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How laws change over
time - Coggle Diagram
How laws change over
time
Drug laws
Timeline
1930s-1975 Portugal very strictly regulated. You couldn't buy Coca-Cola + had to have a licence to buy cigarette lighters.
1975 Became democracy so had high levels of heroin addicts. Resulted in soaring rates of deaths from drug use and HIV.
2001 Possession of drugs changed from crime to civil offence if quantity was less than 10 day personal supply.
Why? Revolution
Became a democracy from a dictatorship after being overthrown by MFA movement who were tired of being scapegoats. Increased openness led to influx of drugs.
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Why? Scale of problem
By 1990 1 in 100 of total population addicted to heroin. Led to drastic action to tackle the problem.
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Gun control laws
Timeline
1968- Firearm Act where people applying for firearms certificate need to have a good character, good reason to want to possess a firearm + safe place to store.
1997- Firearms Amendment Act- The government introduced
an act banning all handguns except .22 single shot weapons. Later that year, second act introduced banning remaining handguns. Now illegal to own handgun in GB.
2016- GPs required to provide patients notes as well as inform police any concerns if they owned a firearm.
Why? GCN campaign
Gun Control Network set up by lawyers, academics + parents of
victims to campaign for tighter gun control laws.
Why? Snowdrop campaign
Started by bereaved Dunblane parents + their friends. After Thomas Hamilton an unemployed scout leader killed 16 children and one teacher at Dunblane primary school in 1996. Organised petition + collected 750,000 signatures calling for change in Law.
Set of laws that regulate sale + possession or use of firearms by civilians. Jurisdiction typically restrict access to certain firearms and then categories of persons who will be granted a licence to have access.
Capital punishment
Timeline
18th century, over 200 crimes punishable by death e.g. pick
pockets, poaching. Laws made by rich to protect them + property. Laws focused on poor who were viewed as lazy + agents of their own misfortune.
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1965 Labour MP Sydney Silverman, introduced Private Members' Bill to suspend death penalty for murder. Influenced by cases like Derek Bentley's Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 suspended death penalty in GB for murder for period of 5yrs and substituted mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.
1969 Home Secretary James Callaghan proposed motion to make the Act permanent which was carried in House of Commons.
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Derek Bentley case
1952- Derek Bentley 19 + with learning difficulties arrested after burglary. Friend Christopher Craig (16) shot + killed police officer during incident.
1953- Bentley found guilty even though he didn't fire the gun. so sentenced to death je said "Let him have it" to Craig. Then hung at Wandsworth Prison. Craig too young to be executed.
1950-1960s- Bentley's case caused public anger and debate about fairness of death penalty especially for people with learning disabilities.
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Homosexuality
Timeline
All homosexual acts between men made a crime in 1885, max sentence life imprisonment in UK.
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2014 gay marriage legal in England, Wales, Scotland.
Why? Wolfenden Report
After WW2, more prosecution gay men by 1954 over 1000 in prison.
Government set up committee under Sir John Wolfenden to consider reform of law. After gathering evidence, decided sexual acts in private between consenting adults over 21 be legalised.
Why? Campaigns
Homosexual Law Reform Society successfully campaigned for the change in law that legalised gay sex in 1967. Stonewall and campaign for Homosexual Equality led eventually to equalising age of consent to 16.
Why? Human Rights
In India, main reason for change of law, Supreme Court stated that state has no right to control citizens lives. In UK this concern with equal rights also underlines changes in the law on homosexuality.
Why? Politicans
Roy Jenkins supported campaign for change and as Home Secretary introduced necessary legislation in 1967. Others have introduced further legislation such as the Equality Act 2010.