UNIT 2 AC1.2

Question 1

What does the term social construction of criminality refer to?

Answer 1

What society defines as a crime

Question 2

What is polygamy?

Answer 2

More than one wife or husband at the same time

Question 3

What law does polygamy break?

Answer 3

Bigamy
The offence of marrying someone whilst already being married to someone else

Question 4

What countries is polygamy legal?

Answer 4

Afghanistan
Cameroon
Pakistan

Question 5

What countries is polygamy illegal?

Answer 5

European countries (France, UK, Germany)

Question 6

Why do laws vary (polygamy)?

Answer 6

Religion- Qur’an permits Muslim men to take up to four wives and so is reflected in the laws of the country
Tradition- Has been practiced in some African societies. It is considered a highly valued social institution

Question 7

What is adultery?

Answer 7

Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married Person and a person who is not their spouse.

Question 8

What countries is adultery legal?

Answer 8

European countries (France, UK, Germany)

Question 9

What countries is adultery illegal?

Answer 9

Philippines
Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Syria (death by stoning)

Question 10

Why do laws vary (adultery)?

Answer 10

Religion
The Ten Commandments shared by Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Some countries are heavily influenced by religion and therefore have made adultery a crime

Question 11

What is homosexuality?

Answer 11

Sexual act between members of the same sex

Question 12

Where is homosexuality legal?

Answer 12

European countries
Australia
USA

Question 13

What countries is homosexuality illegal?

Answer 13

Afghanistan
Egypt
Iran
Pakistan
Saudi Arabia

Question 14

Why do laws vary over place (homosexuality)?

Answer 14

Religion- many religions, including Christianity, have traditionally condemned homosexuality.
Public opinion- 95% in Egypt believed homosexuality should be rejected
Sexism- sexual assumption by male law makers that women are incapable of same sex attraction. Glamorising and fetishising lesbianism

Question 15

What countries is cannabis legal?

Answer 15

Amsterdam
Canada
Uruguay

Question 16

Where is cannabis illegal?

Answer 16

UK-possession can get you up to five years, supply 14

Question 17

Why do laws vary (cannabis)?

Answer 17

Different norms and values- drug use is seen in some cultures as victimless or that the individual has the right to do what they want
Different ideas on how to control drugs- some take a tough stance to deter their use. Others see legislation as a way to take it out of the hands of criminals suppliers.

Question 18

When were homosexual acts between men made a crime

Answer 18

1885

Question 19

When were homosexual acts between men aged 21+ legalised?

Answer 19

1967

Question 20

When was same sex marriage legalised?

Answer 20

2013

Question 21

When was the age of consent for homosexual acts bought down to 16?

Answer 21

2000

Question 22

Why do laws vary over time? (Homosexuality)

Answer 22

The Wolfenden report:
By 1954, 1000 gay men were in prison which became too many and so sir John Wolfenden gathered evidence from police, psychiatrists and gay men to prove it is not wrong.
Committees report (1957) recommended private homosexual acts 21+ be legalised
Campaigns:
Stonewall. Led to equalising age of consent to 16

Question 23

In Portugal, when was the revolution which led to a new government and a large in flux of drug use (due to it now being an open country)?

Answer 23

1975

Question 24

In Portugal, when was the possession of drugs changed from legal to civil offence?

Answer 24

2001

Question 25

Why does the law vary overtime (cannabis)?

Answer 25

Public health crises:
1975, one in every 100 of the population were addicted to heroine
Shift focused to helping people rather than punishing people.

Question 26

When was the act banning hand gun possession introduced?

Answer 26

1997

Question 27

Why was hand gun possession made illegal?

Answer 27

Dun blane massacre:
1996, in dunblane primary school, a man shot and killed 16 students and a teacher using a legal hand gun. Lord Cullen led an enquiry to bring change.
Campaign: snowdrop
Started by parents of dunblane victims. Collected 750000 signatures to change law.

Question 28

When was the law changed so children could not be employed until age 15?

Answer 28

1998

Question 29

When was school made compulsory to age 18?

Answer 29

2015

Question 30

When was the child protection and welfare legislation bought forward?

Answer 30

1989

Question 31

Why was law changed over time (laws relating to children)?

Answer 31

Idea was shifted:
People no longer believed children were ‘mimi adults’
Society became more child centred:
Focused more on caring for children

Question 32

When was the capital punishment abolished in the UK?

Answer 32

1965

Question 33

When was corporal punishment abolished? (Corporal punishment is harming the offender)

Answer 33

1967

Question 34

Why was the law changed? (Laws concerning physical punishment)

Answer 34

Capital punishment was seen as a breach of the human right to life
Nothing can be done to correct a miscarriage of justice
Death penalty did not deter people from crime

Question 35

What is meant when a law varies due to circumstance?

Answer 35

The law is applied equally to all but sometimes is not

Question 36

What are the four reasons a law is not enforced equally?

Answer 36

Moral panic
Typifications
Age
Homicide

Question 37

Why is homicide a reason a law is not enforced equally?

Answer 37

homicide act 1957 states an offender can plead not guilty if even they have murdered someone due to: automatism, an act done by the muscles and not the mind, loss of control, lost control for a valid reason which calls for a qualifying objective test where someone the same age and gender would be tested to see if they would have done the same thing, and diminished responsibility, medical condition such as schizophrenia

Question 38

Why is age a reason a law is not enforced equally?

Answer 38

Younger people have different laws as they are below the age of criminal responsibility. Youth courts for those aged 10-17, are less formal, and they cant be sent to prison but can get sentences such as detention.

Question 39

Why are typifications a reason a law is not enforced equally?

Answer 39

Stereotypes about criminals and so harsher policing and punishments for those under stereotypes E.G. George Floyd case- Chambliss compared the middle and working classes and found when they did the same crime, the law was stricter on the working class.

Question 40

Why is moral panic a reason a law is not enforced equally?

Answer 40

Over-exaggeration by the media causes harsher punishments E.G London riots where a man stole a $3.50 water bottle and got a 3-month sentence.