decriminalisation
Lifting criminal sanctions
Decriminalisation is the removal of criminal penalties from an activity, making it no longer a prosecutable offense.
Unlike legalisation, which makes something fully legal and often regulated, decriminalisation typically means the activity remains prohibited but violations result in civil penalties like fines rather than arrest or imprisonment: Portugal's decriminalisation of drug possession shifted the focus from punishment to treatment.
Also spelled decriminalization.
Formal lifting of prohibition
- amnestyGroup pardon from authorities
- expungementOfficial record removal
- pardoningForgiving an offense officially
- clemencyMerciful treatment of offenders
exoneration · immunity · acquittal · nonprosecution · leniency · absolution · discharge · reprieve
Improve by correcting faults
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- amendmentChange to official text
- statuteEnacted written rule
- enactmentPassing into law
regulation · parliament · lawmaking · bills · ratification · codification · bipartisan · lobbying
Release from constraint
- emancipationRelease from legal bondage
- destigmatisationRemoving negative social labels
- normalisationMaking something standard
- freedomAbsence of constraint
autonomy · self-determination · empowerment · enfranchisement · deliverance · human rights · bodily autonomy · LGBTQ rights
legalisation
Formal lifting of prohibition
- amnestyGroup pardon from authorities
- expungementOfficial record removal
- pardoningForgiving an offense officially
clemency · exoneration · immunity · acquittal · nonprosecution · leniency · absolution · discharge · reprieve · remission
reform
Improve by correcting faults
- legislationOfficial enactment of statutes
- amendmentChange to official text
- statuteEnacted written rule
enactment · regulation · parliament · lawmaking · bills · ratification · codification · bipartisan · lobbying · deliberation
liberation
Release from constraint
- emancipationRelease from legal bondage
- destigmatisationRemoving negative social labels
- normalisationMaking something standard
freedom · autonomy · self-determination · empowerment · enfranchisement · deliverance · human rights · bodily autonomy · LGBTQ rights · reproductive rights
decriminalisationcriminalisation
Making acts punishable by law
criminalization · prohibition · outlawing · illegalisation · proscription
decriminalisationprohibition
Authoritative legal ban
crackdown · suppression · zero tolerance · enforcement · prosecution
decriminalise, decriminalize, decriminalization, criminalisation, criminalization, criminalise, criminalize, criminal, criminals