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Meaning & use

criminalization

noun·Academicformallegal

Last updated

UK/ˌkrɪmɪnəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/
US/ˌkrɪmənələˈzeɪʃn/

Meaning

  1. noununcountableformallegal

    The act of making something against the law, or of treating a person or group as criminals.

    Grammar: Uncountable; often followed by of: the criminalization of drug use.

    Patterns

    • the criminalization of something
    • criminalization of someone

    Many experts argue against the criminalization of homelessness.

    The criminalization of the practice came after a long public debate.

    Critics warned that criminalization would only push the problem underground.

Common combinations

criminalization of
The criminalization of begging was widely criticized.
push for criminalization
Campaigners pushed for criminalization of online harassment.
oppose criminalization
The doctors opposed criminalization of the medicine.
debate criminalization
Parliament will debate criminalization next week.
call for criminalization
Parents called for criminalization of the dangerous prank.

Synonyms and how they differ

outlawing
Outlawing is a plain word for making something illegal, while criminalization stresses attaching criminal penalties.
prohibition
Prohibition means a ban of any kind, including non-criminal bans, whereas criminalization means making an act a crime.
banning
Banning is general and can apply to rules inside organizations, while criminalization is a legal process.
penalization
Penalization means imposing penalties, which is wider than making acts criminal.

Opposites

decriminalizationlegalization

Word family

criminalize verb
to make an act a crime
criminal adjective
relating to crime
decriminalization noun
removing criminal penalties from an act
crime noun
an act punishable by law

Commonly confused: criminalization or criminology? criminalization or decriminalization?

criminalization vs criminology

Criminology is the study of crime and criminals, not the act of making something illegal.

criminalization vs decriminalization

Decriminalization is the opposite, removing criminal penalties, while legalization makes something fully lawful.

Practice

The criminalization of a behavior means that it is:

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