Crimes Against Public Order
“I see there is a people risen
and come up that I cannot
win either with gifts, honors,
offices or places… Oliver
Cromwell (1599-1658)
Introduction
“victimless crimes”
Relative and evolutive concept
Law and Morality
Ruling morality
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Homosexuality vs. purchasing lottery
tickets
Consensus vs. conflict perspective
Gambling
ss. 197-210 “gaming and betting”
Spending on lottery tickets vs. VLTs
role of tolerance and morality
Trends:
who benefits from the legalization
(e.g., Atlantic provinces)
WHO?
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males, late 30s, employed, less than college
education
“Catch-22” – revenue increase and
more addicts
WHY?
parenting issues
impulsive disorder
learned behaviour
Consider…
stock market and investors
Prostitution
“oldest profession” – from heroes to
charlatans
Badgley Report and Fraser Report
Ss. 210-213
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Technically ‘legal’
Canadian ‘approval’ rate !?
Trends:
‘social misfits’ – women, drug habits,
low self-esteem…
enter – exploitation, ‘big-sister’,
pragmatic reasons
Types:
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Streetwalkers
Bar prostitutes
Massage-parlours
House prostitutes
Rap session booths
Call girls
Escort services
Male prostitutes – overlooked
but…
Why?
biology to feminist interpretations
socio-psychological
… history of sexual abuse, nontraditional family settings, school
problems, etc.
Functionalism and economic gain
SUMMARY
controversial and not readily
resolved
Pornography
Plato once asked…. ‘what is the
proper role or function of art.’
porno “prostitute’ and graphen “to
write”
obscenity derived from Latin for
“filth”
How to decided:
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Playboy vs. Playgirl
Chic vs. Swank
Stone Angel vs. MTV
Pornography and the Law
ss. 163-169 …. Offences tending
to corrupt morals
? Anti-culture, anti-conscience,
anti-God,… and anti-family
Porn and Violence
Literature vs. feminists and
fundamentalist groups
facilitate expressions of violence
Degree of violence
depicted
Role of cultural climate
(consider Qs in Box 12.13)
SUMMARY
pornography a controversial topic
‘consenting’ vs. literature
Age old ‘fascination’
Role of an interdisciplinary
approach
Substance Abuse
A Brief History…
Since the dawning of time most
societies have used mind/mood
altering substances
? Downfall of the Roman Empire
Varying degrees of being socially
acceptable until…
late 1800s and regulations
Drugs and the Law
weekend binge vs. overuse or
physical and/or psychological
dependency
The Controlled Drugs and
Substance Act ’96
1997 1st cannabis café
Hemp stores… what is the trend
Characteristics and Trends
Alcohol consumption down
Young adult males… with higher
incomes
10% problem drinkers
75% Canadians support
prevention programs
Link between substance abuse
and violent crime high
Hypocrisy?

Smoking and drinking by adults vs.
their children’s behaviour
Psychological and psychiatric
effects well documented
False sense of well-being
Illicit Drugs:
CNS – stimulants, depressants,
and hallucinogens
‘preference’ is cyclical
Explanations:
no one theory able to address ALL
factors
Need to distinguish between:
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Factors that contribute
Factors causing to maintain
Reasons for relapse
Drug Use: Is it a Moral Issue?
Tobacco….
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Too the Natives it is used in sacred
rituals (relative)
Vitamins vs. drugs
Right to choose and be
responsible
Values and beliefs constantly
changing
Summary
Public order offences an ‘age-old’
problem
Is behaviour a matter of free will or
(soft)determinism?
Public order a form of victimless crimes
Athenians - ?do it but just don’t get
caught… prepared to face the
consequences
Where do we draw the lines of social
control vs. personal rights?
Gotta go now…