Criminals. The very word stands to threaten the stability and security of the individual
and society at large. Thus dating back to 1760 , our understanding of the nature of
crime and our ability to manage it has generated much discussion. Often we see the
words “senseless acts” splashed across newspaper reports. However as suggested
by early rational choice theorist Becarria, Crime is the outcome of choice; a
calculated process of weighing up the costs against the benefits in order to maximise
pleasure and minimise pain (Bernard et al. 2010). Given that specific crimes are
committed with specific purposes, it makes little sense to construct broad categories
of crime (Pateboster 2001). Each crime is so intricate and distinct we need to
consider the offenders perspective, to understand the state of mind and play that
underpins each particular offence. Rape and drunk driving, are profound examples
of how different crimes compared to each other and within themselves have vastly
different motives. Important to this is the offenders background and varying
perceptions of costs and benefits. By tuning into these differences between offences
and offenders, enables us to implement effective policies, as they hone in on the
direct causes of how and why people commit crime.
In order to fully understand criminal decisions, we must capture both sides of the
equation; the costs as well as the benefits (Ward et al. 2006). When comparing
rape, non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat
of injury, or other duress, with drunk driving, driving over the legal limit of blood to
alcohol level, their definitions highlight the different nature of each ...
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...itive shortcuts and fail to acknowledge the full scope of costs and benefits
(Pateboster 2001).
Thus is it wise to conclude, that crime can not be managed effectively without close
study of the dynamic nature of individual crimes from individual perspectives. A
comparison of Rape and drunk driving illustrates how perceptions of costs and
benefits, certainty and severity, legal and extralegal consequences, will vary across
offences and offenders. Crime is thus multifactorial and complex. To construct broad
programs and policies would be ill informed and ineffective. It is clear that one size
can not fit all. If we as a society wish to understand crime we must continue to
understand it from the offender’s perspective . To a large extent this understanding is
everything. The safety, security and cohesion of our society depends on it.
Through the first chapter of this book the focus was primarily on the notion of controlling crime. The best way to describe crime policy used in this chapter is comparing it to a game of ‘heads I win, tails you lose’. This chapter also addresses the causes for decline in America’s
9. Sherman L., Gottfredson D., MacKenzie D., Eck J., Reuter P., Bushway S. Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising. A Report to the United States Congress. College Park, MD: University of Maryland, Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 1997.
Crime control, consisting of many elements of prevention and punishment, is a widely debated and often contentious topic. Myriad agendas occur in government and society, depending upon the kind of organizational or philosophical objective trying to be met. Political differences are present within the criminal justice system that draw upon certain models, techniques, and methods associated with crime prevention. Society functions as another element in crime control, as often an underlying fear creates a pressure to enact programs and laws. The media enters in as a forum to present conservative and liberal opinions to enact and enforce criminal laws and punishment. A debate over crime often strives to define prevention and punishment, in models that make these terms mutually exclusive, versus a view that crime prevention is a result, and punishment only one possible tool for achieving that result. Different forms of punishment will be discussed in relationship to the criminal justice system as well as the purpose the punishment serves, problems relating to the punishment, and an opinion on improvements and solutions.
Winfree, T., & Abadinsky, H. (2nd Ed.). (2003). Understanding Crime: Theory and Practice. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth publishers.
There was a decline in crime during the 1990s. Our country enjoyed seven years of declining crime for the period 1991-98, the most recent data available. During this period crime declined by 22% and violent crime by 25%. These are welcome developments, particularly following the surge of crime and violence of the late 1980s. This decline occurred during a time when the national prison population has increased substantially, rising from 789,60 in 1991 to 1,252,830, a 59% rise in just seven years and a 47% increase in the rate of incarceration, taking into account changes in the national population (Mauer 21-24).
In the 21st century, crimes have been and remains as one of the post-major threats towards
Muncie, J., and Mclaughin, E. (1996) The Problem of Crime. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publication Ltd.
To be able to appreciate the magnitude of the problem, it is important to first determine what the issue is all about. This paper is going to analyze this issue developing recommendations on how to combat the crime in the United States. This will be achieved by discussing the nature of this issue, who the victims are and the current legislation on the pro...
Sherman, L., Gottfredson, D., MacKenzie, D., Eck, J., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (1998). Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising in Brief, Report to the United States Congress. National Institute of Justice.
If there is one thing Australian society has an abundance of, it is images and opinions about crime. It is the central theme running through many forms of communication in the modern society. Whether the issue of crime is, drug-related, violent, juvenile, child abductions, serial killers, youth gangs, or crimes against the elderly, a public consensus exists that crime is rampant, dangerous and threatening to explode.
Crime is an extremely prominent part of American society. Recorded activity within the US saw 10,329,135 (1,246,248 violent crimes and 9,082,887 property crimes) crimes perpetrated with 62.5% of all violent crimes pertained to aggravated assault and 68.2% of all property crimes were considered larceny-theft in 2010. (FBI.2011) Despite the large number of crimes the United States also has the largest number of incarcerated citizens per capita in the world with nearly a quarter of the world’s prisoners coming from the United States’ 5% of the world population. This is due to much harder punishments in the US than those that are given a shorter longer period of incarceration or merely fined in other countries.(Liptak 2008) Due to the prevalence of crime in the US, economists have used models to explain the behavior and ramifications of government actions and the motivations behind crime and its effect on society that psychologists and sociologists are usually unable to address.
Conscious efforts to critique existing approaches to questions of crime and justice, demystify concepts and issues that are laden with political and ideological baggage, situate debates about crime control within a socio-historical context, and facilitate the imagination and exploration of alternative ways of thinking and acting in relation to crime and justice. (p. 3).
Crime exists everywhere. It is exists in our country, in the big cities, the small towns, schools, and even in homes. Crime is defined as “any action that is a violation of law”. These violations may be pending, but in order to at least lower the crime rate, an understanding of why the crimes are committed must first be sought. There are many theories that are able to explain crimes, but three very important ones are rational choice theory, social disorganization theory and strain theory.
"Controlling violent crime is largely a state and local responsibility," declare Robert Moffit, Edwin Meese, and Patrick Fagan of the Heritage Foundation. "State and local officials," they say, "should take the initiative to identify and target the hard-core criminals who are committing the majority of crimes and implement tough policies to put them behind bars and keep them there. Mounting evidence shows that this approach works."
Delinquency, vandalism and violent crimes cause considerable harm and are expensive to communities. A recent report for the US Congress by a university group noted how few scientific evaluations exist on traditional policing and incarceration programs. Where they exist, they do not usually show positive results.