Crim unit 2

• social definition


  what society believes is wrong within a community. for example, moat people in the UK would think it is wrong to have sex with a 14-year old, but in other cultures in different countries it might not be seen as a problem because society doesn't label it as one.
• legal definition


  in our society, it is the legal system which defines crime. for example behaviour that breaks the law and for which you are punished by the legal system.
• actus reus


  latin for guilty act. essentially means committing a crime.
• mens rea


  latin for guilt mind. essentially means having a motive to commit the crime.
• cautions


  administered by the police for minor crimes such as writing graffiti on a bus shelter. you have to admit an offence and agree to be cautioned; otherwise you could be arrested for the offence. a caution is not a criminal conviction.
• conditional cautions


  given by the police but you have to agree to certain rules and restrictions, such as receiving treatment for drug abuse or repairing damage to a property.
• penalty notices


  given for offences such as shoplifting, possessing cannabis, or being drunk and disorderly in public. you can only get a penalty notice of you are ages 18 or over.
• custodial sentences


  where you are immediately sent to prison. there are mandatory and discretionary life sentences and fixed term and indeterminate prison sentences.
• community services


  a combination order (sentence of the court that combines a probation order and a community service order) including unpaid work, probation, curfew and orders such as having drug testing and treatment.
• fines


  financial penalties; the amount depends on the seriousness of the offence and the financial circumstances of the offender.
• discharge


  either conditional, when if the defendant re-offends during a set time period the court can give an alternative sentence, or absolute, when no penalty is imposed as the defendant is technically guilty but morally blameless.
• fatal offences against the person

  murder, manslaughter.
• non-fatal offences against the person


  assault, battery, actual and grievous bodily harm.
• offences against property


  theft, robbery, burglary.
• sexual offences


  rape, indecent assault.
• public order offences


  riot, affray, violent disorder.
• drug offences


  possession of a controlled drug or possession with the intent to supply.
• deviance


  behaviour that goes against the dominant social norms of a specific group or society, which causes some kind of critical reaction or disapproval.
• norms


  social expectations that guide behaviour and explain why people act in the way that they do. norms keep in check deviant behaviour. while it is expected behaviour, it could vary form one culture to another. for instance, in the UK we wear dark sombre colours for a funeral but in China the colour of mourning is white.
• moral codes


  morals or good ways of behaving. breaking a moral code would generally be considered serious in society, an example would be murder.
• values


  rules shared by most people in a given culture. it is what people feel should happen. they are more general guidelines than norms. so, for example, most people feel we should respect the elderly.
• informal sanctions against deviance


  -frowning upon behaviour

  -name calling

  -ignoring behaviour

  -labelling behaviour

  -parents grounding a child
• formal sanctions against deviance


  fines or even imprisonment may be appropriate for some deviant acts.
• admired behaviour


  deviant but considered good or admiral, e.g. saving a life while putting own at risk, as most people would not do so.
• odd behaviour


  deviant by being odd or different from what is considered the norm, e.g. living with an excessive number of cats.
• bad behaviour


  deviant because it is bad, e.g. assaulting a pensioner.
• what is adultery?


  sexual relations between a married person and another, with the exception of their spouse.
• adultery with regards to legality in the UK


  not considered a criminal offence but may have legal consequences in divorce proceedings.
• where is adultery legal?


  UK and all other European countries.
• where is adultery illegal?


  many countries governed by Islamic law such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. almost half of the states in the USA consider it a crime but in most it is only a minor offence.
• why does the law of adultery vary between countries?


  one reason is religion: the Bible states that adultery is a sin. could also relate to the status of women, who are owned by their husbands and could be treated as property. some politicians may not wish to be seen as opposing moral laws, so are reluctant to revoke them.
• what is honour crime?


  crimes where the accused has brought shame on their family. can include killings for conduct such as refusing to enter an arranged marriage or being in a relationship that displeases the family.
• honour crime with regard to legality in the UK


  such actions are crimes and if a killing is involved it is murder.
• where is honour crime legal?


  most honour crimes take place within South Asian and Middle Eastern families.
• where is honour crime illegal?


  UK, Europe, USA, Pakistan, etc. the issue is usually one of evidence.
• why does the law of honour crime vary between countries?


  such crimes are thought to have originated from tribal customs, where an allegation against a woman can damage a family's reputation. none of the world's major religions condone honour-related crimes but perpetrators have sometimes tried to justify their actions on religious grounds.
• what is homosexuality?


  involving or characterised by sexual attraction between people of the same sex.
• homosexuality with regard to legality in the UK

  once it was illegal but was partially decriminalised in 1967 with the age of consent, i.e. to participate legally in sexual relations, was set at 21 years. the age of consent was then lowers to 18 and then 16. initially, civil partnerships were allowed and now same-sex marriages can now take place.
• where is homosexuality legal?


  UK, Europe, USA and Canada
• where is homosexuality illegal?


  India, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Nigeria