unit two - ac4.2

Question 1

values

Answer 1

• general principles, beliefs or guidelines about how we should live our lives
• tell us what is right and wrong, good and bad
• difference societies may have different values

Question 2

norms

Answer 2

• specific rules or socially accepted standards about how we are supposed to behave in specific situations
• can be informal, unwritten rules
• can be formal, written rules
• specific norms are based on general values

Question 3

mores

Answer 3

• very basic, essential norms that society sees as vital for maintaining standards of decency and civilised behaviour
• mores are society’s most important moral rules

Question 4

public perception of crime: drink driving

Answer 4

• come to be seen as much more serious, laws become tighter
• 1925, first law passed making drinking while drunk an offence, no clear definition of ‘drunk’ and no legal limit on how much alcohol drivers could have in their blood, left to the police and courts to decide whether someone was fit to drive
• car ownership increasing resulted in more deaths, 5000 in 1950 to 8000 by 1960s
• due to public concern, 1967 Road Safety Act introduced blood alcohol limit of 80mg per 100ml of blood, became an offence to be in charge of a motor vehicle with a level above this limit
• 1968, breathalysers introduced, reduced road deaths by over 1,100 and serious injuries by over 11,000, proportion of accidents with alcohol involved fell from 25% to 15%

Question 5

public perception of crime: drink driving, tougher laws

Answer 5

• 1983, high risk offender scheme introduced for convicted drivers with an alcohol problem, includes drivers who have been disqualified more than once for drink driving, have to undergo a medical before they get their license back
• 1991, new offence of causing death by driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs was introduced, compulsory sentence of 5 years (increased to 14 years in 2014)
• penalty for a first drink driving offence is now up to six months’ imprisonment, unlimited fine and one year driving ban

Question 6

public perception of crime: drink driving - campaigns

Answer 6

• first TV advertising campaign aired over 50 years ago, fall in deaths partly due to these crimes, sometimes targeted specific groups who are most at risk, young men
• campaigns an important factor in changing public perceptions, 1979 half of all male drivers admitted drink driving at least once a week, 2014 survey showed a massive change in peoples attitudes, 91% agreed drink driving unacceptable, 92% would feel ashamed if they were caught drinking and driving
• road safety campaigns (Brake) argue that government needs to go further, one in eight road deaths still involve a driver over the alcohol limit and England and Wales have the highest legal alcohol limit in Europe, Brake called for the limit to be lowered to 20mg, survey in 2016 found that over half of drivers agreed

Question 7

demographic changes: immigration and racism

Answer 7

• 1950s and 1960s, non-white immigrants came from former British colonies in the Caribbean, indian subcontinent and Africa, more recently people have come from Eastern Europe
• windrush generation, faced hostility many white people holding racist stereotypes of Black people as dirty,diseased or criminal
• discrimination throughout the 1950s and 60s, often met in housing, employments and services, 1965 survey in birmingham found only 1.5% of whites would be willing to let a room to a black tenant, BBC document found churches turning away black families to avoid upsetting White worshippers
• legal to discriminate against a person on grounds of race at this time, led to exploitation by landlords letting slum housing to immigrants who could only get low-paid, low skilled jobs even when well qualified

Question 8

demographic changes: immigration and racism - race relations act

Answer 8

• race relations act passed in 1965, banned racial discrimination in public places, made the promotion of hatred on grounds of ‘colour,race,or ethnic or national origins’ an offence
• further race relations act in 1965 banned racial discrimination in the key areas of employment, housing and public services
• both acts placed by the 1976 race relations act, direct discrimination: when someone treats you less favourably, indirect discrimination: when there is a policy or rule that applies to everyone, has a worse effect on some groups than others
• 2010 race relations act replaced by equality act

Question 9

demographic changes: immigration and racism - cultural changes

Answer 9

• since 1960s there has been a cultural change, decline in prejudice towards ethnic minorities, 1987 british attitudes survey found that 39% of people said they were racially prejudiced, fallen by 26% by 2017
• 2018 survey by British future, 66% of the over 65s in ethnic minorities said the level of racial prejudice today is lower than it was in 1968
• public perception of discrimination and race hate as crimes has shifted, more likely to accept these are criminal offences
• due to changes in the law, other factors may be responsible for the decline in prejudice
• doesnt mean discrimination has disappeared

Question 10

cultural changes and LGBT rights

Answer 10

• before 1960s same-sex sexual activity condemmed as immoral or sinful and severely punishable by the law, 1533 bugger act made sodomy between men punishable by death
• decriminalisation, 1967 act decriminalisation of sexual activity between men ages 21 and over

Question 11

cultural changes and LGBT rights - changing values and attitudes

Answer 11

• individualism, belief that individuals should have the right to choose how they live their lives, so long as they do no harm to others
• equal rights, growth of women’s rights and equal treatment regardless of race, colour or religion
• secularisation, declining influence of religion on people’s lives, less than half of britons now believe in god, religious condemnation of homosexuality carries much less weight
• equal age of consent: 1994, age of consent lowered from 21 to 18, 16 in 2000
• civil partnership, introduced in 2005 giving legal recognition and protection to same-sex relationships
• same-sex marriages, 2013 marriage (same sec couples) act
• transgender rights, 2004 gender recognition certificate which then allows them to change their legal gender, acquire a new birth certificate and have their acquired sex recognised in law for all purposes
• 2020 conservative government decided to reject the idea of self-declaration
• LGBT people still face discrimination despite legal changes