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An attorney in the film says that the law treats most harshly children who kill their parents and most leniently parents who kill their children. why do you think the attorney thinks children are treated more harshly?

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Final answer:

The attorney's perception may stem from societal values that prioritize parental authority and filial piety, making the violation of these norms by children who kill their parents subject to harsher punishment. Parents who kill their children may sometimes be treated with leniency due to perceived parental rights and the parental bond. Laws and societal reactions vary according to social roles, with broader implications for morality and justice.

Step-by-step explanation:

The attorney in the film might think that children who kill their parents are treated more harshly because such actions subvert the expected social and familial order, challenging deeply ingrained notions of respect and duty toward one's parents. By contrast, the law sometimes shows leniency toward parents who kill their children due to perceptions of parental rights and a belief that the parental bond could mitigate the severity of the crime. Historical and modern legal systems often reflect societal values that place heavy emphasis on filial piety and parental authority, making crimes against these norms viewed as particularly heinous.

References to both historical and contemporary legal practices show a distinction in how perpetrators of crimes are treated based on their social roles and relationships to victims. From the idea that a husband could be driven to crime by the betrayal of his wife to discussions of different societal and legal reactions to parental violence versus filial violence, these practices underscore the complex ways in which the law can be influenced by social hierarchies and expectations.

Discussions around crime and punishment often involve broader societal beliefs about morality, justice, and the appropriate responses to acts of violence within family structures. This conversation inevitably includes the dynamic between crime, punishment, and social values, revealing the nuanced ways that laws reflect and enforce societal norms.

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