A level criminology Unit 2 1.2 Social

What are socially constructed laws

They are made by society and not naturally occurring and are therefore subject to change overtime

What is polygamy

The practice of having more 2 or more husbands ( polyandry) or the practice of having 2 more wives (polygmy)

Where is polygmy legal

Legal in 58 countries - those which are mainly Muslim countries e.g. Saudi Arabia

Where is polyandry legal

Legal in very few countries mostly Himalayan

Where is it not legal

Illegal in the Uk, crime of bigamy 7 years prison of a fine

Why does the law on it vary

Religion - In the Qu’’an it permits the practice of more than one wife even up to 4 and in the USA some Mormons practice it illegally

Tradition- Some African societies have practiced it over generations e.g. Zulu culture where it was extremely common

What is homosexuality

Sexual intercourse with member of the same sex

Where is it a crime

Male homosexuality is illegal in 72 countries and lesbian in 45 countries in 6 countries the conviction can result in death penalty e.g Iran

Where is it legal

Uk , Europe , north and south America, crime in many Muslims countries but legal in Indonesia

Reasons why law varies between countries

Religion- Christianity , Judaism and Islam traditionally condemn it opposite sex relationship is the only type permitted

Sexism - Fact that male sexuality is a crime in more countries than lesbianism may be due to sexual assumptions made by lawmakers that female are incapable of same sex attraction.

What is adultery

When a married person has sexual relations or preforms a sexual act with somebody they’re not married to

Where is it a crime

Most societies that criminalise it are Muslim majority countries and through several Christian majority countries in Africa punishments can vary from stoning to death (rare) to canning (Malaysia and Indonesia) and a fine in Rhode Island, USA

Reasons why the law on adultery varies between cultures

Religion - Most religions condemn adultery , not committing it is part of the ten commandments followed by Judaism , Christianity and Islam in societies where law is heavily informed by religion adultery is a crime

Position of women - Laws against adultery are often found in societies where women occupy a very subordinate position , usually in such societies the adultery laws are themselves unequal

How do laws change overtime e.g capital punsihmen t