Explain social construction of criminality Flashcards
law changes across cultures, how laws change, how laws apply to circumstances
What does ‘social construction of criminality’ mean?
criminality is whatever society defines as being criminal but not all societies will see criminality the same
Do the laws of polygamy, adultery, homosexuality and cannabis change across different cultures?
yes
What is the difference between polyandry and polygyny?
polyandry: woman having 2 or more husbands
polygyny: man having 2 or more wives
How many countries are polyandry and polygyny legal in?
58 countries for polygyny and a couple societies for polyandry
most are Muslim-majority
What can happen if you commit polygamy in the UK?
polygamy is an act of bigamy and can be punished by 7 years imprisonment and/or a fine
Why does polygamy vary across cultures?
religion: Qur’an permits Muslim men to have up to 4 wives and reflects most laws in Muslim countries
tradition: practised in some African societies
What is adultery?
sexual act between 2 people, 1 or both of them are married to someone else
Where is adultery legal and illegal?
most countries adultery is legal in and in 2018 India ceased the law
Muslim-majority countries, Christian-majority countries in Africa and 21 US states adultery is illegal in
Why does the law of adultery change across cultures?
religion: most condemn it and is one of the Ten Commandments in Christianity, Islam and Judaism
How many countries is homosexuality illegal in for men and women?
male: 72 countries
women: 45 countries
How many countries can sentence you the death penalty for homosexuality?
6
Why does homosexuality laws vary across cultures?
sexism: gay is a crime in more countries than lesbianism so could be assumptions by lawmakers that women are incapable of same-sex relationships
public opinion: high levels of support for bans in some countries
religion: Islam, Christianity condemn homosexuality
