How Laws Are Applied Differently According To Circumstance Flashcards
What is the definition of murder?
When an individual unlawfully kills another with intention to cause their death or GBH
What is the definition of voluntary manslaughter?
Where the individual intended to kill or cause GBH, however are not guilty of murder due to provocation or mental incapacity (diminished responsibility)
What is the definition of involuntary manslaughter?
Where the individual did not intend to kill or cause GBH
What are aggravating factors + examples?
Factors that make the offence more serious
- Use of a weapon
- Whether the offence was discriminatory based
What are mitigating factors + examples?
Factors that make the offence less serious
Mental illness or disability (diminished responsibility)
Whether they played a minor role in the offence
What are some case examples where murder/manslaughter had been taken into account?
Ruth Ellis - charged for murder, many believe it should have been manslaughter, diminished responsibility
Alexander Blackman - charged for manslaughter, suffered from a stress disorder
What is an example of an instance that provoked moral panics?
The London Riots
How had the law been applied differently in response to the London Riots?
Sentences had roughly doubled in length, to prevent the rates of offending
What is the age of Criminal responsibility in the UK?
10 years old - children under this age can’t be legally arrested/charged for a crime (may be given a Local Child Curfew or parents may be held responsible)
How are children between the age of 10-17 charged with a crime?
They will go to a Youth Court and will be given a different sentence in comparison to adults (if the child is under 16 their parent will have to pay a fine)
