Laws changing depending on time, place and culture Flashcards
Explain why laws against homosexuality differ according to culture
Homosexuality is illegal in 69 countries, half of them being in Africa. In Pakistan gay men are given prison sentences due to their sexuality. This is mostly due to the laws in Pakistan reflecting the country’s Muslim culture. However in the UK after the Stonewall riots occured after the police raided a known gay club called the stonewall inn which changed public opinion. This brought about the first change; the Sexual Offences Act of 1967 which legalised homosexual acts in private between men over 21. This then changed in 1994 due to the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act that lowered it to 18 and then 16 in 2001.
Explain why laws against smoking differ according to time
In the 1960s and 70s smoking in public places was allowed in the UK. The same was true for the workplace where smoking was an acceptable part of office life. However when the Surgeon General’s report came out in 1964 that proved there was a correlation between lung cancer and smoking, there was a dramatic shift in the public’s attitudes. This brought about changes in the law such as the 2007 smoke-free legislation that ensured smoking was no longer permitted in enclosed work and public places. In addition, after research showed that 430,000 children are exposed to second hand smoke every day in cars, the Children and Families Act 2014 was introduced that prevented smoking in cars with a child present in England and Wales.
Why have views on Women’s Rights Changed?
Before the women’s rights movement, women had to submit to laws when they had no voice in their formation and husbands had legal power and responsibility for their wives. However, during the Second World War women took over ‘men’s jobs’ while they were fighting as soldiers. When the war was over women started to be seen as more responsible and the laws were more open to change. This led to the Equal Pay Act in the 1970s which made it illegal to pay women lower than men for the same work. This made way for the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 which protected both men and women from discrimination on the grounds of sex and marital status.
How laws are applied differently according to the age of criminal responsibility in which country the action(s) occurs
The age of criminal responsibility is the age below which a child is deemed capable of having committed a criminal offence. In the UK this is deemed 10 years old in the belief that by this age most children can distinguish right and wrong and have an understanding of the law. This is the lowest age of responsibility in Europe with France being 13, Germany being 14 and Scotland being 12.
When a child is found guilty at this age they are sent to a youth detention accommodation if the court imposes a custodial sentence.
What is homicide?
It is the unlawful killing of a person by another. It is given as a verdict when it is deemed the crime is committed without lawful excuse and is a breach of criminal law. However there are three ways homicide can be reduced to manslaughter: diminished responsibility, loss of control or the killing in pursuance of a suicide pact.
Explain why laws against cannabis use differ according to place
Cannabis is a psychoactive drug that can be used either recreational or entheogenic purposes and in various traditional medicines. In the UK cannabis is illegal and classified as a class B drug. However there are 47 countries that allow the medical use of cannabis such as the Netherlands and Australia. This difference in laws is caused because many countries started to legalise cannabis for medical use after images of sick children being denied potentially life-changing medicines had a huge impact on public opinion.
