how laws are applied due to circumstances Flashcards
how can moral panic impact how the law is applied?
can lead to harsher sentences to teach other individuals a lesson and deter others
what typification’s can affect arrests and sentences?
- social class
- age
- ethnicity
- attitudes towards officers
what is the age of criminal responsibility?
aged 10 in England
youth courts hear cases involving individuals aged 10-17 years
what are the 3 defences contained in the 1957 homicide act?
. diminished responsibility
. loss of control
. automatism
what is diminished responsibility?
-3 defences
mental health reducing (reduced) rational judgement
what is loss of control?
-3 defences
partial defence that may reduce the offence to manslaughter.
eg. defendant was provoked to act
what is automatism?
- 3 defences
defendant must have consciously chose to commit the crime
if they show it was involuntary they can plead the defence of automatism
example of when an individual could plead automatism?
. head injury
. PTSD
. sleep walking