ac1.2 Flashcards
(12 cards)
how laws change from culture to culture - polygamy
polygymy = men
polyandry = women
polygymy is legal in 58 countries, 7 year sentence in the UK - religion comes into play (qu’ran allows men up to 4 wives)
how laws change from culture to culture - adultery
in most countries it is deviant/immoral but not illegal
most that criminalise adultery = muslim countries
illegal in some christian african countries + 21 US states
punishment includes stoning (saudi arabia), a fine (rhode island), or imprisonment (florida)
adultery tends to be illegal in countries where women have low positions in society
how laws change from culture to culture - homosexuality
crime in most muslim countries but legal in indonesia (largest muslim population)
male homosexuality illegal in 72 countries, female illegal in 45
6 countries have death penalty for homosexuality
many religions inc judaism, christianity, and islam condemn homosexuality
more likely to be illegal in countries heavily influenced by religion
some believe women cannot experience same sex attraction
how laws change over time - prostitution
once a stigma was attached and linked to people who were perceived as immoral
Street Offences Act 1959 laws made regarding prostitution
2022 focus is how to protect vulnerable people involved in prostitution
calls for it to be decriminalised with proper regulation
how laws change over time - vagrancy
still illegal under Vagrancy Act 1824
originally passed to clear streets of beggars/vagabonds to prevent more crime
act fell into disuse as there are legitimate reasons for homelessness
sympathy remains high with campaigns such as mcr’s “Big Sleep Out”
how laws change over time - homosexuality
Sexual Offences Act 1967 - decrim, age of consent 21 males
1994 - age of consent 18
2000 - age of consent 16
2004 - civil partnerships
Marriage (same-sex couples) Act 2013 - same sex marriage legal
secular societies (church and state are separate) - social norms = more tolerant + inclusive
how laws change over time - smoking
1950’s - smoking legal + prescribed by drs
Health Act 2006 - in workplaces/enclosed spaces = illegal
2012 - illegal for cigs to be on display in shops over a certain size
2015 - illegal to be on display in all shops
2015 - banned to smoke in vehicles with under 18s
how laws change in different places - smoking cannabis
place = location, culture = social behaviours of place
growing for personal use depends on police priorities (durham dont care, unlike cheshire and gwent)
portugal, netherlands - legal for medicinal + recreation purposes
legal in illinois, illegal in iowa - they share a border
some areas have bigger cannabis issue so prioritise it
for US, views of elected officials in each state decide legality of drugs
how laws change in different places - jaywalking
pedestrians crossing road without regard to traffic regulations
illegal - USA, Canada, Singapore, Poland
crossing road safely considered personal responsibility in UK so it is legal
US cities = larger, wider streets, more pedestrians so more regulations needed
how laws change in different circumstances - moral panic
2011 riots - more severe punishments for smaller crimes due to moral panic influenced by government + media
like mods + rockers in 60’s
chamblis argued there are middle class ‘saints’ and working class ‘roughnecks’ + that r’s treated more severely than s’s
Piliavin argued situational factors impact decision to arrest (class, age, ethnicity, attitude to officer, place and time of incident)
how laws change in different circumstances - age of criminal responsibility
person below age of cr treated differently to person above age of cr
treated more leniently as child may not understand crime
england, wales, and northern ireland = 10
no other in europe is lower than 10
england and wales has youth magistrates court for 10-17 yrs
how laws change in different circumstances - homicide
2 partial defences for murder in Homicide Act 1957 + ammended by Coroners and Justice 2009
diminished responsibility + loss of control
