Campaigns, Change In Laws And Social Policies Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is the British Lung Foundation (BLF) = pressure group campaign
Aims=prevent lung disease by campaigning for positive change in the UKs lung health.
Raises awareness for lung disease, the dangers that cause it and how to look after your lungs.
Change in policy=ran a petition which secured 50,000 signatures in 2011 and later presented it to the PM.
Result=a ban of smoking in cars with children came into force in E+W in October 2014= ‘Children and families act’.
Used articles, news reports and interviews to increase awareness.
What is the Protection Against Stalking campaign (PAS) = pressure group campaign.
What= launched in 2011. Wanted to make stalking a specific offence. 120,000 victims per year.
E.g Claire Bernal was shot dead by her stalker in 2005 whilst at work. Her killer had been due at court the following week for harassing her.
The protection from harassment act 1997 didn’t specifically talk about stalking.
PAS said law wasn’t fit for now. Supported by NAPO, the PAS set up an independent parliamentary inquiry persuading MPs to serve on it.
Result= INQUEST was published in February 2012 with the support of 60 MPs. PAS got support, including the protection of Freedoms Act.
Used social media.
What is Sarah’s Law? = Newspaper campaign.
Aims= allow parents to ask the police if someone has a criminal record for child sex offences if they have contact with/are close to their child.
Sarah Payne was abducted and murdered by a convicted paedophile when she was 8, in 2000.
Campaign was led by the News of the World newspaper-700,000 signatures.
‘Child sex offender disclosure scheme’.
By 2008, 4 areas of the country adopted the scheme and by 2010 it was started in all 43 police forces in E+W.
What is Lillian’s law? = newspaper campaign.
Aims= introducing police roadside drug testing in the UK. Changing laws to prosecute drivers exceeding new drug level limits.
Started by her family after Lillian Grove was fatally hit by a motorist who had been smoking cannabis 2010.
Lillian’s law came into force in March 2015.
Used ‘Croydon Advertiser’= got 20,000 signatures. It’s now illegal to drive with certain illegal and prescribed drugs above a certain limit.
What is Clare’s law? = individual campaigns.
Aims= people have the right to know if their current or ex partner has any previous history of violence or abuse.
Clare was murdered by her abusive ex boyfriend in 2009.
The campaign was launched by Clare Wood’s father, Michael Brown, led the campaign to change the law.
Introduced the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme 2014.
The campaign reduced domestic abuse cases.
Used posters, news coverage and podcasts.
What is Ann Ming and the double jeopardy law?= individual campaigns.
Campaign to change the double jeopardy law began after the tragic murder of her daughter, Julie Hogg, in 1989. Writing to the Home Secretary to review the laws basis. Collaborated with the ‘Northern Echo’ press for media coverage. Led a successful campaign to over haul the law= resulted in Dunlop admitting murder and being jailed at the Old Bailey for life with a minimum term of 17 years in 2006.
What are strengths and weaknesses of Eugenics? - links to Lombroso’s atavistic theory.
+offers a permanent solution.
+highly scientific.
-criminality as a whole can’t be broken down to 1 single gene.
-nature= proven that environment plays a part in crime.
-unethical.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Psychoanalysis?-Freud.
-Is therapy that aims to treat mental conditions by investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements in the mind.
+effective for long term treatment for complex mental disorders.
+provides an in depth understanding of the conscious mind and how childhood experiences affect adult behaviour.
-Lack of empirical support.
-Potential for subjective interpretation.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Genetic screening?-Mednick, Christiansen, Jacobs.
-Is the process of testing people to identify those at higher risk of having/developing a particular genetic disorder.
+early detection of genetic disorders.
+allows people to make decisions about reproduction.
-potential for genetic discrimination.
-results may be inaccurate.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of CBT?-Bandura.
-Therapy that helps individuals manage mental health conditions.
+effective in treating various mental health conditions.
+teaches practical skills for long term well being.
-Needs willingness from patient.
-May be less effective for severe conditions (schizophrenia, PTSD).
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Education in prisons?-Merton.
-Half of the UK prison population has a reading age of 11-better education-more jobs-less crime. +reduced reoffending rates.
+contributes to a more positive prison environment.
-Inadequate funding.
-Limited training and staff to help prisoners with disabilities.
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Decriminalisation of minor offences?-Labelling.
+less labels=less crime.
+address root cause of drug use.
-Increased demand.
-May decrease crimes surrounding possession but not the violence.
Polygamay:
-Having more than one husband/wife at the same time.
Crime: in most countries.
Legal: India, Malaysia, Singapore.
Why?: The Qu’ran permits Muslim men to take up to 4 wives (religion). Polygamy has traditionally been practiced in some African societies.
Homosexuality:
-Sexual acts between members of the same sex.
Was illegal in UK but was partially decriminalised with homosexuality act 1967 and then the marriage (same sex) act in 2013.
Illegal-Saudi Arabia and India.
Legal-UK, Europe, USA, Canada.
Law varies due to religion (culture).
Change with time:
Made a crime in 1885-legalised at 21 in 1967 in E+W, 18 in 1994 and 16 in 2000.
Cannabis:
Laws vary widely. Generally possession is treated more leniently than growing/supplying.
Crime-UK.
Legal-for medical use in Canada/some US states. Decriminalised in Portugal.
Why?-different norms and values (culture). Societies with greater emphasis on personal freedoms are more likely to not see it as a criminal act.
Change with time:
In Portugal, from 2001, possession became a civil offence if quantity less than a 10 day personal supply. In 1975, changed from dictatorship to democracy-increased openness led to an influx in drugs. State sees drug use as a public health issue. Sudden and rapid growth in the problem since 1975-1/1000 of population addicted by 1990s.
Capital Punishment:
In 18th century, over 200 offences were punishable by death penalty. Abolished in 1965. Law changed due to feelings of injustice (culture).
Legal-China and some US states.
Illegal- most countries including the UK.
Change with time:
Death penalty offences reduced until it remained for just murder and treason. Abolished in 1965 and corporal punishment abolished in 1967. Norbert Elias argues society has undergone a civilising process in the last 500 years-physical punishment has been replaced by self control.
Definition of deviance:
Acts that goes against societies laws but isn’t punishable by law.
Definition of crime:
Serious harmful acts which go against the norms and values of society that the state must intervene to punish the offender by law.
What circumstances causes laws to change?
Age: Age of criminal responsibility=10 in E, W+NI. Youth courts=up to 17 in E+W. Youth courts can’t send individuals to prison, send to detention centres.
Homicide: Homicide Act 1957: contains 3 defences for murder when the defendant can please not guilty despite killing someone. Diminished responsibility: mental condition substantially reduces ability to understand what they were doing or form a rational judgement-reduces conviction to manslaughter. Loss of control: a partial defence that may reduce the conviction to manslaughter. Automatism: if the defendant can prove the act was involuntary, they can plead the defence of automatism.
