Let’s talk about crime and the Criminal Justice System.
Controversial Conversation Questions (B2+)
1.) Is it sometimes okay for people to take the law into their own hands, or to impose vigilante justice?
2.) Do you think the state should be able to apply the death penalty?
3.) ‘Victim blaming’ – What do you think this terms means? When, and how much blame should fall on the person who has been victimized?
4.) In the United States, citizens have the right to ‘bare arms’. What are your thoughts?
5.) How much does the rule of law constrain your moral decision making? In other words, what would you do, if it were legal and you didn’t fear retribution?
6.) Why is sex work illegal? Do you agree that it should be?
7.) Some governments have lifted the ban on marijuana. What do you think about this?
8.) ‘Mens reas’ means ‘guilty mind’. It is the intention and awareness that someone is breaking a law or doing something wrong. If someone was mentally unwell or otherwise unable to understand the consequences of their actions, then by law, the person isn’t guilty. How might this happen? What do you think about it?
9.) “Good con-artists have their victims do 90% of their work for them”. What does this mean?
10.) Law enforcement organizations want more freedom to spy on citizens, in order to do their jobs better. Privacy and human rights advocates don’t want the state to have increased surveillance over citizens. Where should we draw the line?
