SOC355: Read This media Report on the laws against errant PMD users MPs Express Concern Over livelihoods: Sociology of Law and Order Assignment, SUSS, Singapore

Question:
Read this media report on the laws against errant PMD users:
“MPs express concern over livelihoods of food delivery riders, jail terms for underage PMD users” at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/pmd-ban-mps-fooind-deliveryriders-underage-active-mobility-bill-12391232

In 2017, the Active Mobility Act was passed to ensure the safe use of public paths and the use of Personal Mobility Devices (PMD). (Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/pmd-laws-tightened-designate-more-areaspublicpaths-importers-motorised-vehicles-must-get)

On 5th Nov 2019, the ban on e-scooters from footpaths took effect. (Read more at https://www.todayonline.co/singapore/e-scooter-footpath-ban-lta-issues-over-100- warnings-first-day-parks-reminds-riders keep?cid=h3_referral_inarticlelinks_03092019_todayonline)

This came in the wake of several reports about people being injured as a result of errant PMD users and the increasing criticisms of such users in the local media. However, there were a sizable number of PMD users who were delivery riders for whom the PMD was a tool for their livelihood. This section of the population voiced their dissent over the new law. (Read: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/impact-of-pmd-ban-on-delivery-riderstaken-seriously-lam-pin-min-says-after)

Using relevant concepts you learnt from weeks one and two on the social construction of crime and the social contract theory, develop a sociological explanation of how this law came into being, the responses by segments of the population for and against this law and how the state negotiated between the two.

On the enforcement of this law, examine (based on media reports) how the cases were handled and the theory of punishment that guided this response, by answering the following questions:

a. Critically analyse if the model of punishment was effective.

b. If a model of punishment based on restorative justice were to be applied instead, how could this have been implemented and how could its effectiveness be tested?

c. Examine the cited articles as well as any other media reports to assess if there were any instances of moral panic ensuing from these reports on errant PMD users and why they were or were not present. You may wish to also examine public discussion forums/threads on this topic to demonstrate any evidence of deviance amplification and moral panics.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this unit, you will be able to:

• describe the historical development of criminology and the study of law and order;
• explain why this academic thread developed the way it did, taking into account
  relevant philosophical, political, social and historical factors;
• outline the modern trends of law and order and criminology;
• explain that the concept of crime is much wider than what the criminal law punishes;
• describe the type of relationship the criminal law has with the powerful interests of society;
• outline the similarities and differences between the type of crimes that the ‘rich’ and poor’ tend to commit respectively; and
• set out the nature of political crimes and the consequent State response.