How laws change over time

• Homosexuality Law:

  • Made homosexual acts between men illegal in the UK in 1885 with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment
  • Homosexual acts between men over 21 legalised in England in 1967, Scotland in 1980, Northern Ireland 1982.
  • Homosexual acts between men over 18 legalised in England in 1994, and then 16 years old in 2000- matching the heterosexual law.
  • Britain made laws in the Empire about this, for example in India this law changed in 2018
• Why the homosexuality law changed?:

  • 1954 Wolfden Report- published recommending the law change after they spoke with religious leaders, psychiatrists and gay men. 1000 men were in prison for homosexuality in 1954
  • Homosexual Law Reform Society- included leading public figures, led to a change in law in 1967 legalising gay sex. Stonewall and Campaign for Homosexuality helped with this change in law to match that of heterosexual people.
  • 2010 Equality Act- introduced to make discrimination illegal
  • Human Rights- became a big focus for campaigns which was used as a key argument in law change
• Drug Law- Portugal

  • Drugs were made a civil offence in 2001 for all drugs if the supply was less than 10 days worth
  • This was because when the country became a democracy in 1975 there was a high influx of drugs and HIV due to sharing of needles- highest in Europe
  • Reason for the change- drug use like drinking was seen as a public health issue rather than criminal justice issue.
  • since the law change, heroin addiction and HIV rated have fallen sharply
  • HIV amongst most users is almost non-existent and drug related deaths are lowest in Europe
• Why the law changed?:

  • sudden rise of drug addiction and shared needles in 1975- 1% of the population had a drug addiction by the 1990‘s
  • poorer county, it couldn’t afford the costs of prosecuting drug addicts.
  • focus because on one of public health to reduce the rate of dangerous drug use by making it so people were discouraged rather than criminalised.
  • reduction of costs in the legal system was 20%
• Why the Law around Guns changed in the UK:

  • Moral Panic after mass shooting led to law change- supported by two major campaigns.
  • The Gun Control Network (set up by lawyers, academics and parents of victims) and the Snowdrop Campaign (started by parents of primary school shooting victims) were pressure groups for change.
• Gun Law UK:

  • 1987 - Michael Ryan shot and killed 16 people in Berkshire
  • 1996 - Thomas Hamilton shot and killed a primary school teacher at a Scottish School.
  • 1997 - Lord Cullen led an enquiry which resulted in the conservative governments ’Firearms Act’ making handguns illegal (except single shot .22)
  • Labour government them made all handguns illegal.
• Laws Relating to Children:

  • In the UK children are categorised (socially and legally) as vulnerable , in need of education , needing special protections and entitled not to work.
  • Child labour was normal in the 19th century and before with some countries such a Peru still having child workers in brick factories.
  • In the UK now rather than sending children to work, parents are expected to invest time and money into a child’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Why laws around children changed:

  • Factory act- children no longer could be used to work in mills and factories. Until then the children from age 6 could work.
  • 1880 - legal requirement, all children received schooling
  • 2004 - Children’s Act made it the legal requirement of the parents to protect and support the welfare of their children
  • 1989 - United Nations rights of the child made healthcare and education a legal entitlement of all children and protects them from abuse
  • Laws and policies relating to legal ages to protect children range from legal age of consent to alcohol use and driving.