definition of adultery is sexual relations between a married person and another with the exception of their spouse.
in the UK adultery is not considered a criminal offence but may have legal consequences in divorce proceedings
Adultery is legal in the UK and all of the European countries
Adultery is illegal in countries governed by Islamic law such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and almost half of the states in the USA but in most states it is only a misdemeanour (minor offence)
A reason why laws on adultery vary in different cultures is religion; adultery is a sin in the bible, the status of women some may be viewed as their husband’s property and some politicians may not wish to be seen as opposing moral laws so they are reluctant to revoke them
The definition of honour crimes is crimes where the victim has been viewed to have brought shame on their family. This can include killings for conduct such as to enter an arranged marriage.
In the UK, honour crimes are illegal and if a killing is involved, it is murder
Most honour crimes take place within Middle Eastern and south asian families and it is a considered to be acceptable within these cultures
honour crimes are considered illegal the UK, the USA, Pakistan, Europe and many others, the issue of convicting the perpetrator is usually lack of evidence
The law regarding honour crime varies in different cultures as such crimes are thought to have originated from tribal customs where an allegation against a woman can damage a family reputation. None of the world’s major religions forgive honour related crimes but perpetrators have sometimes tried to justify their action on religious grounds.
The definition of homosexuality is sexual attraction between people of the same sex
in the UKhomosexuality was illegal until 1967 when it was decriminalised. initially civil partnerships were allowed and now same sex marriages can also take place
Homosexuality is legal in the UK, Europe, the USA and Canada
Homosexuality is illegal in India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, and Nigeria
The law on homosexuality varies in different cultures due to religion as the Bible says that homosexuality is a sin and in some cultures it may be viewed as against the norm resulting in prejudice
A social construct is a human-made idea or concept that is accepted as a fact by society.
Different societies have different methods for creating new
laws and these laws can change.
laws change:
As we cross borders (between cultures)
Over time In different places (within one society)
Dependent on different circumstances
Laws can change over time to reflect a change in societal opinion and moral views laws are changed to reflect this
Capital punishment is the practice of executing someone as a punishment for a specific crime after due process, going through the correct legal proceedings, or a legal trial.
in the 18th century there were over 200 offences for which the death penalty could be given e.g. for pick pocketing and shooting rabbits. laws were made by the rich to protect themselves and their property. The laws were often focused on the poor who were viewed as lazy.
This view of the poor being lazy faded as all people were given rights and freedoms and the opportunity to progress in society hence some of the reasons for capital punishment faded it remained purely as a very serious punishment for crimes like murder and treason
capital punishment was also changed over time due to miscarriages of justice as people were wrongly convicted of crimes and killed
The law regarding double jeopardy has changed over time also.
as a result of AnneMing’s campaign and other reasons ,the law that prevented a person being tried again for the same offence was abolished for serious offences. a provision in the criminal justice act 2003 came into force which stated where there is new and compelling evidence pointing into the guilt of the former defendant The court of appeal may quash and acquittal and order re-trial.
This change was necessary as the law at the time was inadequate to bring justice also technology and medical knowledge became more advanced and allowed for certainty of evidence including the successful prosecution of Gary Dobson and David Norris for the murder of stephen Lawrence
Another example of laws changing over time is laws concerningprostitution
Prostitution or the selling of sexual services is the world oldest profession.
Prostitution itself is legal but many of the connected activities are illegal. This includes soliciting in a public place curb crawling and owning a brothel.
Once prostitution had a stigma attached to it and the woman involved were thought to be immoral due to the idea of having sex for money. many women became prostitutes because it provided a source of income time when they had few other options.
society's views slowly changed and there are calls for it to be decriminalised with appropriate regulations, The concern is for the safety of the women and how to protect vulnerable people who become involved in prostitution sometimes against will.
Society changed its view of prostitution due to a decline in people believing in religion and an increased moral tolerance, In addition the status of women changed and with increased equality more occupations and training opportunities became available.
Vacancy relates to having no visible means of travelling from place to place often termed sleeping rough and begging it is illegal under the vagrancy act1824
the law was passed in order to clear the streets of beggars rogues and vagabonds and prevent further crime from being committed
The act fell into disuse as society accepted there were legitimate reasons for homelessness
However, over the last couple of years there has been an increase in the number of prosecutions due to people begging in the streets representing themselves as homeless when this is not the case to make money
Views surrounding vagrancy have changed since the 19th century and It is no longer looked upon with disapproval there is sympathy and concern and an acceptance that there are many genuine reasons for homelessness and that it is not just connected with laziness
Laws can change in different places as the same actions are not necessarily criminal offences in all places throughout the world or even policed the same way within England and Wales.
An examples of laws changing in different places is possession of cannabisJaywalking and female genital mutilation
Possession of cannabis is an offence and is illegal in England and Wales but have been calls to decriminalise it and allow its use particularly for medical reasons
in some countries such as Columbia and Uruguay, possess of cannabis is legal