AC1.2 Social construction of criminality Flashcards
What is this?
The idea that behaviours become crimes through a process of social consturction
What may the same behaviour be seen as?
Criminal in one society but not in another or in the same society but at a different time
What does the legal status of a behvaiour lie in?
Not in the content of the behaviour but in the social response to that behaviour
Why are there often changes in the legal status of a behaviour?
As they are often bought about by social movements that entail social conflict
Give an example of a culturally specific crime…
Having more than one wife is bigamy in the UK
Give an example of a historically specific crime…
Illegal to be homosexual until 1967 in UK
Give an example of a law being applied differently according to the circumstances…
Murder can be reduced to manslaughter due to a mental health condition (Diminished responsibility)
How does the media campaign for change contribute to social constructions of criminality?
They influence the way society thinks and raises awareness (especially for equality)
