TY - JOUR
T1 - Legal, Moral, and Social Reasons for Decriminalizing Sodomy
AU - Fradella, Henry
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - This article traces the development of sodomy laws and the history of their piecemeal invalidation in the United States. It then presents several arguments for the decriminalization of sodomy laws still in existence, focusing on constitutional law and the inapplicability of the major philosophical justifications for criminal punishment. The article also presents moral and social arguments for decriminalization that are often left out of the debate about the continuing viability of sodomy laws, including their role in perpetuating stigma and discrimination against homosexuals, creating a class of “criminals,� and contributing to the psychological, emotional, and physical abuse of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
AB - This article traces the development of sodomy laws and the history of their piecemeal invalidation in the United States. It then presents several arguments for the decriminalization of sodomy laws still in existence, focusing on constitutional law and the inapplicability of the major philosophical justifications for criminal punishment. The article also presents moral and social arguments for decriminalization that are often left out of the debate about the continuing viability of sodomy laws, including their role in perpetuating stigma and discrimination against homosexuals, creating a class of “criminals,� and contributing to the psychological, emotional, and physical abuse of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84996180486&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1177/1043986202018003005
DO - 10.1177/1043986202018003005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84996180486
SN - 1043-9862
VL - 18
SP - 279
EP - 301
JO - Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice
JF - Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice
IS - 3
ER -