LAW 201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Commodification, Arbitrariness, Step One
Document Summary
Today"s topic is the scope of criminal law. What is criminalized, what foes into a criminal coe. To criminalize means to subject induvial to the penal state. Some of them are obvious like murder, we could have many arguments to why theft is in the criminal code. But then are offences that are a little bit difficult like drug laws and morality offences like prostitution. 1 reduces police abuse and violence, improves relationship with police. If something bad happens they can go to the police and they can get the protection of the police instead of being scared. 5 reduces sw risk of hiv: prostitutes are forced to hide from police, they feel alienated so if it is decriminalized they can get the help they need. 6 challenges stigma and discrimination and effects of having a criminal record. 7 no clear evidence that it increases population of sex workers. 9 challenges state control over bodies and sexuality.
