A dictionary definition of Indecent

1. not conforming with accepted standards of behaviour or morality.
2. not appropriate

Most nations have laws against indecency, usually regulating acts and displays which are deemed to be indecent.

Standards of what constitutes "indecent" will obviously vary greatly from country to country based on culture, religion, and other social norms, but broadly speaking, indecency usually refers to:

• obscenity, such as swearing and other forms of foul or offensive language
• sexually explicit materials, often including forms of nudity
• scatalogical content

Usage within the United Kingdom

Indecent has wide application in UK Law but is not defined in any legislation. It is therefore something of which jucidical notice is taken; however, the dictionary definition may be used in the event of argument on its scope.

In R v Stanley (1965), Lord Parker tried to explain indecent items in relation to obscene items:

The words 'indecent or obscene' convey one idea, namely, offending against the recognised standards of propriety, indecent being at the lower end of the scale and obscene at the upper end of the scale

In Knuller v DPP, Lord Reid said that indecency includes 'anything which an ordinary decent man or woman would find to be shocking, disgusting or revolting'.

In R v Graham-Kerr (1988), Stocker L.J. said that the appropriate test in the case of the Protection of Children Act 1978 was the application of the 'recognised standards of propriety' stated in R v Stamford (1972).

Obscenity is defined in the Obscene Publications Act

Quotation

• "Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?" — Attorney Joseph Welch, addressing Senator McCarthy during the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954.

See also

• Communications Decency Act
• norm (sociology)

External links

• American Decency Association
• CNN article about the Army-McCarthy hearings