Defining crime

• Issues with defining crime

  The “normality” of crime

  any theory of crime is unlikely to encompass all criminals

  cultural and historical context for laws
• changes through history

  17th century it was punishable by hanging if a sheep was stolen

  society changes through time, so does societal morality and expectations
• Cultural differences

  Age of responsibility is 15 in Norway and 10 in the UK

  shows differing mindset across cultures, what’s illegal in some countries isn’t illegal everywhere
• Some criminal behaviour can be morally right

  Protesting against and resisting unjust laws like apartheid and racial segregation are against the law but it’s more morally right not to obey them