criminology Essay

Assess the view that crime and deviance are the products of the labelling process (21 marks)

As societies expanded due to the economic demands posed by the Industrial Revolution, Durkheim said that the moral ties which bounded society together were weakened. Therefore, as society became more complex, a mechanism was engineered to effectively regulate these relationships and the result was the legal system[5]. The codification of moral behaviour, through laws, created guide-lines for large-scale societies. The foundation of these boundaries is in effect a function of crime and deviance, because without crime and deviance, on what basis would these laws be drafted upon?

A theoretical perspective in the field of criminology that addresses power differentials, inequalities and hierarchies as the explanations of crime is known as critical criminology. In the making and enforcement of law, critical theoretical perspectives are helpful in the reduction of crime by reducing the social, economical and political disparities in a social agency. Critical criminology actually provides a huge framework for the discussion of many other approaches followed in criminology like conflict theory, post-modernism and peacemaking criminology etc.

Seymour M. Lipset2 contends that negative traits that plague the American landscape, such as “high crime and economic inequality”, are fundamental characteristics of and are inherently linked to a capitalistic and openly admirable democratic society. Not only does American history reside in the nature for “disdain of authority”, but current American norms signal that everyone must elevate their own status and rise above the ranks, both economically and socially. In analyzing the trends of high crime, acts such as theft, narcotics production and distribution, fraud, etc. are a means to

This particular work will consist of a critical theoretical review and a comparative analysis on two criminological theories. For the comparison I have chosen Marx’s theory of crime and Merton’s strain theory of deviance. My critical comparison analysis will emphasise the central concepts and arguments within both theories and how each theory explains crime. The analysis will then explore modern day studies in which have stemmed from these theories as well as explore the many similarities and differences between these two theories. Exploring the strengths and weaknesses in both approaches and concluding that although both theories are

All struggles for power is political, thus there is an ineluctable political dimension to debates over the definition of crime (Dantzker and Hunter, 2006:7). Serious social harms are ignored by the traditional definition of crime because it benefits the political and economic agenda of a certain group of people. The sociologist Edwin Sutherland argued that the justice system is systematically biased towards people of higher classes, their class power allows them to influence the implementation and administration of the law (Maguire & Radosh 1996 pg 87). For example, large cooperation’s can influence politics, through lobbying, they use their economic power to buy into the government enabling them to influence government policies. Therefore the “law cannot be fully trusted”, (Yar, 2012: 52, because it disproportionately targets blue collar crime over that of white collar. This is because people who make the law have a vested interest. So, a positive attribute of social harms is that it challenges structures of power, such as government, and works outside the framework of “law”, the study of harm, is likely to “implicate states” (Dorling

According to Rachel Boba, “Crime analysis is a law enforcement function that involves systematic analysis for identifying and analyzing patterns and trends in crime and disorder” (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime analysis).The information on these patterns can assist law enforcement agencies in the deployment of resources in a more effective manner; it can also help detectives to identify and catch suspects. Crime analysis also plays a role in improvising solutions to crime problems, and developing crime prevention strategies. There are various types of technology that is used in crime analysis. Crime analysis relies heavily on computer technology, and over the past fifteen years there has been a significant improvement in computer hardware and

Public criminology takes information, research and education to the next level, as discovered through this essay. It doesn’t just include lab work, research and discoveries, it involves community based teaching in a way that the public can be informed and educated through upfront communication. Throughout this essay, the broad definition of public criminology will be discussed as well as its relevance to society. As with anything, there are challenges and promises that accompany public criminology and those will be stated in this essay. Examples will be given to help you learn the different concepts of public criminology and how it relates to our modern society. Given as a starting point, according to

Tonya it is believed that society influences a person to become criminal. In some instances people learn criminal behavior from the people who are around them. Deviant behavior violates the social norms. People who use drugs are expected to be criminals because they are vulnerable to the circumstance in which they find themselves in. Drug abusers may engage in crime to seek revenge against those who they think did them wrong or they might commit an act of crime to make themselves feel better. What it boils down to is money, all people are encouraged to work hard but many people are prevented from getting the money they need through legal channels, such as work. As a consequence, these individuals experience hardships and they may attempt to

In accordance with Marxist theory, it is the views of the powerful that dominate, as they have the ability to make their views prevail. It would then appear that what constitutes a crime is open to debate; moreover, the criminals who we choose to despise, are they no more than mere victims of our own perceptions. Our own social conditioning? To see why this is, we must look to the very basis of society and how it decides what is right or wrong.

People have a tendency of ascribing external stimuli as reasons for actions and behaviour of man. If a person becomes a criminal, we look for reasons in his background and social setting. However, it is not always necessary that a poor person will take to crime to alleviate his misery.

Classical Criminology The classical school of criminology was around in the eighteenth century. It came abount in a time when the previous dominent spiritual look at defining crime and criminal behaviour was being challenged by a newer naturalistic approach of the social contract theorists. The classical school was the established ideas of monarchs, fedual lords and the fathers of the church.

Figuring out why people commit crimes is one of the central concerns of criminology. Do most criminals act rationally after weighing the costs of crime? Is society ever to blame for an individual to commit a crime? Do mental diseases or even genetics factor into whether a person will live a life of crime. Over the years, many people have developed theories to try to answer these questions. In fact, the number of theories of why people commit crimes sometimes seems to equal the number of criminologists. I explore these questions and much more in the paper that follow.

My ambition has always been to work in Criminology. I am applying for this course as crime, criminal justice, law and the psychology behind why people commit crimes has interested me since early childhood. Working within criminology requires a wide range of skills that include dedication, reliability, concentration and the ability to remain professional and I believe that I posses these skills.

In this essay I will unpack three motives of why crime has been posited to be a social construction rather a reality in itself autonomous or neutral. Three different approaches will be proposed to justify crime as a social fabrication, which are; First Crime is a legal based fabrication which takes a form on the doctrinal argument by judges and bring existence to such