The boxes contain some useful language for discussing both sides of an issue.

There are some prompts to help you.

Ø Deterrence / doesn't deter crime

Ø hard to kill a wrongly convicted criminal

Ø more humane than life imprisonment

Ø maximum public safety

Ø less expensive than execution

Ø possibility of innocent death

A: I believe that the retributive notion of punishment is that criminals deserve punishment, and punishment should be equal to the harm done.

B: I'd go along with you on that. Retribution involves punishment which is commonly expressed in the idea "an eye for an eye."

C: On the one hand your words sound reasonable, but on the other hand retribution cannot be uniformly applied to every crime committed. Punishment can be inadequate. For example, if a terrorist or mass murderer kills ten people, then his single life is technically not punishment in kind.

· TV coverage in courts, the arguments against and in favour of it

If the following things happened to you, what would you want to do?

1. You were wrongly accused of stealing.

2. Your best friend was killed in a terrorist bomb explosion.

3. A person in authority tried to damage your reputation.

4. Someone made derogatory remarks about you on the basis of where you come from.

5. Someone was rude about your physical appearance.

6. A neighbour kept waking you up at night with loud music.

Look at the following quotes. Do you agree with them?

1. 'Don't get mad, get even.'

2. 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.'

3. 'Revenge is a dish best tasted cold.'

4. 'Kiss and make up.'

5. 'Forgive and forget.'

6. 'He that is without sin amongst you, let him first cast a stone.'

7. 'Revenge, at first though sweet. Bitter ere long back on itself recoils.'

8. 'Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.'

Look at the following list of bad behaviour, misdemeanours and crimes. What punishment would you consider suitable?

1. A girl finds out that her boyfriend of six months is seeing someone else.

2. A man stole £10,000 from a bank and gave it all to charity.

3. A lorry driver fell asleep at the wheel and crashed into a mini-bus, killing seven people.

4. A surgeon was supposed to cut off a patient's right leg. Instead, he cut off the left leg.

5. A teacher had inside information about examination questions. He told his students and the examining board found out.

6. A man obtained an airline steward's uniform and travelled around the world by just walking onto the aeroplane and offering to help.

7. An unemployed man used his credit card to take his family on a round-the-world trip. He was back home before the credit card company realised he couldn't pay.