What do other countries do to punish lawbreakers? Lesson 5 of 6
Key stage 4 • Law and the justice system • Model curriculum
What do other countries do to punish lawbreakers?
This lesson is part 5 of a sequence of six lessons exploring the enquiry: Does our legal system protect citizens’ rights?
This lesson explores the key concepts of rights, democracy, justice, law, and legal jurisdictions through the lens of sentencing and punishments. It encourages students to critically evaluate why society punishes lawbreakers, the types of punishments used in the UK, and their impact on various stakeholders. The lesson begins with a spider diagram activity to assess students’ prior knowledge, followed by a discussion on the rights affected by sentencing. Students then delve into the three primary UK punishment types—custody, community service, and fines—using videos and guided discussions to understand how these sentences are connected to concepts of justice and rights. Opportunities for formative assessment are embedded throughout, enabling students to demonstrate and deepen their understanding.
The lesson also introduces international perspectives on sentencing, comparing the UK’s approaches with those of The Netherlands and Norway. Students analyse the effectiveness of different models and their implications for offenders, victims, and communities. The session concludes with a reflective plenary, where students express informed opinions on prison reform through a persuasive writing activity. A takeaway task from Amnesty International’s Write for Rights campaign further extends learning, encouraging students to apply their knowledge to real-world advocacy.
Students will work towards answering the following questions:
- Why do we punish lawbreakers?
- What punishments do we use in the UK?
- What other punishments or approaches can be used?
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