Any reason you'd like

Individuals follow law for a variety of reasons. Some people follow the law because they believe it's morally correct to follow the law. Others follow the law because the law reflects their own moral values. Still, people follow the law because it benefits them or because they fear punishment. The list will continue forever. I believe its impossible for there to be any one reason why people follow the law. Laws should be socially constructed to establish a set of rules that promote behavior that is beneficial to citizens and society. Thefore, laws do often reflect the moral values of a particular society. It is totally up to the individual whether or not to follow the law. Adherance to the law is completely voluntary. People often weigh the risks and rewards with respect to breaking the law; thus the reason why the punishment must fit the crime. Many people decide to break the law when drinking alcohol under the age of 21 because they believe the risk of being caught is small and the punishment is not severe. The same individual may think twice about stealing a car. The reward for stealing a car is much greater than getting drunk; however, the risk is also greater considering auto-theft is a felony and carries a prison sentence. People are more likely to break the law and bend their morals when the risk of punishment is low. That is not to say that people always adhere to the law when the punishment is great. People still rob and murder because they are not forced to follow the law. Again, the decision to follow the is completely voluntary; therefore, individuals have an infinite number of reasons to follow or not follow the law, morals and punishment are not always considered.