1.2 Flashcards
social construct
something that has been made or defined by society, rather than simply occurring naturally.
why does social construction of crime change?
changing values about behaviours, influence of religious beliefs, influence of media representations
polygamy (culture)
practice of having more than one spouse. is legal in 58 countries. the law permits polygamous marriages but for Muslims only
why do polygamy laws vary?
religion: the Qur’an permits Muslim men to take up 4 wives. In the USA, the Mormon church practised polygamy until 1890, and it continues to be practised illegally by some fundamentalist groups.
tradition: Polygamy has been practised in some African societies. As it is a common practice, the younger generations continue the tradition.
adultery (culture)
Involves a sexual act between 2 people, one or both of whom is married to another person. in most countries including the UK, this is legal.
why do adultery laws vary?
Religion:Not committing adultery is one of the 10 commandments shared by Christianity, Islam and Judaism. In societies where law making has been strongly influenced by religion, adultery has often been made a crime.
Position of women:Laws against adultery are often found in societies where women occupy a very subordinate position. Usually in such societies, the adultery laws are themselves unequal.
homosexuality (culture)
Sexual acts between members of the same sex. It is legal in the UK, Europe and North and South America. Although it is a crime in many Muslim countries, it is legal in Indonesia.
why do homosexuality laws vary?
religion:Countries where religion has a strong influence over law making are more likely to have laws making homosexuality a crime.
public opinion: Polls by the PEW Research centre show higher levels of support for bans on homosexuality in some countries.
sexism: the fact that male homosexuality is a crime in more countries than lesbianism is, maybe due to sexist assumptions by male lawmakers that women were incapable of same sex attraction.
cannabis
laws on cannabis vary widely between different societies. Possession of cannabis is treated more leniently. However, growing, importing or supplying cannabis is treated more harshly.
why do cannabis laws vary?
Different norms and values: differences in laws on cannabis- Societies with a greater emphasis on individual freedoms may see drug use as victimless or as an individual’s right to do as they wish with their body.
why do honour crime laws vary? (culture)
Custom: such crimes are thought to have originated from tribal customs, where an allegation against a woman can damage a family’s reputation.
Religion: none of the world’s major religions forgive honour related crimes but perpetrators have sometimes tried to justify their actions on religious grounds.
prostitution (time)
is itself is legal but many of the connected activities are illegal. This includes, soliciting, kerb crawling or owning a brothel. stigma=immoral
why do prostitution laws vary?
may be decriminalised. concern= safety of women+ protecting vulnerable who became involved in this. status of women changed with increased equality; more occupations available.
vagrancy (time)
illegal under the Vagrancy act 1824. Originally, law was passed to clear the streets of beggars/rogues and prevent further crime from being committed.
why did vagrancy laws change?
increase in the number of prosecutions due to people begging on the streets just for money. vagrancy is no longer looked upon with disapproval. There is now sympathy and concern for the vagrants as there can be many genuine reasons for homelessness.
