Legal :


               is the branch of law that deals with issues such as contract formation, contractual rights and obligations, tort, insurance policies, legal property ownership, civil disputes, consumer protection and more. Examples include employment law and housing law.


The term "law" can refer to any subject matter that involves laws—such as those of a country, region or state; in particular, it means any set of rules and principles that are made by people for people. Laws are divided into two major categories: legislative and administrative. Legislative laws exist within a nation or state, generally speaking, and govern the relationship between individuals and the state. Administrative laws are not enforced by the government but are instead passed on to the public by law-making bodies or organizations like the police, fire department or school district's board of education. As both types of laws tend to be written and then interpreted, most countries, regions and states have their own unique legal system. In this regard, some nations have a codified constitution or written statute which governs their entire legal system. This makes it a complex area compared to other areas, where there is usually only one set of laws. However, in many ways such laws serve similar purposes. For instance, they each contain some important general principles. Yet, they also differ in how these principles are applied in different situations. Generally speaking, the terms "law" and "law making body" are used interchangeably although there are differences in the way certain aspects of them are defined and applied in different jurisdictions. For example, the United States Supreme Court may declare the national constitutional right to abortion violated while a court in New York may find an injunction against city ordinances invalid because the ordinances were created before the U.S. constitution was adopted. There are no uniform definitions for either of the main elements of a legal system; however, in general, governments and laws are considered synonymous. Some countries have codified laws while others don't. At least half of all U.S. states have a minimum age requirement for driving, and at least 38 states require drivers to use seat belts, but neither states mandate seat belt use on motorcycles. The only federally mandated safety rule is use of traffic lights, but local authorities may choose not to enforce this rule. These variations in legal systems and methods of operating can lead to confusion in the application of specific laws, especially if the laws are unclear. Many states have set up courts (called common pleas) and local tribunals, sometimes called inferior courts. Common pleas and local tribunals were created as alternatives to traditional criminal law courts. They are not always the same as criminal courts. Courts, in contrast, are commonly known as district courts. District courts have jurisdiction over cases only over the location of the crime and may impose other penalties such as bond enforcement, forfeiture of money, monetary fines and/or imprisonment if necessary for justice to be served. An example of using district courts to try a case and resolve it generally involves filing charges of misdemeanour (non-criminal or non-violent), theft, assault, rape, burglary, vandalism, false imprisonment, aggravated assault, robbery, assault with intent to commit sexual abuse, or obstruction of administration of justice. In the U.S., federal courts generally hear federal crimes, whereas local courts may deal with municipal crimes, including misdemeanours and felonies, or crimes committed between cities-municipal boundaries (such as interstate mail fraud). Federal law and regulations must be enacted and enforced by Congress, but they vary from state to state. A number of states have enacted statutes or acts of legislation that provide an incentive to engage in voluntary compliance with the law. Other states have enacted codes of ethics that encourage proper conduct. Although the latter is often more widely seen as a positive, voluntary cooperation between individuals and a legal system, voluntary cooperation is not often rewarded by having a person in prison or facing harsh penalties.

 Sometimes offenders will avoid prosecution simply through good behavior rather than being punished. Such incentives can, theoretically, produce greater efficiency or effectiveness, but the results are usually limited or unanticipated. Mandatory sentencing laws are also possible in jurisdictions where incarceration is a serious punishment for a crime. Mandatory minimum sentences have been implemented in several states to reduce recidivism rates. It is difficult to predict what effects the introduction of mandatory minimums will have on the overall level of crime and crime rate. For example, some studies suggest that mandatory minimums may negatively affect crime rate but are inconclusive as to whether they actually do so. On the other hand, the adoption of mandatory minimum programs have led to reductions in violent crime in general. While there are numerous reasons why some offenses should be punished more severely than others, the most popular argument that the severity of the offense should determine sentencing is that the seriousness of an act determines its seriousness, especially in comparison to a victim, who is less likely to report crimes. If a convicted offender was sentenced as harshly as possible for his or her primary crime, he or she might choose instead not to commit another offence—an effect known as rehabilitation. People who experience severe feelings of guilt or shame may be deterred from committing similar offences if they perceive that these acts will likely result in long jail time and/or expensive appeals. Although research has begun to investigate the impact of early interventions and treatment programs, much evidence about such interventions is inconsistent, as well as the amount and quality of help it offers. In sum, the extent to which personal decisions are affected by what society views as “acceptable” behavior varies depending on the nature of an individual and/or the circumstances. Factors like social class, gender, ethnicity and personality traits have an even greater influence. Studies have shown that children exposed at a young age to pornography or violence may be more easily influenced by their environment and become desensitized to such behaviour as adults. More likely, they may respond by engaging in the offending themselves, thus forming a pattern of negative emotional reactions. Moreover, young and vulnerable members of society may rely more heavily upon social support services that may be unavailable to older citizens or persons of lower socioeconomic status, and therefore, may make poor choices regarding their personal affairs in hopes of obtaining assistance. Overall, children and youth living in low-income communities are more likely to take part in delinquent activities and to be involved in illegal drugs, street gangs, prostitution, gambling, alcohol, cigarette smoking and drug abuse. These factors may play a role in deviant peer relations and involvement with delinquents in later life, particularly among adolescents living in impoverished neighborhoods and inner-city environments. The need for health care should not be understated in dealing with juvenile offenders. Juveniles, especially juveniles with chronic medical conditions, should be treated as such. Thus, the focus on the physical, emotional and psychological health of children and youth should continue during and after sentence in order to ensure that the best possible outcomes of incarceration are achieved. Not only does incarceration increase the likelihood of repeated offending and reduces educational attainment, it also increases the risk of becoming homeless or living without shelter. Homelessness and living without shelter make it much easier for juvenile offenders to escape from correctional facilities or return to the streets within a short amount of time. The increasing prevalence of homelessness can occur as a result of economic deprivation, unemployment, poverty, loss of a parent or a guardian, family substance abuse, or mental illness. Therefore, the importance of providing adequate rehabilitation and reentry services in addition to supervision, monitoring, mentoring, counseling and therapy should be emphasized in all forms of adult prisons. Reentry programs provide inmates and parolees with the opportunity to resume productive citizenship and contribute to the community. Parolees, on release from custody and their sponsors, are encouraged to participate in rehabilitation efforts so they do not fall back into criminal activity, yet this responsibility falls not solely upon probation officers, whose duties are fulfilled in accordance with the requirements of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, but upon judicial officers, responsible for deciding whether an inmate should remain behind bars or be released.


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