1.1- Norms,values and Moral Codes Flashcards
Legal definition
Any action forbidden by criminal law
usually involves actus rea and mens rea
Social definition
This includes consideration of differing
views of what makes behaviour criminal,
whether a law is actually enforced, and
whether people think certain acts should
have laws made against them or not
Custodial sentences
Court imposed imprisonment or detention in
a young offenders institution.
Community
sentences
can be a combination order
including unpaid work, probation, and curfew.
.
Police
sanctions
Include cautions, conditional cautions and
penalty notices (fines) issued for minor
offences – no court appearance.
Fines
are financial penalties, the amount depends on the seriousness of the offence and the financial circumstances of the offender.
Discharge
can be either conditional (if the offender reoffends within a set time period the court can change the sentence) or absolute (when no penalty is imposed as the offender is morally blameless).
What are the non court sanctions?
Cautions
Cautions are administered by the police for minor crimes. You have to admit an offence to be issued a caution. A caution is not a criminal conviction.
What are non court sanctions?
Conditional cautions
Conditional Cautions are given by the police but you have to agree to certain rules and restrictions, such as treatment for drug abuse and repairing damage caused.
What are non court sanctions?
Penalty notices
- Penalty Notices for disorder are given for offences like shoplifting, possessing cannabis and being drunk and disorderly in public. You can only get one if you are over 18.
Norms
Norms are social expectations that guide behaviour and explain why people act in the way they do. Norms keep in check deviant behaviour.
Moral codes
Moral codes are morals or good ways of behaving. Breaking a moral code would be considered serious in society.
Values
-Values are rules shared by most people in a given culture. Its what people feel should happen.
They are more guidelines than general norms.
Forms of deviance
Deviant behaviour is not always negative, nor is it always frowned upon by society. This can be seen by the various basic forms of rule-breaking behaviour in terms of three basic ideas:
- Admired Behaviour: deviant but considered good or admirable, e.g. saving a life while putting own at risk, and most people would not do so.
- Odd Behaviour: deviant by being odd or different from what is considered normal e.g. Living with an excessive number of cats.
- Bad Behaviour: deviant because it is bad, e.g. assaulting a pensioner.
Informal sanctions against deviance
Frowning upon behaviour
Name calling
Ignoring behaviour
Labelling behaviour
Formal sanctions against deviance
Fines
Actus Reus
Guilty act
Men’s rea
Guilty mind
Deviance
behaviors or actions that violate social norms, rules, or expectations, encompassing everything from serious crimes to behaviors that are simply frowned upon, but not illegal.
Criminal behaviour
criminal behavior is broadly defined as any action that violates established laws and is punishable by a given country or state
