law and society

Question 1

key def

Answer 1

society = people living in same area under shared law

pluralism = society with diverse beliefs

social norms = commonly accepted behaviours

deviance = breaking those norms

Question 2

media and norms

Answer 2

media shapes norm through

moral panic
exaggerated public fear

folk devils
group blamed for societal issues

Question 3

law as social control

Answer 3

formal control
laws

informal
family schools religion

Question 4

consensus v conflict theory

Answer 4

consensus
shared values , hold society tgth

conflict
laws benefit the power

Question 5

labelling theory

Answer 5

actions not deviant , they become deviant once labelled

Question 6

realist approaches to crime

Answer 6

right realist - blame crime on poor upbringing , lack of control

left - focus on victims , crime caused by poverty , and inequality

Question 7

ao3, civil disobedience

Answer 7

leads to positive legal reforms , e.g gay rights protests , changed age of consent for homosexuals

Question 7

ao3 labelling

Answer 7

deviance is socially constructed
not all deviant behaviour is harmful , society plays role

highlights bias in police
e.g stop and search black kids

Question 8

ao3 bad , civil disobedience

Answer 8

backfire , more restrictions
brixton riots , harsher police powers now
- can disrupt/ cause violence , reducing in sympathy of public

Question 9

ao3 , media ifnleunce

Answer 9

moral panic , can distort reality
leading to rushed / not needed laws