Law & Social Control

Law depends on society

> Law is determined by social opinion (the norms of a society)

Belief

idea about how the world operates and what is true and false

Value

cultural standard about what is good and bad, correct and incorrect, moral and immoral

Norm

from value, an action component of a belief or value that prescribes behavior as acceptable or unacceptable

Laws

institutionalization of a society’s most important mores

Law can change society

Law is a tool that can change social opinion (if certain conditions are present).

Two interrelated processes

1. Institutionalization of a behavior > establishment of a norm (a law) with provisions for its enforcement - “changing behavior through the force of law”

2. Internalization of the norm > incorporation of the norm into social opinion - the effect of changing minds

Conditions necessary for long-term social control through law

1. the law comes from an authoritative source

2. the language in the new law invokes existing social values

3. the change can be achieved within a short period of time

4. law enforcement is committed to the change

5. reasonable sanctions (punishments) are established