The Aims and Purposes of Criminal Law Questions

Critical Thinking Questions:

1. What are the specific aims and purposes of criminal law? To what  extent does criminal law control behavior? Do you believe that the law  is too restrictive? Not restrictive enough?

2. If you ran the world, which acts that are now legal would you make  criminal? Which criminal acts would you legalize? What would be the  probable consequences of your actions?

3. Beccaria argued that the threat of punishment controls crime. Are  there other forms of social control aside from the threat of legal  punishment? What else controls your own behavior?

4. Would it be ethical for a criminologist to observe a teenage gang  by hanging with them, drinking, and watching as they steal cars? Should  the criminologist report that behavior to the police?