AC1.2 - Social construction

Question 1

What 4 crimes change within cultures?

Answer 1

• Polygamy
• Homosexuality
• Adultery
• Cannabis

Question 2

What is meant by polygamy?

Answer 2

Having more than one wife or husband at the same time

Question 3

What is meant by homosexuality?

Answer 3

Sexual acts or attraction between members of the same sex

Question 4

What is meant by adultery?

Answer 4

Sexual act between a married person and somebody that isn’t their spouse.

Question 5

What is cannabis in relation to changing within cultures: how it is treated?

Answer 5

General possession is treated more leniently than growing or supplying.

Question 6

Where is polygamy a crime?

Answer 6

Most countries

Question 7

Where is homosexuality a crime?

Answer 7

• Russia
• India
• Yemen
• Nigeria

Question 8

Where is adultery a crime?

Answer 8

• Christian African countries

- Phillippines

Question 9

Where is cannabis illegal?

Answer 9

• UK

- Many European countries

Question 10

Where is polygamy legal?

Answer 10

• India

- Malaysia

Question 11

Where is homosexuality legal?

Answer 11

• North and South America
• UK
• Europe

Question 12

Where is adultery legal?

Answer 12

• UK

- India

Question 13

Where is cannabis legal?

Answer 13

• Portugal
• Columbia
• Canada

Question 14

What is one reason that polygamy takes place?

Answer 14

The Qu’ran permits Muslim men to take up to 4 wives (religion)

Question 15

What are 3 reasons homosexuality is illegal?

Answer 15

• Religion
• It is seen as taboo
• Public opinion (deviant)

Question 16

What are 2 reasons that adultery changes in cultures?

Answer 16

• Religions condemn adultery

- Women’s positioning

Question 17

What are 2 reasons that cannabis changes in cultures?

Answer 17

• People have different views - it can be taken out of the hands of criminals and the use of it can be controlled
• Medicinal purposes

Question 18

Why is age of responsibility a thing?

Answer 18

Children below a certain age may not understand the full meaning of the act that they have committed

Question 19

What is the age of responsibility in the UK, Wales and Northern Island?

Answer 19

10

Question 20

What is the age of responsibility in Scotland and Canada?

Answer 20

12

Question 21

What is meant by punishment for children in the UK?

Answer 21

Punishment’s for children is less formal for anybody under 17 in the UK.
Youth courts send people to detention centres

Question 22

What is meant by homicide?

Answer 22

The homicide act 1975 contains 3 special defenses for murder:

• Diminished responsibility
• Loss of control
• Automatism

Question 23

What is meant by diminished responsibility within the Homicide Act 1975?

Answer 23

Mental condition that reduces the ability to understand what they are doing and therefore reduces the sentence to manslaughter

Question 24

What is meant by loss of control in relation to the Homicide Act 1975?

Answer 24

A partial defence which reduces to conviction to manslaughter

Question 25

What is meant by automatism in relation to the Homicide Act 1975?

Answer 25

If they can prove that the act was involuntary

Question 26

State 3 differential enforcements of the law.

Answer 26

• Moral Panic = London Riots of 2011 lead to an increase in custodial sentencing
• Situational factors = class, age, ethnicity, attitude towards officer, time and place
• Police are more likely to regard the working class with suspicion

Question 27

What 5 crimes have changed over time?

Answer 27

• Homosexuality
• Drug laws
• Gun control laws
• Physical punishment
• Laws relating to children

Question 28

Explain the change in homosexuality over time.

Answer 28

• It was a crime in 1885
• Legalised to 21 in 1967
• Legalised to 18 in 1994
• Same sex marriage in 2013

Question 29

In what 2 ways have drug laws changed over time?

Answer 29

• Pharmaceuticals can only be sold or supplied by a pharmacy if prescribed by a doctor
• The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 - drugs subject to this act are control drugs

Question 30

Explain the change in gun control laws over time.

Answer 30

• Bobby Turnbull campaign = change in gun licensing law

- Dunblane 1996 banned all handguns in the UK

Question 31

Explain the change in physical punishment over time.

Answer 31

• Capital punishment was abolished in 1965

- Corporal punishment was abolished in 1967

Question 32

Explain the change in laws relating to children over time.

Answer 32

Children are now seen as innocent and in need of protection

Question 33

State 2 reasons that homosexuality has changed over time

Answer 33

• Successful campaigns by Stonewall and the homosexuality law reform society
• Human rights = believe that the state has no right in controlling citizens private lives

Question 34

What two reasons have drug laws changed over time.

Answer 34

• Sees drugs as a public health issue and focuses on harm reduction
• Sudden and rapid growth = 1/100 are addicted in the 1990’s

Question 35

State 2 reasons that gun control laws have changed over time.

Answer 35

• Set up by victims campaigns, lawyers and academics.

- Snowdrop campaign, Dunblane petition received 750,000 votes

Question 36

State 3 reasons that physical punishment has changed over time.

Answer 36

• Capital punishment is a breach to the right to life
• Miscarriages of justice - you cannot undo a capital punishment
• Not a deterrent

Question 37

In what way had laws relating to children changed over time?

Answer 37

• 1880 schooling was made compulsory for children aged 5-10 (Education Act )