Decriminalization is the process of making an action no longer a criminal act in the relevant jurisdiction.

Such decriminalizations are the result of changing moral values, where a society feels that the act once considered to be criminal in nature is not as harmful to society as before. Some activities to be decriminalized in the past, by various societies and governments, include:

• homosexuality
• prostitution
• the possession or use of marijuana

While decriminalized acts are no longer crimes, they may still be the subject of regulation; for example, the licensing and regular medical testing of prostitutes, or a monetary penalty in place of a criminal charge for the possession of a soft drug. This should be contrasted with legalization, which removes all or most legal detriments from an offence.

External links

• Philosophical and ethical foundations of decriminalization