Criminology Overview
Criminology Page 1
,Unit 4 - Crime & Punishment
Types of Question
1-3 Marks: Identify or List
4 Marks: Short paragraph
6 Marks: Mid-length paragraph
9 Marks: Extended response
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,AC1.1 - Describe processes used for law making
Two types of laws:
The two types of laws are statute laws, these are laws made by Parliament, and also
common laws, these are laws made by judicial officials such as judges
First of all… Who are
PARLIAMENT?
HOUSE OF COMMONS HOUSE OF LORDS MONARCH
Who are they? How do you become a lord? What is the monarch’s role in
law making?
The House of Commons To become a lord, otherwise
is filled with MPs known as a peer, you must be When a piece of legislation has
representing 650 areas selected by either the passed both the House of
across the United monarch, to do this you must Commons, and the House of
Kingdom be nominated to the House of Lords, the monarch will then
(constituencies), these Lords Appointment have to give it Royal Assent,
are elected by the British Commission enacting it into law, the
Public Monarch can however withhold
Your thought on hereditary
this, last occurring in 1708.
How are they elected? peers…?
They are elected through Hereditary peers are wrong,
elections by those who nobody should be born into
are registered to vote, power, which stays the same
these are done in a first on my opinion in regard to
past the post system, the monarchy, everyone
with different MPs should be elected to a
representing different position or have to work to
parties. get to a position.
The majority of the law is made by parliament… PARLIAMENTARY LAW PROCESS
GREEN PAPER –
This is the initial idea, this will be presented online or to people and aims to gather
ideas, regarding a law, this acts as a proposal allowing public consultation to take
place.
WHITE PAPER –
Following the Green paper closing, a white paper will be published with ideas, aims and
objectives this will then be given to the Parliamentary Counsel for a bill to be made.
BILL –
A bill is then made, this is the proposal for law, including relevant legislation changes,
this will be presented to the House.
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, this will be presented to the House.
The Bill begins its journey in either the House of Commons or the House of Lords and
follows several stages:
First reading:
During the first reading, the MP representing the bill, or the spokesperson will stand up and
read the short title, and the aim of the legislation. The HoC/HoL will then be ordered to
print this by the MP.
Second reading:
During the second hearing, MPs will debate clauses, and aims of the law, following this it’ll
move to a vote, in which it will be voted on to move to the committee stage. If it fails to
pass during this stage it’ll be ‘thrown out’ and likely result in further consultation in regards
to the bill.
Committee stage:
During the committee stage, MPs serving on the relevant committee will discuss the bill,
with advice of experts, and public interest groups to allow the further expansion and
improvement of the bill, using information they will compile a report which will then be
sent to the House
Report stage:
A report is compiled based on the findings and proceedings during the Committee Stage,
this also allows MPs to advise on further amendments, each of which will be voted on
individually. The report stage will be followed by the third reading, usually during the same
day.
Third reading:
During the third reading of a bill, amendments can not be made, this is the final chance to
vote on a bill before it is sent to the other house. During this time amendments will be
voted on, and the bill will then be sent to the House of Lords if successful, where they will
follow the same process.
Royal Assent:
If the bill is successful within the House of Lords, it’ll be sent to the monarch for Royal
Assent, which acts as a ‘seal of approval’, the Monarch reserves the right to withhold it,
however has not done so since 1708, due to it being undemocratic to do so. Once the bill is
granted RA it will become law.
Then what…
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