Why do we need criminal and civil law?
I can explain why we need criminal and civil law.
Why do we need criminal and civil law?
I can explain why we need criminal and civil law.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Criminal law keeps society safe, ensures justice, and deters crime by setting clear rules and consequences.
- It punishes offenders fairly, deters crime, and provides justice for victims by ensuring accountability.
- Civil law resolves disputes and ensures justice when people's rights are affected, like family or work issues.
- It holds individuals and businesses accountable, ensuring people can defend their rights.
- Without civil law, people could struggle to protect their rights and resolve disputes fairly.
Keywords
Criminal law - law that deals with individuals who break the law and seeks to punish an offence (because the offender has broken laws that Parliament has stated that we must all obey)
Justice - fairness as a result of the application of a law, usually by a judge, in society
Civil law - law that deals with disputes between individuals or groups; there are civil courts which award damages (a money payment)
Common misconception
Pupils may think that criminal law deals with serious crime and civil law deals with less serious crime.
Criminal law and civil law are seperate. Within both, there is a range of severity.
To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Why do we need criminal and civil law?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 10 citizenship lesson on: Why do we need criminal and civil law?, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
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The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
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Explore more key stage 4 citizenship lessons from the Does our legal system protect citizens' rights? unit, dive into the full secondary citizenship curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
- Depiction or discussion of serious crime
Supervision
Adult supervision required
Licence
Lesson video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
the lawmaking body of the state
law made by the decisions of judges over the years
legal decision made by a judge that must be followed in the future
Exit quiz
6 Questions
contract disagreements, debt recovery
divorce, child custody and adoption
employment rights, immigration and housing issues