How Does The Law Change Culture

Changing social values: The values of societies change over time. Society is forever changing values which then place’s pressure onto the law to change and adapt over time. What is seen as as acceptable may not be considered acceptable at another time. The urge for tougher sentencing in law reform may satisfy the deserved aspects of punishment, but harsher penalties are not statistically shown to reduce crime rates. Thus in seeking to promote social values for tougher penalties it undermines our social value for fairness and the concept of justice for the individual.

Society has numerous rules and laws that are either spoken or unspoken. As citizens we may either choose to follow these rules or are told to. One set of rules that has impacted me the most are the Ten Commandments. I grew up in a religious household where I was predominantly surrounded by religious people. It has always been embodied in me that we must follow the Ten Commandments if we wish to be guaranteed salvation in the end. These laws have a strong meaning to me and have shaped me into the person I am today.

In a society governed by sometimes strict and sometimes barely acknowledged laws, we tend to turn a blind eye towards incidents where the law is supposed to swoop in and save the day. Take, for example, the Reconstruction era after the civil war from 1865-1877, when America tried to rebuild its country and bridge the gap between the north and south after the divisive war. White supremacy leagues were created and allowed to exist by the government during that time because the law did not do its job by protecting all its citizens. It didn’t enforce the acceptance of the free African-Americans and didn’t encourage much, or any social change. I believe that laws are not the most important factor in overcoming discrimination and creating social

The official version of the law (OVL) is “what the legal world would have us believe about itself – is that it is an impartial, neutral and objective system for resolving conflict” (Comack, 2014, p. 11). Prior to reflecting on course material I would have undoubtedly accepted the OVL, however, at this time I believe our Canadian legal system and criminal justice system lack the ability to be impartial, neutral, and objective, therefore requiring considerable changes. The chapters in which utmost enhanced my understanding of the sociology of law were “Theoretical Approaches and the Sociology of Law” by Elizabeth Comack and “Standing Against Canadian Law: Naming Omissions of Race, Culture, and Gender” by Patricia Monture as they explain and demonstrate the inequalities marginalized groups must endure at the hands of the law.

In her famous 1776 letter to her husband, Abigail Adams wrote in regards to the formation of the constitution: “in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors” (how do u cite stuff) However, it would take another 144 years of dedicated, tireless effort in order for women to receive the basic constitutional right of voting. This conversion of women being seen as second-class civilians to becoming full citizens with the power to vote was a monumental political change in our country. Many suffragists of all backgrounds dedicated their lives to see this change occur. These suffragists were fueled by the hope that women would someday be equal to men not only in the eyes of our government, but in the eyes of our society as well. Their efforts transformed women’s suffrage from an improbable and far-fetched dream, into an awe-inspiring reality.

Laws are the foundation of our society, they keep citizens safe and preserve our individual freedoms. Before a law is enacted it must start out as a bill. Each bill has an extensive process it must go through to become a law of the United States of America. This process of approval ensures that those three different parts of government agree on the bill before it becomes a law. In order to become law, a bill needs to be approved by the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the President of the United States. The law-making process, or Legislative process, can be broken into two basic steps, proposition and approval. These steps are the traditional and basic steps. As time went on, these steps have been altered and changed. A bill

Lopez defines social construction in the context of race as, “races are not biologically differentiated groupings but rather social constructions. Race exists alongside a multitude of social identities that shape and are themselves shaped by the way in which race is given meaning” (Lopez, 1). In regard to how the law controls the behaviors of a people group, Lopez argues that the law coerces people’s behaviors by forcing them to engage in only what the law wants. Lopez claims that “viewing law as primarily a coercive system helps us focus on the actual rules promulgated and enforced through law and allows a rather more positivist account of how law constructs races” (Lopez, 81). Finally, law as ideology, according to Lopez, consumes the morals and beliefs held by individuals that are formed as a result of the law.

According to Veto Violence, social norms are “… values, beliefs, attitudes, and/or behaviors shared by a group of people.” Essentially, these are the unwritten rules that regulate and govern people’s behaviors and are created by society or a population. Examples within the United States would include: Not screaming profanities while in a quiet public setting or belching while at a nice dinner. Social norms can shift or change drastically from generation to generation. For example, smoking in the United States was once socially acceptable everywhere you went, but after research showed smoking caused numerous diseases, it became less socially acceptable over time. In contrast to social norms, laws are written rules, created by the government,

Another vital step towards safer roadways took place recently when Pennsylvania’s Governor Wolf signed into law new restrictions on first time Driving Under the Influence (DUI) offenders. This law states that first time DUI offenders will now be legally required to use a breathalyzer-equipped lock in order to operate their vehicle. According to a University of Pennsylvania researchers, the expectation is a 15% reduction in alcohol-related highways deaths within a few years of the law’s inception.

The United States law-making and implementation processes are very rigorous and complex. There are multiple steps to go through before something becomes an official law of the United States. Basically, there are seven steps in the federal legislative process. When the process is set in motion, there are various aspects of American politics that limit Presidents’ powers to pass and implement their policy agenda. All in all, law-making is not a simple task in the Unites States; there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.

I do not believe that culture affects the way a person learn, teach, or operate in society. Culture helps a person to be more aware of their surroundings.

Our interactions within the law and society may be described as acts of legal consciousness. The term 'legal consciousness' is used to describe an understanding of the law, society, and ones place within. This awareness is informed by, and informs our societal interaction at both a group and individual level. It is my strong belief, that through critical reflection of our legal consciousness, we are empowered with the ability to influence and analyze the role of law and its effectiveness within society. Legal consciousness is both a form of scrutiny and a device of law. It is the basis for the formation of opinions on some of the more difficult ethical or moral questions posed, such as; abortion and euthanasia.

The fine line between obeying the law and not obeying it. Obeying the law kind of makes the world safer. When you don't obey a law and therefore caught doing the crime; you will be charged and possibly sentenced to a place where you are no longer free to do as you please. When you obey the law you get to do as you please with your life as long as you follow the laws. Laws are put into motion to create a safe environment for everyone to live in. No one should have to be worried about their lives everyday; but there are accidents everyday in which lives are lost.

If someone were to ask me, "What has the government done for you today?" I would most likely say nothing, but as I researched I have looked back on my past and my present. I have realized realized that through the years I have really noticed that laws do hold a foundation on my everyday life as well as others. Laws are principles and regulations that are established under the authority of the state and/or the nation. They help to form the foundation for a country that protects and provides for its citizens.

Every nation today has laws, instituted by the ruling class (throughout this essay, when I mention laws I am referring to legal laws, not moral laws). The