DECRIMINALISATION Meaning and
Definition
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Decriminalisation refers to the act of removing or reducing the legal penalties or sanctions associated with a particular activity, often referring to acts that were previously considered criminal or illegal. This process typically involves a shift in legal approach from punishment and criminal prosecution towards a more lenient stance, treating the activity as either a civil offense or removing any penalty altogether.
Dealing with a wide range of activities, decriminalisation aims to mitigate the societal and individual harms caused by criminalization. In doing so, it seeks to address issues related to public health, personal freedom, social justice, and the allocation of resources. This approach is often implemented for activities such as drug use, prostitution, and certain types of gambling, among others, with the intention of shifting the focus towards harm reduction and public welfare.
By decriminalising an activity, governments may choose to approach it from a regulatory standpoint, introducing measures to manage and mitigate the negative consequences associated with it, rather than treating individuals engaging in the activity as criminals. This approach often involves implementing frameworks that prioritize prevention, education, rehabilitation, and support services over punitive measures.
Decriminalisation is a complex concept, and the extent and methods employed can vary greatly depending on the jurisdiction and societal values. It is often a subject of debate and policy reform, with proponents arguing that it can lead to more effective and humane approaches to social and public health issues, while opponents raise concerns about potential negative consequences such as increased usage rates or eroding societal values.
Common Misspellings for DECRIMINALISATION
- secriminalisation
- xecriminalisation
- cecriminalisation
- fecriminalisation
- recriminalisation
- eecriminalisation
- dwcriminalisation
- dscriminalisation
- ddcriminalisation
- drcriminalisation
- d4criminalisation
- d3criminalisation
- dexriminalisation
- devriminalisation
- defriminalisation
- dedriminalisation
- deceiminalisation
- decdiminalisation
- decfiminalisation
Etymology of DECRIMINALISATION
The word "decriminalisation" is derived from the combination of two root words: "de-" and "criminalisation".
The prefix "de-" is of Latin origin and is used to indicate negation or reversal. In this case, it signifies the reversal or removal of the act of criminalizing.
The word "criminalisation" is derived from the noun "criminalize" which is formed by adding the suffix "-ize" to the word "criminal". "Criminal" comes from the Latin word "criminālis", which is derived from "crimen" meaning "crime".
Therefore, "decriminalisation" refers to the process of removing or reversing the act of making something illegal or a crime. It is commonly used in the context of changing laws to reduce or eliminate penalties associated with certain activities previously considered criminal.
Similar spelling word for DECRIMINALISATION
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