Citizenship Studies J270,01 November 2021 , OCR GCSE Past Papers with Mark Schemes

1. Legal Systems and Justice | Age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales, key rights from the Magna Carta, role of trade unions, parental responsibilities under UK law, restrictions on freedom of speech for public safety, responsibilities of judges in Crown Court.

2. Criminal Law and Law Enforcement | Civil law cases (divorce, discrimination, property disputes), role of legal precedent in ensuring fair trials, risks to legal principles in jury discussions, rights of arrested individuals (police questioning, detention limits, legal representation).

3. Prison Reform and Sentencing Policies | Mental health challenges in prisons, strategies to improve prison safety without undermining the rule of law, community-based approaches to reducing prison populations, changes to sentencing guidelines for offenders with mental health issues.

4. Democracy and Governance | Role of the Queen in opening Parliament, differences between monarchy and presidential systems, importance of bicameral parliaments, concerns over social media misinformation in elections, UK government spending priorities.

5. Economic Policies and Public Finances | Taxation’s relationship with government spending, impact of increased corporation tax on businesses, role of the media in holding governments accountable, reasons for regulating media content in democratic societies.

6. International Relations and Humanitarian Issues | NATO’s role in responding to external threats, UK’s influence in global affairs, addressing homelessness through public policy, UN responses to genocide allegations in Myanmar, legal actions available for international human rights violations.