1 What is law?
When you think about the law, you might have a mental image of a barrister in court wearing a wig, or a prisoner in the dock. Words and phrases associated with the law might include ‘complicated’, ‘out of touch’, ‘justice’, ‘rights’ and ‘rules’. Some might view the law and the legal system as maintaining order, protecting our homes and property, and preventing social chaos. However, others might see it as upholding a socially unjust status quo.
The next activity provides you with a brief opportunity to think further about what the law means to you.
Activity 1 Images of law
Consider the eight images below. In the table, rank them according to which you associate most with the law (from 1, most associated, to 8, least associated).
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Comment
There is no single right answer to this activity. We all have pre-existing knowledge and perhaps personal experience of the law which affect our feelings about the law and legal institutions. The idea of law might have conjured up images of the police, courts and prisons. The law, however, is much more than this – it is a fundamental part of our everyday lives. So, the law is not just about police powers, punishment and prisons; it is also about our rights and responsibilities as parents or carers, the safety of our homes, being safe at work and protecting our interests as consumers and citizens. There is almost no area of our lives that is untouched by law. For some people, the law is something they use – for example, when making a will, buying a house or hiring a car. The experience of others may be quite different; the law is something that is used against them – for example, to evict them from their home.
It is important to note that, whatever our personal feelings about the law, it shapes all of our lives. Social care professionals working with people who have different needs will be empowered, and at times required, to take action to address those needs. Through its allocation of powers and duties, the law provides the basis on which social care professionals can meet their responsibilities.