Expressive function of law

The expressive function of law is the effect of law to create or validate social norms beyond the fear of punishment. ^{[1] [2]} For example, the criminalization of homosexuality may be maintained in order to express disapproval of homosexuality, even if it is not regularly enforced. ^[3]

See also

• Unenforced law, a law which is formally in effect, but is usually not penalized by a jurisdiction
• Victimless crime, an illegal act which harms only the perpetrator(s)

References

1. McGinn, Thomas A. (2015). "The Expressive Function of Law and the Lex Imperfecta". Roman Legal Tradition. 11: 1.
2. Funk, P. (2007). "Is There An Expressive Function of Law? An Empirical Analysis of Voting Laws with Symbolic Fines". American Law and Economics Review. 9 (1): 135–159. doi:10.1093/aler/ahm002.
3. Goodman, Ryan (2001). "Beyond the Enforcement Principle: Sodomy Laws, Social Norms, and Social Panoptics" . California Law Review . 89: 643–740. doi:10.2307/3481180. JSTOR   3481180.

Further reading

• Arnold, N. Scott (2000). "Postmodern Liberalism and the Expressive Function of Law". Social Philosophy and Policy. 17 (1): 87–109. doi:10.1017/S0265052500002545. S2CID   221536524.
• Dharmapala, D. (2003). "The Condorcet Jury Theorem and the Expressive Function of Law: A Theory of Informative Law". American Law and Economics Association. 5 (1): 1–31. doi:10.1093/aler/5.1.1.
• McAdams, Richard H. (2015). The Expressive Powers of Law: Theories and Limits. Harvard University Press. ISBN   978-0-674-96720-5.
• Mullender, Richard (1998). "Racial Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and the Expressive Function of Law" . Modern Law Review. 61 (2): 236–244. doi:10.1111/1468-2230.00140.
• Sunstein, Cass R. (1996). "On the Expressive Function of Law" . University of Pennsylvania Law Review. 144 (5): 2021–2053. doi:10.2307/3312647. ISSN   0041-9907. JSTOR   3312647. S2CID   145045706.