Public Morality

The morality of the general public refers to the values, conduct, personal and religious beliefs and accepted social behaviors that are commonly approved of and followed by most members of society. It is the duty of law enforcement to supervise and uphold this code of conduct. For example, most citizens would agree that it is not morally correct to steal, so an opposition to any type of theft is part of the makeup of public morality.

Grey Areas

While it is easy for most people to agree on moral issues that conclude that behaviors such as robbery, violence towards others, sexual assault and murder are not part of any standard moral code, there are areas which are much more difficult to properly define and come to an agreement on. When these issues arise, it is often left up to the judicial system to make a final decision on the matter. There are several of these "grey" areas:

Public Decency

The definition of what constitutes public decency may be difficult to ascertain. Some people may consider certain bathing suits that are worn at public beaches to be lewd and indecent, while others may feel they are socially acceptable. Another aspect of public decency can be the consideration of what is or is not vulgar or obscene in a public setting, such as the language people use, words or images that are printed on clothing, language that is used in music being played in a public location or even public displays of affection.

Crime Against Nature

These are "crimes" of a sexual nature which are often referred to as "victimless crimes" because they do not actually affect anyone other than the willing participants. However, some would argue that part of the basis of public morality is that it should be a crime to participate in forms of intercourse which are not considered to be natural. This can be anything from various sexual positions or behaviors, to homosexuality. The highly personal nature of this scenario makes it one of the most difficult to define areas of public morality.

Drug Use

While most people would be likely to agree that the use of certain drugs is dangerous and unlawful, many people would argue that certain drugs should not receive the same classification. The most obvious example is marijuana. The debate about whether or not this drug should be legalized has raged for many years, and shows no sign of slowing. There are also many who feel that any form of drug use that is done by consenting adults is their own business, as long as it does not affect the safety and well being of others.

Over time, so of the moral values of society may change, but a basic level of public morality will always be agreed upon. Crimes such as theft, murder, arson and other aggressive and harmful acts will always be morally outrageous to any society. However, there will also continue to be an array of grey areas that society as a whole may never fully agree upon.

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