Is crime an abnormal Act?

The first 200 words of this essay...

Is crime an abnormal Act?

Is crime an abnormal act committed by an abnormal person? An average person confronted with the question, "Is crime an abnormal act committed by an abnormal person"?, would undoubtedly say, ÔÇ£YesÔÇ?. They would consider themselves, perhaps not angelic, but certainly law-abiding members of society; however, if these so-called, ÔÇÿlaw-abidingÔÇÖ citizens were to take a little time to analyse the question, their answer might be very different; moreover, they might discover the ÔÇÿgeneÔÇÖ of criminality is in us all! Crime and deviance is not only a normal part of society, it is undoubtedly a product of its very existence! We shall see how such is the case through the work of some great individuals (Durkheim & Merton) who took the time to ÔÇÿthinkÔÇÖ about the question, and used a variety of theories to explain their subsequent answers. We shall explore their theories that will direct us towards a realistic answer. In pursuit of an answer to the aforementioned question, one must first understand the question itself and its very meaning. Crime itself is a very transient term; it is something that varies through the passage of time, society, geography, and by who commits the act.