WHAT IS A CRIME?
Breaking the rules and hurting other people
A crime is something that is against the rules and laws of our community. When someone breaks a rule or law, it can harm other people or cause problems in society. For example, if someone steals something from someone else, they are breaking the law and causing harm to the person whose property was taken. It is important for everyone to follow the rules and laws so that we can live peacefully and safely together in our community
What happens when you break the law and commit a crime?
if someone commits a crime, they may face punishment, such as having to pay a fine or go to jail.
COMMON EXAMPLES OF CRIMES
Can you think of other examples of crimes?
Non-violent Crime: Theft, burglary, etc.
Theft is when someone takes something that belongs to someone else without asking permission or paying for it. This is a crime because it is not fair to the person whose property was taken.
Violent Crimes: Assault, murder, etc.
Violent crimes are offences that involve the use of force or the threat of force against someone. These types of crimes can cause serious harm or even death to the person who is the victim of the crime.
Drug Crimes: Use, possess, sale of drugs
Drugs are substances that are not allowed to be used or sold because they can be harmful to people's health. Drugs are illegal as they can cause serious health problems. People who manufacture, sell and use drugs are committing a crime.
Food for thought
Why do we punish people when they do bad things?
Think
If you were punished by your parents for being rude to your teacher, what could be the purpose of that?
If a person who was caught drink-driving, was sent to jail for 2 weeks, why is that a good punishment?
Basis of Punishments
Food for thought
Why do we punish people when they do bad things?
Think
If you were punished by your parents for being rude to your teacher, what could be the purpose of that?
If a person who was caught drink-driving, was sent to jail for 2 weeks, why is that a good punishment?
Basis of Punishments
They deserve the punishment
If someone breaks a window on purpose, should they have to pay for the cost of fixing the window as part of the punishment?
This is meant to make up for the harm they caused and to show that their actions were not acceptable.
They will be scared and not do it again
If someone knows that they will get in trouble if they take something that belongs to someone else, they might be less likely to do it because they don't want to face the consequences.
The punishment will teach them a lesson
if someone gets in trouble for breaking a rule, a punishment that helps them understand why their actions were wrong will help them make better choices in the future.
COMMON PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
Can you think of debates that will require you to use these principles?
Retribution or Retributive Justice
Retribution is a punishment that is given to someone who has done something wrong or broken the law. This punishment is meant to make up for the harm that was caused by the person's actions.
Deterrence
Deterrence is a way to prevent people from doing something that is wrong or illegal. It works by making people afraid to do the wrong thing because they know that there will be consequences for their actions
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is a way to help people who have done something wrong or broken the law to learn from their mistakes and become better people. It is meant to help them understand why their actions were wrong and to give them the tools and support they need to make better choices in the future.
Companies that are responsible for the pollution of the environment are made to pay heavy fines. Can you all explain why this is a form of retributive justice?
Are there other examples of crimes and punishments that are based on retributive justice where the punishment matches the crime?
People say that the prison is a scary place, so sending somebody to jail is meant to be good deterrence. Can you all give some points about why prison is scary?
I'll start with prison being a place that has bad food. So people cannot choose to eat their favourite food while they are in prison.
People say that the prison is a scary place, so sending somebody to jail is meant to be good deterrence. Can you all give some points about why prison is scary?
I'll start with prison being a place that has bad food. So people cannot choose to eat their favourite food while they are in prison.
COMMON PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
Commonly discussed debate topics relating to principles of justice
Retribution or Retributive Justice
DEATH PENALTY
Also known as "Capital Punishment"
Fair punishment?
The death penalty, also known as capita certain crimes, such as murder. Would it be fair to sentence a thief (some
meone's life is to take away your life ed for the most heinous of crimes
l punishment, is the practice of sentencing, someone, to death for eone who stole money from a shop) to death?
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COMMON PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
Commonly discussed debate topics relating to principles of justice
Deterrence
JAIL SENTENCE
Also known as "Incarceration"
Jail can be a sca familiar with the people include:
Loss of freed Lack of priva Separation f
If jail or prison is again after they' of the punishme
dom acy from loved ones
ary place for many people, especially for those who are not experience. Some reasons why jail might be scary for some such a scary place, why do some people still commit crimes ve been released from prison? Is it because they are not afraid ent?
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COMMON PRINCIPLES OF JUSTICE
Commonly discussed debate topics relating to principles of justice
Rehabilitation
TURN OVER A NEW
Avoiding a life of crime
How can Education, Religion and Counselling some ways to include these things in the punis
Education Relig
W LEAF gion
g help a person turn away from crimes? What are shments given out to criminals?
Counselling
#Activity Time
Guilty or no
Now that you're all familiar with the pri punish criminals, we are going to try a help you think about the other side of j
Each of you will be given a crime. This committed. You are now given a chan why you did that crime and why you s
ot?
inciples of justice and why we fun game that is meant to justice.
is a very bad crime that you've ce to explain to the judge on should be forgiven.
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Activity
GUILTY OR NOT?
Everyone will be allocated a 'crime' that you've committed
You all have 10 minutes to plan a speech to explain why you did it and why the judge should forgive you and not punish you
You can be creative with your story
Each person gets a maximum of 3 minutes to speak and after that the audience gets to ask questions about your reason(s) given
Everyone in the class will vote to either FORGIVE or PUNISH
Example for reference
Crime
You used a stick to hit an older kid and ran off with his school bag.
Reason
The older kid was a school bully and he stole my best friend's laptop and refused to give it back.
He was going to sell the laptop when I stopped him. He was bigger than me so I wouldn't be able to win him in a fight, so I used a stick to hit him.
I ran off with the school bag so that I can return the laptop to my best friend.
SOME NASTY CRIMES RESPONSIBLE FOR
Arson
You set fire to an old folks' home. Some people could get out in time and unfortunately died in there.
Robbery
You robbed a woman with a knife and took her gold chain necklace.
Animal Abuse
You dropped a cat from the 10th storey. The cat was found dead at the bottom of the building.
THAT YOU WERE
Theft
You and your friends sneaked into a supermarket store, stole 20 boxes of chocolates and a whole cart of milk.
Poison
Your company poured toxic waste into the river. People who drank from the river water got poisoned and many were hospitalised.
Murder
Your grandmother was in the hospital and you turned off her oxygen supply. She passed away shortly after that.
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#Preparation
Prepare yo defences
This activity is to explore arguments of have 10 minutes to plan your speech a explain the reasons behind why you di Convince the audience and we'll vote t
f mitigation and defences. You and we will hear each one of you id what you did. to forgive you for what you did!
Speeches
you some questions
stead of taking matters into your
AVOIDING PUNISHMEN MITIGATION AND DEFE
Self-Defence
Acted in self-defense or in defense of another person, and that their actions were necessary to protect themselves or others from harm.
Under Duress or Coercion
Under duress or pressure from someone else to commit the crime. E.g. threatened by another person to do it.
Accident
No malicious intent to commit the crime, just an unfortunate accident.
NTS: ENCES
Aversion of Greater Harm
Actions were necessary to protect others from more catastrophic harm. E.g. killing a terrorist so that they won't go bomb up a building.
Mentally Incapacitated
Not legally responsible for their actions because they were suffering from a mental illness at the time of the crime.
Consent
The victim of the crime gave their consent to the actions that the defendant is accused of. E.g. the dying grandmother's last wish is to die peacefully.
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Debate Practice
Let's practi some debat
Try to apply the things you've learnt to explore. I would like you to try setting a arguments to support your side.
ice with te topics
o the topics we are about to a policy and then provide some
Topic #1 - Beginner Level
VANDALISM AND DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY
Motion
PRACTICE CASE SETUP
Prepare a speech detailing your policy and some key definitions. Thereafter, provide some points to support your case.
Note: Your purpose is to show understanding of the topic, and convince the audience that it is an urgent matter.
I'll split you all into 2 groups, proposition and opposition.
You have 10 minutes to prepare for this, and I will be giving you feedback on how to improve your cases.
Topic #2 - Intermediate Level
APPROPRIATE SENTENCING GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS
Info Slide
Sentencing algorithms determine criminal sente defendant and the crime committed to create a The majority of sentencing algorithms in the sta on existing datasets.
Motion
I'll split you all into 2 groups, proposition and opposition.
REBUTTAL PRACTICE
Some up with arguments and we'll focus on taking them down with the knowledge we've learnt today!
You have 10 minutes to prepare for this, and I will be giving you feedback on how to improve your cases. ences by using personal data inputs of the an "optimum" sentence for the circumstances. atus quo use machine learning and are trained
g is preferable to judge determined sentencing. powered by