verb
- removes criminal penalties or legal prohibitions from (an action or substance); makes no longer illegal
Usage: third-person singular present tense of decriminalize; commonly used in policy and legal contexts
Examples
- The state decriminalizes possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use.
- Several countries have decriminalized abortion in recent years.
- The new law decriminalizes homelessness, shifting focus to social services instead.
- When a government decriminalizes a behavior, it no longer treats it as a criminal offense.
- The proposal decriminalizes certain drug offenses to reduce incarceration rates.
- Many jurisdictions have decriminalized sex work to improve safety for workers.