noun
- the act or process of making something illegal or treating it as a crime
Usage: British spelling; American equivalent is 'criminalization'; commonly used in legal and policy contexts
Examples
- The criminalisation of drug possession has been a major focus of drug policy reform.
- Advocates argue against the criminalisation of homelessness.
- The government's criminalisation of protest activities drew international criticism.
- Some countries have moved toward the criminalisation of hate speech.
- Legal experts debate the criminalisation of certain financial practices.
- The criminalisation of abortion remains a contentious political issue.