Criminalize
verb
To make an action or behavior illegal or punishable by law.
The government decided to criminalize the sale and use of drugs.
Often appears as...
- criminalize an action
- criminalize a behavior
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To treat or represent a person or a group as criminals.
Media should not criminalize the entire community for the actions of a few.
Often appears as...
- criminalize a minority
- criminalize a group
verb
To make an action or behavior illegal or punishable by law.
The government decided to criminalize the sale and use of drugs.
Often appears as...
- criminalize an action
- criminalize a behavior
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To treat or represent a person or a group as criminals.
Media should not criminalize the entire community for the actions of a few.
Often appears as...
- criminalize a minority
- criminalize a group
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Context
Used mainly in legal discussions, law-making, or when talking about regulations.
Proposals to criminalize certain harmful business practices are under consideration.
Pro Tip 2/3Societal Issues
Often associated with societal debates about morality and legality of actions.
Activists debate whether to criminalize behaviors that contribute to climate change.
Pro Tip 3/3Non-Criminal Terms
Sometimes used to describe the process of making non-criminal acts illegal.
There's a push to criminalize texting while driving to reduce accidents.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Context
Used mainly in legal discussions, law-making, or when talking about regulations.
Proposals to criminalize certain harmful business practices are under consideration.
Pro Tip 2/3Societal Issues
Often associated with societal debates about morality and legality of actions.
Activists debate whether to criminalize behaviors that contribute to climate change.
Pro Tip 3/3Non-Criminal Terms
Sometimes used to describe the process of making non-criminal acts illegal.
There's a push to criminalize texting while driving to reduce accidents.
Pro Tip 1/3Legal Context
Used mainly in legal discussions, law-making, or when talking about regulations.
Proposals to criminalize certain harmful business practices are under consideration.
Pro Tip 2/3Societal Issues
Often associated with societal debates about morality and legality of actions.
Activists debate whether to criminalize behaviors that contribute to climate change.
Pro Tip 3/3Non-Criminal Terms
Sometimes used to describe the process of making non-criminal acts illegal.
There's a push to criminalize texting while driving to reduce accidents.
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Video examples
A tale of mental illness...
resources into research and treatment of mental illness the better we understand these illnesses the better the treatments we can provide and the better the treatments we can provide the more we can offer people care and not have to use force also we must stop criminalizing mental illness it's a national tragedy and scandal that the LA
Video examples
A tale of mental illness...
We need to invest more resources into research and treatment of mental illness. The better we understand these illnesses, the better the treatments we can provide, and the better the treatments we can provide, the more we can offer people care, and not have to use force. Also, we must stop criminalizing mental illness.
Video examples
The future of...
the Drug Enforcement Administration moved to criminalize Ecstasy, having no knowledge of its therapeutic use. So I went to Washington, and I went into the headquarters of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and I filed a lawsuit demanding a hearing, at which psychiatrists and psychotherapists
Video examples
This Is What LGBT Life...
Turns out, it wasn't hard to find them at all. Yes, there are still tragedies that happen on the bumpy road to equality. And let's not forget that 75 countries still criminalize homosexuality today. But there are also stories of hope and courage in every corner of the world.
Video examples
Becky Blanton: The year...
and live in their cars. But society continues to stigmatize and criminalize living in your vehicle or on the streets. So the homeless, the working homeless, primarily remain invisible. But if you ever meet one, engage them, encourage them, and offer them hope.
Video examples
How we take back the...
without ever seeing a trial, these are things that we need to work against as a society, and say hey, this is not appropriate. We shouldn't be threatening dissidents. We shouldn't be criminalizing journalism. And whatever part I can do to see that end,
Video examples
Ethan Nadelmann: Why we...
Ask why so many countries criminalize drugs they'd never heard of, why the U.N. drug treaties emphasize criminalization over health, even why most of the money worldwide for dealing with drug abuse goes not to helping agencies but those that punish,
Video examples
How to practice safe...
So instead of criminalizing sexting to try to prevent these privacy violations, instead we need to make consent central to how we think about the circulation of our private information. Every new media technology raises privacy concerns.
Video examples
LA92 Panel - Live PIPE...
at all random free people from prisons and jails a some lifelong work of mine repeal laws criminalizing survival and that has to do with all kinds of street survival work invests in community self-governance provide safe housing for
Video examples
Climate justice can't...
We need a way to apply international criminal laws, like war crimes or crimes against humanity, to the planet. We need a new international law of ecocide to criminalize the willful and widespread destruction of the environment,
Video examples
A tale of mental illness...
resources into research and treatment of mental illness the better we understand these illnesses the better the treatments we can provide and the better the treatments we can provide the more we can offer people care and not have to use force also we must stop criminalizing mental illness it's a national tragedy and scandal that the LA
Video examples
A tale of mental illness...
We need to invest more resources into research and treatment of mental illness. The better we understand these illnesses, the better the treatments we can provide, and the better the treatments we can provide, the more we can offer people care, and not have to use force. Also, we must stop criminalizing mental illness.
Video examples
The future of...
the Drug Enforcement Administration moved to criminalize Ecstasy, having no knowledge of its therapeutic use. So I went to Washington, and I went into the headquarters of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and I filed a lawsuit demanding a hearing, at which psychiatrists and psychotherapists
Video examples
This Is What LGBT Life...
Turns out, it wasn't hard to find them at all. Yes, there are still tragedies that happen on the bumpy road to equality. And let's not forget that 75 countries still criminalize homosexuality today. But there are also stories of hope and courage in every corner of the world.
Video examples
Becky Blanton: The year...
and live in their cars. But society continues to stigmatize and criminalize living in your vehicle or on the streets. So the homeless, the working homeless, primarily remain invisible. But if you ever meet one, engage them, encourage them, and offer them hope.
Video examples
How we take back the...
without ever seeing a trial, these are things that we need to work against as a society, and say hey, this is not appropriate. We shouldn't be threatening dissidents. We shouldn't be criminalizing journalism. And whatever part I can do to see that end,
Video examples
Ethan Nadelmann: Why we...
Ask why so many countries criminalize drugs they'd never heard of, why the U.N. drug treaties emphasize criminalization over health, even why most of the money worldwide for dealing with drug abuse goes not to helping agencies but those that punish,
Video examples
How to practice safe...
So instead of criminalizing sexting to try to prevent these privacy violations, instead we need to make consent central to how we think about the circulation of our private information. Every new media technology raises privacy concerns.
Video examples
LA92 Panel - Live PIPE...
at all random free people from prisons and jails a some lifelong work of mine repeal laws criminalizing survival and that has to do with all kinds of street survival work invests in community self-governance provide safe housing for
Video examples
Climate justice can't...
We need a way to apply international criminal laws, like war crimes or crimes against humanity, to the planet. We need a new international law of ecocide to criminalize the willful and widespread destruction of the environment,
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Gregory Stock
American Scientist
If out of concern over cloning, the U.S. Congress succeeds in criminalizing embryonic stem-cell research that might bring treatments for Alzheimer's disease or diabetes - and Dr. Fukuyama lent his name to a petition that supported such laws - there would be real victims: present and future sufferers of those diseases.
Quote examples
Gail Simone
American Writer
Actually, the notion of what is acceptable for a moral government to do seems to have eroded in some ways since 9-11. Not to get too political here, but countries, including our own, seem to have accepted what was once almost unimaginable - condoning torture, for example, and even criminalizing peaceful protest.
Quote examples
Wayne LaPierre
American Activist
Facts tell us that criminalizing private transfers of firearms among family members and friends under a universal background check system would do nothing to prevent 'gun violence,' and importantly, would not have prevented the profound tragedies that gun banners use to promote such a system.
Quote examples
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
American Politician
Before ICE, we had Immigration and Naturalization Services, but it wasn't until about 1999 that we chose to criminalize immigration at all. And then, once ICE was established, we really kind of militarized that enforcement to a degree that was previously unseen in the United States.
Quote examples
Joel Salatin
American Author
Despite all the hype about local or green food, the single biggest impediment to wider adoption is not research, programs, organizations, or networking. It is the demonizing and criminalizing of virtually all indigenous and heritage-based food practices.
Quote examples
Gary Johnson
American Politician
This country would be a better place to live in if all the resources we currently put toward criminalizing marijuana were instead spent by law enforcement on protection from real crime, as opposed to victimless crime.
Quote examples
Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
American Activist
I think it's useful to recall that a lot of these statutes like 'disrupting the classroom' or 'disturbing the peace' have long been historically used to oppress and criminalize black people.
Quote examples
Jill Stein
American Politician
We create refugees, and then our Democratic Party, together with the Republicans, who are also a party to this, are criminalizing them and sending them back, inhumanely.
Quote examples
Ziggy Marley
Jamaican Musician
I think it's wrong the way they criminalize herb. There are many more uses than just smoking. Beneficial to mankind.
Quote examples
Jose Serrano
American Politician
We must make immigration a legal, orderly process to eliminate this issue, not further criminalize it.
Quote examples
Gregory Stock
American Scientist
If out of concern over cloning, the U.S. Congress succeeds in criminalizing embryonic stem-cell research that might bring treatments for Alzheimer's disease or diabetes - and Dr. Fukuyama lent his name to a petition that supported such laws - there would be real victims: present and future sufferers of those diseases.
Quote examples
Gail Simone
American Writer
Actually, the notion of what is acceptable for a moral government to do seems to have eroded in some ways since 9-11. Not to get too political here, but countries, including our own, seem to have accepted what was once almost unimaginable - condoning torture, for example, and even criminalizing peaceful protest.
Quote examples
Wayne LaPierre
American Activist
Facts tell us that criminalizing private transfers of firearms among family members and friends under a universal background check system would do nothing to prevent 'gun violence,' and importantly, would not have prevented the profound tragedies that gun banners use to promote such a system.
Quote examples
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
American Politician
Before ICE, we had Immigration and Naturalization Services, but it wasn't until about 1999 that we chose to criminalize immigration at all. And then, once ICE was established, we really kind of militarized that enforcement to a degree that was previously unseen in the United States.
Quote examples
Joel Salatin
American Author
Despite all the hype about local or green food, the single biggest impediment to wider adoption is not research, programs, organizations, or networking. It is the demonizing and criminalizing of virtually all indigenous and heritage-based food practices.
Quote examples
Gary Johnson
American Politician
This country would be a better place to live in if all the resources we currently put toward criminalizing marijuana were instead spent by law enforcement on protection from real crime, as opposed to victimless crime.
Quote examples
Kimberle Williams Crenshaw
American Activist
I think it's useful to recall that a lot of these statutes like 'disrupting the classroom' or 'disturbing the peace' have long been historically used to oppress and criminalize black people.
Quote examples
Jill Stein
American Politician
We create refugees, and then our Democratic Party, together with the Republicans, who are also a party to this, are criminalizing them and sending them back, inhumanely.
Quote examples
Ziggy Marley
Jamaican Musician
I think it's wrong the way they criminalize herb. There are many more uses than just smoking. Beneficial to mankind.
Quote examples
Jose Serrano
American Politician
We must make immigration a legal, orderly process to eliminate this issue, not further criminalize it.
Example 1 of 10
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