My First Thoughts About Crime

Crime....What is it?
- an offense punishable by the law
- evil and malicious act, often causes harm to others
- property crime- normally planned in advance- e.g. burglary, theft, robbery, vandalism, white-collar crime
- violent crime- occur when emotions run high- e.g. assault, murder, rapes
- moral crime- conduct that is considered contrary to community standards of justice, honesty or good morals- e.g. fraud, blackmail, counterfeiting, bribery, incest, bullying
- can be very slippery; different countries/places have their own set of rules about what they regard as crime...so it is hard to determine what is crime..for example, in Nigeria, just being seen with cocaine is already a crime. But in Mexico, as of August 25, 2009,the Mexican legislature officially legalized small doses of cocaine for personal use. No action will be taken for those carrying up to half a gram of cocaine.

How does crime affect the individual and their surroundings?

Fear- It influences how people lead their lives. Because of the high publicity of crimes in the media, this further raises the fear of crime. For example, most mothers don't encourage their children to go out at night because of the fear of them being victims of crime. Those who are victims themselves, would be badly traumatized. They are normally scarred emotionally because of the bad experience they suffered as victims of crime.

Money from taxpayers to eradicate crime- New jails, prisons, programs for criminals and money for police protection all come from the pocket of taxpayers. This means that instead of that money being invested in prevention through higher wages or better education, taxpayers pay more to keep criminals safe and well fed.

Misconceptions (Stereotypes)- According to research, crime and poverty are proven to be related. This shows that people who suffer from poverty are more likely to be involved in crime. This has led to stereotypes in society, which creates a social barrier between people from different classes.

Increased awareness- People become more alert when a crime occurs in their area. They would pay attention to all the people they come in contact with. Their houses would be reinforced for crime prevention.

Stricter rules and regulations- When a crime occurs, the government would impose a heavier punishment or introduce a new set of rules. This is carried out to act as a deterrent to would-be criminals.

What causes people to commit crime?

Greed- Humans are always crazy about money. Some choose to use the shortcut to obtain it by committing crime.

Anger/Jealousy- When emotions run high, people tend to lose their judgement and act wildly. This often result in bad consequences, including crime.

Power- Power-crazy is not something we've never heard of. Sometimes, in order to achieve a higher position or status, people resort to crime such as bribery.

Poverty- It is proven that poverty leads to crime. When people are desperately poor, crime is their answer to obtain their needs.

Peer pressure- Sometimes, you are tempted into wrong-doing due to the influence from your peers- family, friends, etc.

Of course, there are more reasons as to why people commit crime. These are just the few that I could think of since they are my first thoughts about this topic.

Stay crime-free for a better future and happier life!!