful education, sport, or rehabilitation programmes.

John's journey shows what is possible when prisoners are treated fairly and given opportunities to grow, but it also highlights the inequality within the prison system.

While some benefit from supportive staff and programmes, many do not, which undermines the goal of rehabilitation and increases the risk of reoffending.

So let's check your understanding.

Is this statement true or false? Access to rehabilitation programmes varies widely across different prisons.

Take a moment, pause the video, jot down your answer, but also have a think about why.

Come back when you are ready to check.

So well done if you put that unfortunately this is true.

Why? Well, it's true because access to rehabilitation does vary due to differences in funding, staffing, and also to overcrowding.

Aisha has started writing an introduction to an essay about how people who commit crimes should be treated, and I'd like you to help her out with this.

She's written, "The treatment of people who have committed crimes involves how they're dealt with by the justice system.

Punishment aims to hold offenders accountable and protect society." What I'd like you to do is continue by including some of the reasons why people might turn to crime, and a historical and modern example of different approaches to the treatment of offenders.

So pause the video and take your time to develop what she said into a longer paragraph that could be used as an introduction.

Come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said, "The treatment of people who have committed crimes involves how they are dealt with by the justice system.

Punishment aims to hold offenders accountable and protect society.

Reasons why people might turn to crime include poverty, addiction, and difficult upbringings.

Historically, offenders were often punished harshly, such as through public executions or transportation.

In modern times, the focus has shifted towards rehabilitation, offering education support and restorative justice to encourage offenders to reform." So well done if you've mentioned some of those reasons why people might turn to crime, but also some of the history of how people who commit crimes have been treated.

For the second part of our lesson, we're going to be looking at views on those who have committed crimes.

Someone's view on people who have committed crimes could be influenced by a number of factors: religious beliefs, moral worldview, personal experience, human rights principles, ethical theories, societal and cultural values.

And there could be more influences than this.

It's just an example.

Warren is an atheist, and he's explaining his view on people who have committed crime.

Warren says, "The primary aim of punishment is to minimise overall suffering.

From a utilitarian perspective, humane treatment matters only if it helps achieve this.

Sometimes, being tough on offenders can better serve this goal by deterring others and protecting society.

However, if rehabilitation effectively reduces crime, then it is the preferable approach." So what ethical theory does Warren use to support his argument? Take a moment, pause the video if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check.

So well done if you spotted that he's using utilitarianism.

Zoe is an atheist and she works as a psychologist.

She's explaining her view on people who have committed crime.

Zoe says, "Having studied some criminal psychology, I believe treating people humanely and understanding factors like upbringing and mental health is key.

While people must take responsibility, rehabilitation that treats offenders with dignity and provides support can help them change and reduce reoffending." So what has influenced Zoe's view? Take a moment again, pause the video if you need to, and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you spotted is the fact that she studied criminal psychology.

Neil is a humanist and a defence barrister.

He's explaining how the Universal Declaration of Human Rights supports his view on people who have committed crimes.

Article 10 states, "Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal." Neil says, "This principle is at the heart of any fair justice system.

Everyone deserves a fair hearing, no matter what they're accused of." Article 17 states, "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment or punishment." Neil explains, 'This is crucial because justice is not just about cruelty or humiliation, but about fairness, accountability, and respect for dignity." So let's check your understanding again.

I'd like you to name one factor that might influence someone's view on people who have committed crimes.

Pause if you need to, come back when you're ready to check.

You could have said any one of the following: human rights, psychology, ethical theories such as utilitarianism, personal experience, religious beliefs.

So well done If you manage to pick one of those examples.

Christian views about people who commit crime 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.

Christians might interpret sources differently or emphasise one more than another.

The Bible is a source of wisdom and authority for Christians when thinking about the treatment of offenders.

Genesis 1:27 says "So God created mankind in his own image." Father Gerald says, "As a prison chaplain, this verse reminds me that every person I meet, no matter what they've done, still reflects the image of God.

Their dignity isn't lost because of their crime." Romans 12:17-21 says, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil.

Overcome evil with good." Frank says, "In my work as a restorative justice practitioner, we don't ignore the harm done, but we don't punish for its own sake.

Instead, we create space for the offender to take responsibility and make things right, aiming to bring something good out of what went wrong.

Matthew 25:36 says, "I was in prison and you came to visit me." Fiona says, "This verse is part of the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, where Jesus says that whatever we do for those in need, we do for him.

When I visit someone in prison, I'm responding to Christ's call to see him in the lives of those society often forgets." In John 8:11, Jesus says to the woman caught in adultery, "'Then neither do I condemn you,' Jesus declared, 'Go now and leave your life of sin.

'" Simon tells us, "This verse shows how Jesus offers forgiveness, but also calls for change.

That's why I support Prison Fellowship, a Christian charity that runs rehabilitation and restorative justice programmes.

It helps people take responsibility and start a new life." Christian denominations agree that although reasons such as poverty, upbringing, and addiction don't excuse crime, people who commit crime should be supported.

The Catholic Church teaches that offenders must be treated with dignity.

The Catechism paragraph 2266 says punishment should protect society and correct the offender.

Justice must aim at moral reform, not revenge.

And groups like Pact support this through care for prisoners and their families.

The Church of England teaches that justice must be joined with compassion.

In "The Truth That Sets You Free" from 2009, which was a report led by the bishop of Liverpool, the church calls for prisons to focus on rehabilitation and not just punishment.

Offender should be treated fairly and given support to rebuild their lives.

Quakers believe every person has worth, no matter what they have done.

Quaker faith and practise teaches that punishment should not be about revenge, but about healing and restoration.

Quakers support alternatives to prison, especially for nonviolent offenders, and they promote restorative justice.

So let's check your understanding again.

Which Bible teaching best supports the Christian belief that offenders should be treated in a way that helps them reform? Is it A, So God created mankind in his own image.

B, Do not repay anyone evil for evil, overcome evil with good.

Or C, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

So take a moment and think about which best supports that belief and then come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done If you put B.

They're all very supportive of offenders, but B in particular says about overcoming evil with good, which would suggest giving people support to help them reform.

There are some arguments for the idea that people who break the law shouldn't expect the same level of care or dignity as those who follow it.

And these include the idea that offenders give up their rights or that harsh treatment deters crime.

Here's how someone could develop each argument.

Offenders give up their rights.

Or you might say, although sometimes people commit crime because of poverty, addiction, or difficult upbringings, at some point they have to take responsibility for their choices.

When a person breaks the law, they reject the rules that protect everyone's rights and dignity, effectively forfeiting their own rights.

On the argument harsh treatment deters offenders, someone might say, whilst offenders shouldn't be treated inhumanely, harsher treatment can help deter crime.

If prison is seen as too comfortable or forgiving, it may not act as a strong enough warning to others.

Justice should send a clear message that crime has serious outcomes.

And here are some arguments against the statement, "People who break the law shouldn't expect the same level of care or dignity as those who follow it." Everyone has rights and humane treatment leads to reform.

So let's look at how someone would develop those points.

For everyone has rights, they might say, no matter what someone has done or why they have done it, they must still be treated with dignity.

That is a basic principle of human rights.

Justice means proportionate consequences, not a necessary suffering.

And for humane treatment leads to reform.

They might say, prison should help people change, not make them worse.

If we don't treat people with dignity, we can end up reinforcing crime, not reducing it.

Rehabilitation works best when people are given the chance to reflect and grow.

Let's check your understanding.

Offenders have rejected the rules that protect everyone's rights is an argument to support the statement: people who break the law shouldn't expect the same level of care or dignity as those who follow it.

So think carefully about whether it's an argument for, and also have a think about why.

Pause the video and come back when you're ready to check your answer.

So well done if you put that that's true.

But why is it true? Well, it's true because it suggests that by breaking the law, offenders have given up their claim to the same level of treatment.

For part one of our task, I'd like you to explain two different religious beliefs about the treatment of people who commit crime.

Complete the answer by developing each point in the table.

So the first point, "Christians believe that.

." You could develop with the phrase "This means.

." and the second point would be "Another Christian belief is that.

." And again, you could develop with "This means.

." So pause the video, take your time to think about your answer and how you would develop each of those points.

Come back when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said for the first point, Christians believe that all people are created in the image of God.

And for the development, this means they should be treated humanely and with dignity and respect, even if they have committed crimes.

For the second point, another Christian belief is that rehabilitation is important because it reflects the teachings of Jesus about forgiveness and transformation.

You could have developed it with, this means they encourage offenders to take responsibility, change their behaviour, and seek reconciliation with those they have harmed.

So well done if you manage to choose two points and develop both of them in a similar way to this.

For part two of our task, Jun has started to conclude his evaluation of the statement, people who break the law shouldn't expect the same level of care or dignity as those who follow it.

I'd like you to use the guidance to help him finish his conclusion.

So he started to write, the treatment of people who break the law is a difficult issue because.

The argument that everyone has rights shows the statement is wrong because.

The argument that offenders give up their rights is unconvincing because.

And ultimately, people who break the law.

So Jun is using a very particular style here.

He's begun by recognising the complexity of the issue.

He's then explaining the strongest reason supporting his position.

Explaining why opposing arguments are not convincing.

And he's providing a clear and final judgement.

So take your time, think really carefully about how Jun would develop his conclusion.

It may not be what you think, but we're just practising those skills and developing a really good justified conclusion.

Come back to the lesson when you're ready to see what you could have written.

You could have said, "The treatment of people who break the law is a difficult issue because it involves balancing justice, public safety, and human dignity.

The argument that everyone has rights shows the statement is wrong because all people deserve fair and humane treatment no matter what they've done.

The argument that offenders give up their rights is unconvincing because human rights are not conditional and harsh treatment can make reoffending more likely.

Ultimately, people who break the law should still be treated with care and dignity while being held accountable for their actions.

So well done if you manage to develop his conclusion, and you can also have a think about how you might write a conclusion that reflects your own point of view.

In today's lesson, we've looked at the fact that the treatment of offenders have shifted over time, moving from harsh punishment to a greater emphasis on rehabilitation and support, that chaplains help offenders through their sentence, often working with charities like Prison Fellowship and Pact, that Bible teachings, such as Genesis 1:27 and Matthew 25:36, highlight human dignity, forgiveness, and care for those in prison, that Christian churches support efforts to rehabilitate offenders while still recognising that crime must be taken seriously, and that people hold different views on offenders, some focusing more on punishment and deterrence and others emphasising humane treatment and second chances.

thank you so much for working with me today and for all of the effort that you've put into this lesson.