Law for Beginners

An accessible introduction to the world of law, for complete novices.

An entertaining and thought-provoking guide to what laws are, who makes them, and how people enforce them. It covers crime and punishment as well as social and citizenship issues such as politics and international law, using a mixture of debates, cartoon strips, and clear diagrams.

Chapters in Law for Beginners include:

What is law?

Why do we need laws?

How does the law work?

Right and wrong

It isn't black and white

Criminal Law
An unlucky accident, or a serious crime? Follow a story to see what happens, and who gets involved, from a person's arrest to trial and beyond.

Civil law
Most law isn't about crime and punishment - it's about settling arguments, and making sure people behave fairly to each other. This is 'civil' law.

How is law made?
Laws used to be made by leaders with limitless powers. Today, most laws are made by elected politicians, who have to follow all sorts of rules.

Law across borders
Are there laws that the whole world has to obey? How are those made - and how are they enforced?

Human rights
Some of the most important laws, or rights, are meant to ensure that all people can live safe, healthy lives with equal opportunities. But does this actually happen?

Justice
Justice means fairness. It's what law is all about, isn't it? But are laws themselves fair? And what about the system that enforces the law - is that fair?

Big questions
Often in law, there are questions that don't have simple answers. Read some of the arguments and see if you can make up your own mind.

What next?
What about YOU? Could you be a lawyer, or a lawmaker, or a law enforcer?