(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Nature of crime


            
            
             The definitions of crime are varied and complex. They consist of eleven separate definitions that will be examined. The definitions impacted by the historical information on crime. The origins, social, political and religious conceptions of crime determine when an act becomes a crime. The tracking of this information through date gives insight into the problems of crime.
             Definition one of crime is the most common and applied definition of crime. It states, "an act is only a crime when it violates the prevailing legal code of the jurisdiction in which it occurs"( p.10). Williams points Out that no matter how bad the crime is it must be considered A crime by the authorities Before it is actually a crime.
             ( Williams, 1994, p. 11). .
             Definition two states that only those criminals who have been adjudicated as such by the courts. The crime must be deemed to exist before one becomes a criminal. .
             Definition three adds conditions to definition two by stating the act must be legally prohibited when it is committed and the person must have criminal intent and acted voluntarily. These acts had to have already been documented with a penalty for its commission. This black letter law definition covers the behaviors that are considered illegal but does not consider what kinds of behavior should be considered truly criminal. .
             Definition four adds that some moral criteria of social injury must be applied before a definition of crime is totally formulated. The American neo-conservative social policy analyst Charles Murray maintained that the increases in crime are definitely the results of a breakdown in family relationship and a growth in illegitimacy (Murray,1990). .
             Definition five states that social groups create deviance. Deviant or criminal behavior exist because legal or normative prescriptions are violated. Crime is viewed as a consequence of social interaction. This involves a rule-violator the police or courts, lawyers and lawmakers defining this person's behavior as criminal.


Essays Related to Nature of crime


Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question