AC 1.2

Question 1

What does it mean when “laws are socially constructed”

Answer 1

Laws are made/decided by society
Not naturally occurring
Defined and decided by a particular society and are therefore subject to change

Question 2

How do laws change over time generally

Answer 2

Often a law that has been introduced often changes, whether it means an act is now legal, illegal or decriminalised

Question 3

Provide examples of laws that have changed over time

Answer 3

Homosexuality
Smoking
Capital Punishment

Question 4

When was Capital Punishment made illegal in the UK

Answer 4

1964

Question 5

For what reasons was Capital Punishment made illegal

Answer 5

• They felt it undermined human dignity
• Situations have occurred where there’s been a miscarriage of justice
• The influence of cases such as Derek Bentley

Question 6

Outline Derek Bentley’s situation and how this influenced the shift in Capital Punishment

Answer 6

Derek Bentley was a 19 year old

He was given the death penalty for the murder of a
police officer

Questions arose about whether or not this was just as he suffered from severe mental disabilities and coercion from others may of influenced his decision making

Question 7

When was homosexuality decriminalized in the UK

Answer 7

1967 for men aged over 21

Question 8

When was it illegal to smoke in doors in the UK and with and children in a car

Answer 8

2007 - Smoking in doors

2015 - Smoking in car with a child

Question 9

Why was homosexuality legalized in the UK, as well as later laws around consent etc.

Answer 9

Mainly due to a change in public perception, as norms and values began to shift

Pressure groups eg. Stonewall pushed for equality for the LGBTQ+ community

Question 10

Why was smoking laws tightened in the UK?

Answer 10

Due to a shift in public perception as new discoveries and research around smoking and its dangers came out

Question 11

Why do laws shift between culture/place

Answer 11

Different cultures have different norms and values and public perception

Question 12

List examples of laws that are different depending on culture/place

Answer 12

Gun ownership
Suicide
Polyandry/Polygamy
Honor Killings

Question 13

What countries is Gun Ownership legal

Answer 13

US, Mexico, Guatemala

Question 14

Why might Gun Ownership be legal in some countries

Answer 14

Different social cultures and regulations determine whether its legal

In America, gun ownership is a fundamental in their constitution and therefore widely accepted in their social norms

Certain countries may require heavy self defense due to frequent violent crime and therefore possession of a gun for protection is widely accepted socially

Question 15

When was Suicide decriminalized in the UK

Answer 15

1961 under the Suicide Act

Question 16

Where is Suicide still illegal

Answer 16

Syria, Lebanon, UAE

Question 17

Why might suicide be illegal in certain countires

Answer 17

These countries may have deep religious cultures that influences their laws (as suicide is seen as a major sin)
In western societies they adopt a more secular approach so its decriminalized

Question 18

is Polyandry and Polygamy illegal in the UK?

Answer 18

It’s illegal under the 1973 Matrimonial Causes Act

Question 19

What countries is Polygamy legal?

Answer 19

Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria

Question 20

What countries is Polyandry legal?

Answer 20

Nigeria, Kenya, DRC

Question 21

Why may Polyandry and Polygamy be legal in certain cultures/places

Answer 21

These relationships are often culture/faith based

Therefore in countries where theses religious are more present - this law is likely to not be enforced

Whereas in heavily Christian or secular cultures its likely to be illegal

Question 22

How does the age of criminality differ in the UK, Spain and Greece?

Answer 22

UK - 10
Spain - 14
Greece - 12

Question 23

What are some examples where sentencing might be applied differently due to unique circumstances?

Answer 23

Diminished Responsibility
Automatism
Manslaughter
Loss of Control

Question 24

What is Diminished Responsibility

Answer 24

When a person’s unbalanced mental state makes them less responsible for a crime - therefore often reducing their charges or the harshness of their sentence

Question 25

What is Automatism

Answer 25

When someone involuntarily commits can act, often in the case of a mental/physical illness (eg. sleep walking murder, schizophrenia)

Question 26

What is Loss of Control

Answer 26

A partial defense that argues that there lack of ability to limit impulses

Question 27

What is Manslaughter

Answer 27

Accidental killing/killing without intent

Question 28

How do typifications affect sentencing

Answer 28

37% of white people are given immediate custodial sentence for possession of class B

44% of black people are