Reasons for crime: poverty and upbringing
I can explain how poverty and upbringing can lead to crime, and describe Christian and secular responses to these causes.
Reasons for crime: poverty and upbringing
I can explain how poverty and upbringing can lead to crime, and describe Christian and secular responses to these causes.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- People in poverty may feel desperate and turn to crime, like stealing or drug dealing, to meet their basic needs.
- Growing up with neglect or violence can make crime seem normal or acceptable.
- The Bible warns that poverty can lead to crime and teaches that a good upbringing helps people make the right choices.
- Most Christian denominations agree that strong families, stable homes and tackling social problems help prevent crime.
- Charities such as the Salvation Army and Catch22 try to prevent crime by supporting families and addressing poverty.
Keywords
Crime - action which breaks the law; can be against the person (e.g., murder), against property (e.g., vandalism), or against the state (e.g., treason)
Poverty - the state of being without the things needed for a reasonable quality of life; can be a cause of crime
Upbringing - the environment a child lives in, and the instructions they receive, while they are growing up; can be a cause of crime
Common misconception
Christianity teaches that poverty or upbringing excuses crime.
Christian teachings often show understanding of causes, but still uphold moral responsibility and stress the need for repentance and justice.
To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: Reasons for crime: poverty and upbringing, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 11 religious education lesson on: Reasons for crime: poverty and upbringing, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Religion, crime and punishment unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Some people judge actions by the results, while others consider the behind them.
Q2.Which Christian teaching supports the importance of intention and action?
Q3.Some Christians believe humans are damaged by sin, but others see there’s potential for goodness.
Q4.What do many Christians believe suffering can help develop?
Q5.Some liberal Christians and humanists believe that suffering cannot the pain it causes.
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Match each keyword to the correct definition.
action which breaks the law
the state of being without the things for a reasonable quality of life
the environment a child lives in while they are growing up