Judaism and crime
Judaism teaches that behaviour in this life will be judged by God after death. There are strict rules about how Jews should behave, and the belief is that to go against these rules and commit a crime is a sinAct of rebellion or disobedience against the known will of God in Judaism, Christianity or Islam. against God.
Judaism follows the rules of the Torah, including the Ten CommandmentsThe list of rules, revealed by God to Moses, found in the Old Testament books of Exodus and Deuteronomy. The Bible refers to them simply as ‘sayings’ or ‘statements’. Also known as the Ten Sayings or the Decalogue.. Many Jews believe that if a person breaks one of these rules they should be punished by society, just as they will be punished by God.
Many Jews believe that repentanceRemorse for your past actions. and forgiveness are important within communities. The concept of repentance is known as teshuva, which literally means returning to God. It involves being sorry for what has been done and asking others for forgiveness. It can also involve making reparationRepairing the damage done through crime. for a sin, eg by returning something which was stolen.
Judaism teaches that the rules laid out in the Noahide Code should be followed. The belief is that they are rules for all humanity. The Code consists of the seven laws listed in the TalmudThe written version of the Jewish oral law and commentaries on it. :
- believe and trust in God – prohibition of idolatryThe worship of an idol, object or person instead of God.
- respect the sanctity of life – prohibition of murder
- respect the rights and property of others – prohibition of theft
- respect family values – prohibition of sexual immorality
- respect and praise God – prohibition of blasphemySpeaking about God in a sacrilegious way.
- respect animal rights – prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive
- responsibility for society – establishment of courts of law
Many Jews also accept that human beings have free willThe idea that humans are free to make their own moral choices. and that crime is often caused by humans misusing their free will and not doing what is morally right.
What does Judaism say about how criminals should be treated?
Judaism teaches the importance of justiceWhen the right and fair thing is done.. The belief is that God is just, and that God judges humankind.
From ancient times onwards, Judaism has always had a justice system and courts. The faith still teaches that this is a good system to use. The Bet Din is a Jewish court where rabbiA religious teacher and leader with authority to make decisions on issues of Jewish law. A rabbi is the chief religious official of a synagogue, who often (but not always) leads worship and conducts rites and rituals. give rulings, based on Jewish law, on religious matters, family matters, or various other types of disputes between people. In the UK, these courts cannot judge criminal matters.
How do Jewish people respond to crime in society and those who commit crime?
Many Jews believe that criminals should have their human rights respected. However, they accept that some criminals are so dangerous, society needs to be protected from them and they need to be in prison. The welfare of those in prison is of key importance and many Jews may campaign for prison reform, visit prisoners or vote for a political party that reflects their views on treating people equally.
Many Jews believe that criminals can be reformTo make changes to something or someone, for improvement. and that the justice system should reflect this. There are many statements in the Torah and the TanakhThe collected 24 books of the Jewish Bible. There are three sections: Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim (TaNaKh). May also be spelled Tenakh. about treating people fairly and maintaining fair justice systems:
Seek good, not evil, that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you, just as you say he is. Hate evil, love good; maintain justice in the courts.