I remember when I was doing my GCSEs there weren't a whole lot of resources particularly when it came to exam practice. So I compiled the key areas that I focused on to achieve a Grade 9 in AQA GCSE RS in 2022, saving you the trouble of having to look for good quotes, model answers, or practice que...
AQA GCSE SPECIFICATION CHECKLIST:
You must be able to explain contrasting beliefs on the following three issues with reference to the main
religious tradition in Britain (Christianity) and non-religious beliefs such as atheism and humanism:
Corporal punishment
Death penalty
Forgiveness
Section A: Religion, crime and the causes of crime
Good and evil intentions and actions, including whether it can ever be good to cause suffering
Reasons for crime, including:
poverty and upbringing
mental illness and addiction
greed and hate
opposition to an unjust law
Views about people who break the law for these reasons
Views about different types of crime, including hate crimes, theft and murder
Section B: Religion and punishment
The aims of punishment, including: retribution, deterrence, reformation.
The treatment of criminals, including: prison, corporal punishment, community service.
Forgiveness
The death penalty
Ethical arguments related to the death penalty, including those based on the principle of utility and
sanctity of life.
KEY TERMS GLOSSARY
Community Service Unpaid work that an offender performs for the benefit of the local community, rather than going to prison.
Crime An offence that is punishable by law eg. stealing.
Crime against Person Wrong doing that directly harms a person eg. murder.
Crime against State An offence aimed at damaging the government or a country eg. treason.
Death Penalty Capital punishment; a form of punishment in which a prisoner is put to death for crimes committed.
Deterrence An aim of punishment - to put people off committing crimes.
Electronic Tagging An offender has to wear an electronic device which tracks their movements to ensure restrictions of
movement are observed.
Fine Money paid as punishment for a crime or other offence.
Forgiveness Showing grace and mercy and pardoning someone for what they have done.
Haram Islamic Term - not allowed
Imprisonment When a person is put in jail for committing a crime.
Justice Bringing about what is right and fair according to law or making up for what has been done wrong.
Life Imprisonment A prison sentence that (theoretically) keeps people in prison until they die.
Parole When a prisoner is released without having completed their sentence because they have behaved well
, and accepted their guilt. The prisoner is monitored to try to ensure they don’t reoffend.
Prison Reform A movement that tries to ensure offenders are treated humanely in prison.
Probation An alternative to prison when an offender has to meet regularly with a probation officer to ensure they
don’t reoffend.
Protection Keeping the public from being harmed, threatened or injured by criminals.
Punishment Something done to a person because they have broken a law.
Reform An aim of punishment - to change someone’s behaviour for the better.
Religious Offence An offence against religion eg. blasphemy.
Repentance Being truly sorry and trying to change one’s behaviour so as not to do the same again.
Retribution An aim of punishment to get your own back “an eye for an eye”
Sanctity of Life Life is sacred because it is God given.
Shariah Islamic law based directly on the Quran and the Sunnah
Sin The breaking of a religious or moral law.
Social Environment The background in which a person lives.
Utility The state of being useful, profitable, or beneficial.
Vindication An aim of punishment that means offenders must be punished to show that the law must be respected.
Young Offender A person under 18 who has broken the law.
, Theme E: Religion, Crime & Punishment Past Exam Questions
1 Mark 2 Marks 4 Marks 5 Marks 12 Markers
Specimen 1 Which one of the following Give two Explain two contrasting beliefs Explain two religious “Corporal
expresses the religious idea that examples of in contemporary British society beliefs about breaking punishment can
one aim of punishment should religious moral about the death penalty for the law in order to get a never be
be to encourage people not to laws which some murder. In your answer you bad law changed. Refer justified.”
commit any more crimes? criminals break. should refer to the main to sacred writings or
A) Reformation religious tradition of Great another source of
B) Protection Britain and one or more other religious belief and
C) Deterrence religious traditions. teaching in your answer.
D) Reparation
Specimen 2 Which one of the following is not Give two religious Explain two similar religious Explain two religious “Reformation is
a reason for crime? beliefs about beliefs about people who beliefs about the death the best aim of
A) Poverty forgiveness. break the law. In your answer penalty. Refer to sacred punishment.”
B) Sanctity of life you must refer to one or more writings or another
C) Mental illness religious traditions. source of religious belief
D) Greed and teaching in your
answer.
2018 Religious believers accept the Give two causes Explain two similar religious Explain two religious “The death
idea of punishment. Which one of crime. beliefs about the use of beliefs which show that penalty should
of the following is not an aim of community service as a all hate crimes are never be used.”
punishment? punishment. In your answer wrong. Refer to sacred
A) Forgiveness you must refer to one or more writings or another
B) Reformation religious traditions. source of religious belief
C) Retribution and teaching in your
D) Deterrence answer.
2019 Many religious believers do not Give two of the Explain two contrasting Explain two religious “There is nothing
support causing physical pain to aims of religious views about how reasons why some wrong with
those who break the law. Which punishment. people who commit a crime people are against the sending a
one of the following means to because of an addiction should death penalty. Refer to criminal to
punish criminals by inflicting be treated. In your answer you sacred writings or prison.”
physical pain on them? must refer to one or more another source of
A) Prison sentence religious traditions. religious belief and
B) Reformation teaching in your answer.
C) Corporal punishment
D) Community service
2020 Which one of the following do Give two reasons Explain two contrasting Explain two religious “Deterring
religious believers regard as an why some religious views in beliefs about people from
evil intention? religious people contemporary British society forgiveness. Refer to committing crime
A) Showing forgiveness may break the about the use of corporal sacred writings or is the best aim of
B) Going to prison law. punishment. Refer to the main another source of punishment.”
C) Planning murder religious tradition of GB & 1 or religious belief and
D) Opposing an unjust law more other religious traditions. teaching in your answer.
2021 Which one of the following Give two reasons Explain two contrasting Explain two religious “Religious
suggests that an action is right if why religious religious views about theft beliefs about reforming believers should
it intends to produce the believers oppose (stealing). In your answer you people who have broken never agree with
greatest happiness for the hate crimes. must refer to one or more the law. Refer to sacred corporal
greatest number of people? religious traditions. writings or another punishment.”
A) Good intentions source of religious belief
B) Principle of utility and teaching in your
C) Retribution answer.
D) Sanctity of life
2022 Which one of the following is not Give two reasons Explain two similar beliefs in Explain two religious “Religious
a reason for crime? why many contemporary British society views about the crime of people should
A) Addiction religious people about the importance of murder. Refer to sacred always obey the
B) Greed support the use of forgiveness. Refer to the main writings or another law.”
C) Poverty prison as a religious tradition of GB & 1 or source of religious belief
D) Reformation punishment. more other religious traditions. and teaching in your
answer.
2023 Which one of the following aims Give two different Explain two contrasting Explain two reasons why “Community
of punishment can be described types of crime. religious views about the some religious believers service does not
as taking revenge? treatment of people who have might break the law. punish the
A) Deterrence committed evil actions. In your Refer to sacred writings criminal enough.”
B) Protection answer you must refer to one or another source of
C) Reformation or more religious traditions. religious belief and
D) Retribution teaching in your answer.
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