Lesson 2 y10 legal Flashcards
(5 cards)
Characteristics of an effective law R.E.C.K.S
R=?
Reflect society’s values, if a law aligns with the majority of society’s current values, then members of that society are more inclined to follow that law than ignore it.
When may laws better reflect society values - strong campaign effort to advocate for the laws, majority of voters have elected a party to with certain views to make laws to govern them.
When may laws fail - law may have been established many years ago and represents a diff set of societal values, pressure from media or vocal minority groups who successfuly advocated for change.
Characteristics of an effective law R.E.C.K.S
E=?
Enforceable, if people break the law, it must be possible and practical to catch the violator and enforce the law. The more enforceable a law, the more likely some is to follow it. If it is difficult to enforce, ppl may be less inclined to follow it.
When may laws be more enforceable- the act that violates the law is done in public, there is a reasonable volume of violations.
When may laws be less enforceable- the act is done in private, there is an unreasonably high volume of violations
Characteristiscs of an effective law R.E.C.K.S
C=?
Clear and understood, it is important for a law to be written in a way that people can understand it, so the intent of the law is clear. The clearer the law is, easier for citizens to comprehend and follow it. Ambiguous or unclear law perhaps written in legal jargon that people do not understand can make ppl less inclined to follow the law.
When may laws be clear and understood- written in plain english, law and its intentions are explained through media releases
When may laws be unclear- law is written in complex legal jargon and the law is unclear in how it will apply.
Characteristics of an effective law R.E.C.K.S
K=?
Known, the public must know about laws that govern them, otherwise they may not be aware of obligations and could break the law. It is the responsibility of individuals to find out what the law is on a matter that affects them. If someone breaks a law and uses ignorance as a reason, there will be no leniency.
When may laws be more known- A new law or a change in the law is made public with a media release, public debates about changes to law occur before a change is made
When may laws be less known- When little is made public about the law, when the law is less debated or contentious changes to the law may not be publicised.
Characteristics of an effective law R.E.C.K.S
S=?
Stable, if a law is constantly changing, people may be uncertain as to what the law is at present, this uncertainty can limit the ability of individuals to follow the correct current law.
When may laws be more stable- When the law has mostly stayed the same
When may laws be less stable- When a law changes in differing directions quickly, sudden changes to law can make it difficult for individuals who expect stability.
