Criminal law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal law - Essay Example Moreover, there are instances where the concept of crime within a particular country changes as society adapts to the tides of time. What used to be a crime yesterday is now legal today. A classic example for the changing concept of crime over a period of time is the case of defamation which had been decriminalized through the amendment to the Coroners and Justice Act in 2009 (OSCE). UK lawmakers have decided to relax the definition of crime insofar as defamation is concerned to make more room for the right to freedom of speech. This will remain true until the parliament decides to make further changes to the law on defamation. On the matter of relativity of crime in different jurisdictions, a good example would be possession of cannabis. There is no common consensus among the governments of the world as to the dangers and benefits of the plant and its derivatives. The countries that see more benefits have already legalized it, under certain conditions, while those who insist that ca nnabis does more harm than good continue to make its possession and use as a crime punishable with penalties ranging from light to life imprisonment and even death penalty. In the UK, possession and use of cannabis in any form is a crime but in Peru, it is perfectly legal.