WJEC Applied Cert & Dip Level 3 Criminology Study & Revision Guide

AC1.2 EXPLAIN THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CRIMINALITY AC1.2 EXPLAIN THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF CRIMINALITY Culture At any one time, the law in one culture may be very different from the law in another culture. Can you think of any cultures different from your own? Here are some ideas: • Laws in Pakistan reflect the Muslim culture of this country. For instance, homosexuality is illegal, as is cohabitation by an unmarried couple. Possession of even small quantities of illegal drugs can lead to imprisonment. The death penalty can be imposed for crimes such as blasphemy, murder and rape. The cause of the differences between Pakistan and the UK law is due in part to the religious values and beliefs of the country. • The different culture between the USA and the UK can also lead to different laws. For example, in many American states you have to be 21 years of age to buy alcohol, whereas in the UK it is generally 18. Explore laws from Afghanistan by looking at the article on the Human Rights Watch website about moral crimes in Afghanistan: ‘Afghanistan: Surge in Women Jailed for “Moral Crimes”’ (2013, 21 May) (http://www.hrw.org/ news/2013/05/21/afghanistan-surge-women-jailed-moral-crimes). Consider why women are treated in this way and why it is most unlikely to occur in England and Wales. Explore online See pages 84–89 of the textbook. How laws change from culture to culture How laws change over time Why laws are different according to time, place and culture How laws are applied differently according to circumstances in which actions occur Social construction Laws vary in different cultures. Think back to Unit 1 and honour crimes. These types of crimes are popular and acceptable in some cultures. Synoptic link See pages 21–22 in the textbook. Culture: the ideas, customs and social behaviour of a particular people or society. Moral crimes: crimes against morality, often considered to be victimless crimes because there is no specific victim. Key terms This AC can be summarised along the lines of ‘a crime is a crime because society classes it as one’. Sometimes, the view of society will change over time, in different places or within different cultures. As a result of this, what is considered a crime will also change. Exam tip 51