Introduction
Jesus taught about unconditional love and forgiveness. These teachings influence how Christians think about criminals. However, society needs to punish criminals:
- Punishment works as a deterent. Criminals should be afraid of what will happen if they're caught.
- Punishment offers retributive justice - victims of crime want to feel that the perpetrator has not got away with it.
- Society needs protecting from criminals, preventing them from committing more crimes.
- Punishment should reform criminals, helping them to see the 'error of their ways' and stop committing crimes.
A Christian response has to balance these aspects. It is no surprise, then, that Christians disagree about the treatment of criminals
