Crime

Which specific acts or omissions constitute "crimes" depends on the governmental bodies where you live. Most likely you will be subject to three sets of laws at any given time. The first set is defined by federal statute. The second set is outlined by your state government. The third set are laws are enacted by local government and are commonly referred to as municipal ordinances. Local rules focus on the conduct that the local community expects people to abide by like speed limits in school zones and noise control at certain hours. If there is ever a conflict in federal law with a state or local rule, federal law will generally control. This has been a heated discussion in California where medical marijuana is authorized by state statutes. However, federal prosecutors continue to prosecute cases involving medical marijuana because possession of marijuana is still illegal pursuant to federal statutes, without exception.

Most crimes require that you complete an affirmative act before you can be punished for the conduct. If you store drugs in the pocket of your jacket, you are affirmatively possessing a controlled substance. Some crimes, ironically, punish for omissions. For example, if you are aware that your boyfriend is physically abusing your child, you could be charged for failing to report child abuse. The basis of the crime isn't what you did, but rather what you failed to do.

"Crime is a socially constructed concept. It is not an invariant phenomenon, consistently the same in all places and at all times".

YOUR JOB:

Discuss(thrash out, argue)this statement looking at how different societies construct, define, record and punish crimes based on their values, laws and regulations.

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