An Interactive Lesson in Crime and Punishment

May 2018

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Students were able to take part in a Q&A session with a judge.

Last month, as part of their GCSE Religious Studies course,15 Year 10 students enjoyed a visit to Teesside Crown Court to learn about the British judicial system.

As part of the course, students look at Crime & Punishment in-depth. They discuss the reasons why people commit crimes in the first place, learn about the different categories of crimes and consider the purpose of the law. Students go on to learn about the purpose of punishment and the ways that we punish people for committing crimes, including incarceration and the various methods for prisoner reform. They also look at the history and current status of capital punishment.

At Teesside Crown Court, students were given a behind-the-scenes tour and took part in a fascinating Q&A session with a judge. They also saw how modern trials can be conducted via video link and learned about the benefits of this new technology for both witnesses and victims.

Students sat in the jury box to experience the weight of responsibility felt by ordinary people called to serve. In a surprise activity they then heard evidence against their Teacher, Mrs Cross, and were tasked with deciding on the sentence she should receive for her crime! This was an excellent way to inspire respect for the system.