What is the name of your local council? 
What is authority and how should it be enforced? |
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In this country parliament is the ultimate authority but it delegates its authority to enforce laws to numerous police forces throughout the country. Even then there are special forces such as the British Transport Police that have authority on all railway property wherever it is.
What is the name of your local police force?
The police only have authority concerning criminal law and public order. For local matters such as permission to build a new house the relevant authority would be the local council.
What is the name of your local council?
If you are in a national park, there is a national park authority, in a National Trust Property then the National Trust has Authority. If you are at home your parents
are in authority, at BB the officers and NCOs.
Now investigate what means are used to enforce authority.
What happens if you break rules at school?
The usual methods are to make an imposition (require you to do something you would not normally want to do) or to take away privileges or freedoms.
Is there recognition if you achieve something good at school?
Is the situation similar at home, and what about BB?
In what ways are things similar and different? At home things are less formal than school usually but are methods similar? BB is a voluntary organisation. Does that make a difference?
[Suggestion: Ask the group to decide on an appropriate punishment for
1) A BB boy who persistently forgets to bring subs
2) A boy who is caught stealing from the school tuck-shop
3) A BB boy who lets off a fire extinguisher]
We now look at the different options that government uses to enforce the law and
Regulations.
The police have the task of finding and identifying criminals and maintaining public order. They do not usually have anything to do with punishment. Any person charged with a crime is handed over to the judicial system, which decides on a punishment.
What sort of punishments is available to the courts?
Fine
Suspended sentence
Probation
Community service
Prison sentence
Why are there so many different punishments?
[Suggestion: Find a case currently in the newspaper and ask the group if they feel the sentence was appropriate and would have the required deterrent effect]
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