In societies across the world, the subjects of justice and law reflect everyday life in a broader spectrum. For instance, the contract laws regulate the agreements to trade goods and services or anything else that could be pricey and hold some value. The property laws ensure nobody illegally claims another’s property or assets, whether tangible or intangible.
It includes real estate, intellectual property, chattel, and land, etc. Civil law looks into the disputes between communities or individuals residing within a society. Tort law provides for compensation when someone’s private property or assets are harmed. The offenses committed against the government, with federal or provincial within a region – are punishable by criminal law.
Hence, we see how law serves the purpose of maintaining equity within the society. The main principles or objectives of laws within a society are:
Table of Contents
1 – Establishing Standards
Law serves as a guidepost for the minimally offensive or acceptable behavior in a community.
Some activities are acceptable and other crimes because the society, either as a whole or through its representatives (the legislative body), has termed it unfit. Durkheim’s theory of social integration and identity explains this comprehensively, where he states that identity is a result of social interaction.
Human beings are social animals and are required to interact socially to survive as a society. Hence, specific actions that are not fit become illegal and subject to legal consequences through social interaction and symbolic interactionism. These actions are usually harmful and behave in a way as to injure or damage a person’s safety, property, and health.
For instance, if a person injures or harms another individual without an acceptable justification, he or she could face a trial under the criminal offense of assault.
2 – Maintaining Order
Maintenance of the order is merely an offshoot of the law’s above-discussed purpose, i.e., establishing social standards. The semblance of order is crucial in civil society; hence it reflects in the law. When enforced, the law provides order, consistent with the society’s own defined guidelines – whether written or unwritten.
For instance, wildfire management in most countries of the world passed the law initially to save animals. Bachelor Degree in Criminal Justice Schools trains the individuals vigorously on the values and the protection of such matters.
3 – Resolving the Disputes
Disputes are the disagreements between two individuals or communities of society. For the two disputing individuals belonging to the same territory, law plays its part to solve them with mutual consent from both parties. The law is of the utmost importance when it comes to disputes because it provides the fighting parties with a formal ground – the courts hear their perspectives and provide solutions accordingly.
This way, harmony prevails, and society can focus on the much important matter at hand. Sufficient dispute resolution is essential for any nation. Suppose the public possesses the means – like law – to solve their primary problems. In that case, they can focus on the bigger picture and prefer the state’s prosperity. All the society members would work together harder and with unity and harmony to bring prosperity to the country.
4 – Protecting the Liberties and Rights
Statutes and constitutions of countries like ours provide for numerous liberties and rights. Amongst its many functions, one objective is to protect the liberties and the rights from any potential danger. It could be violations or unreasonable and unacceptable intrusions from any third party, be it a person, an institution, or an organization – even the government. It is why the judiciary works independently of the government to protect the public’s rights from any outside party’s intrusion. However, the judiciary’s independence is not full-fledged in most countries, so the liberties and rights are not protected the way they are supposed to be.
Conclusion
The increasing crime rate is due to the high unemployment and rising poverty ratio in the countries. The unequal distribution of health is another reason that adds to the country’s crime rate. However, the non-economic factors play the highest part, like the government’s corruption and nepotism.
Often called the ‘organized crime,’ the government uses individuals or whole institutions to generate black money and dodge accountability by either buying the judiciary or corrupting it to the core. Criminals of all sorts, from those committing heinous crimes such as the honor killing under the patronage of the leaders of their tribes or gangsters committing murders and looting, take advantage of the loopholes within the legal system.
They do this to get the dirt off their hands. Hence, we should encourage young individuals to understand the law and enroll to serve society. People need to come forward to safeguard the citizens against exploiters and criminals of all kinds. It becomes the core responsibility of everyone to protect and secure society to the best we could.
